Despite increased persecution and the fact that more than 2,000 Christians are currently imprisoned for religious reasons, the church in China is growing at a remarkable rate, impacting lives and sharing the hope of Jesus. Although more than 6,000 churches have reopened since 1979, by far the vast majority of Chinese Christians continue to meet in private homes.
Many rural groups meet in caves for fear of reprisal from the government.
A church opens in China every 36 hours. Four local Christians detained in the raid were released the following day. During their time in detention, the believers were repeatedly questioned about their activities. Sources say they were often beaten and kicked during interrogations designed to encourage them to confess to having connections with foreign religious organizations. One such interrogation session reportedly lasted 13 hours.