Three-Self Patriotic Movement
The B.A.M. is a Henan-based house church network whose membership may run into the millions. In 1998 there were an estimated 3 million followers independent of the official Three-Self Patriotic Movement churches in China. The magazine "Christianity Today" reports that “Spinoffs from BAM, one of the fastest-growing religious groups in China, have an estimated 20 million followers, nearly twice the size of the registered church, which was re-established in 1979”. Xu had taught that weeping was an essential evidence of repentance, though in recent years this has had less emphasis in the movement. Concern over this emphasis came not only from the official Three-Self Patriotic Movement church, but also from some Chinese house church leaders.