No Internet Access
Sermons, devotionals, discipleship courses, children's programs, and Bible schools on the Internet are illegal in China. Pastors are no longer allowed to present themselves as spiritual authorities online, and calls for donations are prohibited. Online contact with foreign churches or missionaries is also banned. Furthermore, the state itself defines what constitutes “extremist” or “cult-like” activity, allowing biblical teaching to be arbitrarily criminalized.
The State – the Measure of All Things
Online prayer groups are considered religious activities and are prohibited, as are Christian chatbots, automated Bible responses, anonymous Bible verses, testimonies, or spiritual reflections. WeChat groups or similar chat formats may not be used for Christian content. Worship services, baptisms, prayer times, invitations to evangelistic events, and biblical content for children are completely prohibited online. All religious content must be approved by the state in advance—in practice, approvals for free churches are rarely granted.
Disruption, Blockade, Isolation
The consequences are severe: Digital worship services are disappearing, house churches are being isolated, and discipleship is being severely restricted. Spiritual leadership is being rendered invisible, churches are losing financial stability, and international partnerships are breaking down. Digital evangelism is being suppressed, and fellowship is being deliberately weakened—especially in regions where Christians are already being persecuted. Congregations without buildings effectively lose any opportunity to gather, and the transmission of the faith to the next generation is being blocked. Violations are met with the threat of account deletion, fines, professional restrictions, the closure of congregations, and criminal prosecution.
God has the final say
The church in China has repeatedly experienced massive repression throughout its history. Yet Christianity has not disappeared; rather, it has grown despite—or perhaps precisely because of—the pressure. Even under this new wave of persecution, the church will not be silenced, but under the influence of the Holy Spirit will find new ways to evade surveillance, live out the faith, and pass it on.
