If all had gone well, it would have been a typical Saturday.
On the morning of October 28, 2023, in a nondescript hotel meeting room on Taisheng Road in Qingyang District, Chengdu, the Early Rain Covenant Church Worker’s College graduation ceremony was taking place. Preacher Zhang Jiale, who came from out of town, was preaching to the graduates.
The location was a bit sensitive as it was only a few hundred meters from Jiangxin Building, where the famous “129 Church Incident” took place five years ago. For nearly five years, the congregation of Early Rain Covenant Church wandered in this materialistic metropolis, struggling to find places for various worship activities offline. Like opportunists, finding a temporary spot to pitch their tents was enough reason for gratitude. A student who attended the ceremony later commented that the location, seemingly hidden in plain sight, might have been providentially safer and more protected.
However, this was no coincidence. The day after the Sunday worship, Vice Deacon Jia Xuewei, who had just been released, admitted his intentional choice of location. He mentioned that it was only 200 meters from the former church location at Jiangxin Building, and he wanted the new graduates to deeply experience what they were equipped for, to connect the history of Early Rain Church with their current mission…
Preacher Ding Shuqi was particularly busy that weekend. Not only was he the host for the graduation sermon, but he also had to prepare for the next day’s sermon titled “The Priority of the Gospel.” Elder Li Yingqiang was also present, but he had no specific duties and attended with a casual mindset.
Everything seemed to go smoothly as Elder Li Yingqiang had hoped, until around 10:00 AM during the ceremony, when a large number of police officers suddenly burst in, and Elder Li’s “soy sauce bottle” metaphorically shattered…
The authorities deployed a large force including officers from the Chengdu Public Security Bureau, Qingyang Sub-bureau, local police stations, and the Religious Affairs Bureau, numbering more than twenty people and arriving in a double-decker bus. Whether they anticipated arresting everyone present is known only to God. They interrupted the graduation ceremony, declaring the church gathering illegal.
However, no one expected the sudden clash of kingdoms.
An official from the Religious Affairs Bureau swaggered onto the stage, intending to lecture the congregation. Despite being a rented space, the room, designated for the graduation ceremony, had been set apart as holy, and no atheist had the right to bluster there. Ding Shuqi and Jia Xuewei immediately stepped forward to stop him, gently but firmly telling him he had no right to speak there, and then turned to the congregation, suggesting they leave. If the police didn’t let them go, they were ready to be arrested.
The police were enraged and began to detain people. Later, Elder Li Yingqiang, Preacher Ding Shuqi, Vice Deacon Jia Xuewei, Brother Liu Yingxu, Brother Li Benli, and Brother Nie Bo were taken to the Caoshi Street Police Station in Chengdu’s Qingyang District. Brother Hao Guiru, Sister Shu Qiong, and Preacher Zhang Jiale were taken to the Xi Yuhe Police Station in Qingyang District, and other brothers and sisters were dispersed by the police.
How did the students internalize this event? Many brothers and sisters testified in church later, but the experiences of four individuals were particularly telling. A brief review might shed some light on God’s intentions.
One thing was certain: at that moment, Elder Li Yingqiang was still in a casual mindset. He said that when the police entered, his back was turned to them, but he felt their presence. He heard Jia Xuewei negotiating with them and thought it best to remain silent, believing his involvement might escalate the situation.
Elder Li Yingqiang even had a chance to leave the scene unnoticed. The police initially didn’t recognize him, and he wasn’t stopped when he went to the restroom. A thought crossed his mind: he could quietly leave while their attention was on Jia Xuewei, potentially downplaying the situation. But he quickly dismissed the thought, feeling it irresponsible to abandon his coworkers in their time of suffering.
Preacher Ding Shuqi recalls the unity among the five brothers during their detention: “Our love as brothers can shake mountains and rivers. This time was a bit special compared to previous detentions. Five of us were crammed into a car, confined in a room at the police station, and later at the detention center, which was a unique experience. We communicated with each other, held hands, and supported one another.”
After leaving the police station for the detention center, Preacher Ding saw the brothers and sisters waiting outside with many bottles of cola. “Drinking this happy fat water, sitting in the advanced detention center built by the party and government, I saw what has kept the church as the pillar and foundation of God’s truth for thousands of years. First, it’s God’s word, and second, it’s the growth of this word in the church, taking root in each brother and sister.”
Preacher Ding had an epiphany: “If we have such a group, first 5, then 50, 500, 50,000, or even 500,000 brothers together, what would it be like? Having such an experience, led by the Lord in faith and uncertainty, walking step by step, side by side, hand in hand, is wonderful!”
Preacher Ding shared his recent term, “Christian Optimism,” explaining how Christians maintain a positive spiritual state in any situation due to God’s grace. “In any circumstance, God always opens a way for us, and we are people of hope, benefiting from all things for those who love God.”
On Sunday morning, only Preacher Ding and Jia Xuewei were left in the detention room, as others were released earlier. They stood up solemnly, facing the window, reciting the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed. The watching policeman, busy with his phone, did not interfere.
Elder Li Yingqiang’s Transformation: God Shatters His “Soy Sauce Bottle”
At the Caoshi Street Police Station, Elder Li continued his mild negotiations with the police, viewing the situation as trivial. However, at that moment, God broke his “soy sauce bottle” metaphor, prompting a deep repentance in him.
Elder Li apologized to the police for his previous remarks, acknowledging that God had reminded him this was not a “trivial matter,” but something God highly values. He realized that his casual attendance at the ceremony was part of a significant event, and he had been refusing to accept this grace and the gospel.
Elder Li confessed his worldly logic in dealing with the police, admitting his longing for the church’s peace and smooth operation of ministries. He yearned for the church to grow without turmoil and difficulties. But when grace came unexpectedly, he did not recognize it, and when the cross was before him, he wanted to flee, unwilling to bear the cross and suffer for it.
Elder Li also repented of his fleeting thought to escape, attributing it to his deep-rooted moralism. Reflecting on his failures, he realized he had been more like a company manager than a church elder, using worldly logic to protect the church’s interests. But the conflict was not between the police and a company; it was a clash of kingdoms. Belonging to Christ, not the world, they face an unbridgeable gap between the world and the kingdom of heaven, with the cross as the only bridge.
As Elder Li expounded on the clash of kingdoms, Jia Xuewei and Preacher Ding were released. On Monday, Jia Xuewei, with a broken rib, left the hospital with a CT scan report. His rib was broken in the collision of kingdoms.
Jia Xuewei shared his experience and insights, linking the grand police display to recent events following the sudden death of former Premier Li Keqiang. He noted the hostile attitude of the police, particularly officer Chen Jiao from Chengdu’s Public Security Bureau, who accused the Christians of collaborating with “foreign forces” and being “traitors” seeking to overthrow the socialist system.
In this clash, both police and Christians saw their respective kingdoms, with one side blind and deaf to the kingdom and the other, standing on this shore, seeing the kingdom by faith and seeking its righteousness.
Jia Xuewei, accustomed to detentions, saw his situation through a kingdom perspective. He knew his identity in God’s kingdom and his mission. Facing the authorities, he was unshaken, aware of God’s grace in every situation.
Jia Xuewei recalled a recent incident where he was dragged off his bike and threatened by two plainclothes officers from Qingyang Public Security Bureau. One of them, Wang Chao, was his interrogator during the latest detention.
During the interrogation, Jia Xuewei only provided basic information. When asked about the church’s activities, he refused to answer. Wang Chao’s attempts to engage in casual conversation were met with firm refusal. Eventually, Wang signaled a younger officer to take Jia Xuewei to the restroom, where he was brutally beaten. The assault focused on his body to avoid leaving facial evidence, and Jia did not fight back but loudly rebuked the officer for losing all sense of police ethics.
The young officer’s aggression was stopped by another policeman, who cautioned against injuring Jia too severely. Jia returned to the interrogation room, refusing further cooperation and declaring the officers unworthy of being law enforcers. He refused to sign the interrogation record, which was eventually discarded and reprinted without his signature.
Jia Xuewei’s experience of physical pain deepened his closeness to Christ. He felt ready for whatever came next, seeing his suffering as part of bearing witness to the kingdom of God.
In the confrontation between the two kingdoms, Sister Shu Qiong articulated the truth to the opposing side.
Shu Qiong’s conversation with a policeman was fruitful, covering various topics, including the legitimacy of Early Rain Covenant Church and the option to worship in state-sanctioned “Three-Self” churches. She made clear distinctions between obeying earthly laws and adhering to God’s eternal law in the Bible. Her steadfastness in faith and clarity in explaining why she couldn’t follow the “religious law” when it conflicted with Biblical teachings left a profound impression.
Shu Qiong’s final minute of sharing brought great comfort to Elder Li Yingqiang. She reflected on the devil’s tactics and affirmed that their suffering and struggles were for Christ, not for any individual. Their willingness to endure hardships was for the Lord Jesus, not for any human leader.
Elder Li Yingqiang’s Sunday sermon, prepared under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the wake of the church incident, was not just his own effort but a collective testimony of all who experienced the conflict. He addressed the dangers of “success theology” in the church, emphasizing that true victory in God’s kingdom comes through death and resurrection. The church’s success is not in earthly achievements but in bearing witness to the glory of the cross, even through hardships and destruction.
Reflecting on the past five years since the “129 Church Incident,” Elder Li recognized God’s purpose in allowing trials and suffering for the church. He expressed gratitude for the trials, seeing them as opportunities for growth and deeper reliance on God. The church, willing to be destroyed for the gospel, stands as a living testimony to the cross in a world that values survival and success.
The story of the Chengdu 1028 Church Incident, though not a severe case of persecution, highlights God’s work in unexpected ways. Like opening a door to a sudden autumn rain, grace poured in unexpectedly.
Thank God!
Several questions, a detail, and an epilogue
Once, a brother from the Early Rain Covenant Church (ERCC) was scolded by the police for clinging to the church. He said, “This church has God.”
The question arises: How can one prove that this church has God?
This question is difficult to answer, so let’s ask another: Does God still speak directly to us today as He did with Moses in the past?
Or, to put it another way: Is Immanuel possible? If so, on what basis do believers dwell with God?
If this is hard to answer, let’s continue asking: People often say that God will destroy churches that are not according to His will. So, how can we judge which churches are according to God’s will and which are not?
If it’s still difficult to answer, then let’s ask further: Can we figure out the answers to all these questions on our own?
…
Of course, many people can easily answer these questions, and there will be a variety of answers.
Then the question comes again: How do you determine whether your answer is your own thought or God’s plan?
These questions are indeed headache-inducing. So, let’s focus back on the individuals.
The four characters mentioned above are well-known figures in the Early Rain Covenant Church. When the church is mentioned, their names come up. However, there’s a large group of brothers and sisters in the church who seem to have blurred faces. They rarely appear at the forefront of political and religious conflicts, but they have always stood by the church during serious struggles and hardships.
During the recent church incident, a photo was first circulated – a few sisters sitting under the wall of a police station, their necks and heads wrapped in strange items. It was later learned that these were old clothes meant for children. Because of the cold weather, they used these clothes as hats and scarves.
This is an ordinary photo. Without context, you might not look twice. A sister stared at this photo on her phone for a long time and then said, “They are like the women who waited by Jesus’ tomb.”
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