On December 18, 2023, a lawyer visited Elder Hao Ming. His health is passable, and his appetite is good. Due to poor food quality inside, he particularly craves meat.
The Jingyang District Procuratorate filed a lawsuit against him and Elder Wu Jian Nan on December 2, 2022, accusing them of fraud involving 560,000 yuan (the total amount of the church’s offerings over the years). It is understood that the case was submitted for discussion to the Sichuan Provincial High Court. Later, on August 25, 2023, the Procuratorate amended the prosecution, reducing the accused amount to 100,130 yuan. This means the statutory sentence they may face has been reduced from over ten years to over three years. Both elders and their lawyers insist that the eleventh offering is a biblical teaching and a church tradition, and should not constitute fraud.
This money was a subsidy given over the years to Wu Jian Nan Elder’s wife, Cui Yanqin, under the condition that she does not engage in other work and fully assists Elder Wu’s ministry. Sister Cui gave up her job as a public school teacher for this, becoming a full-time housewife. This expense, unanimously agreed upon by the church’s co-workers and publicly disclosed to the congregation each month, could not possibly be proceeds from fraud.
Previously, authorities approached Elder Hao’s family, hoping to persuade him to plead guilty and change lawyers, promising immediate release. The officials expressed a desire to see their goodwill. Elder Hao said this is a test from God and he will not betray God. The eleventh offering involves fundamental doctrines, a matter of right and wrong, and he will not compromise but remain loyal to God. Despite his longing to be released and feelings of loneliness, he can overcome them. There is no way he can plead guilty.
He expressed gratitude to God for bestowing such honor on his old age, giving a perfect end to his imperfect life. He said he might live another 20 to 30 years, so his thoughts are different from when he was younger. After his release, he plans to read less doctrinal books and more on spiritual nourishment and pastoral care.
The God of the Bible is different from the Heaven believed in by ancient Chinese, the latter lacking personhood. Our faith is tangible, requiring reliance on God’s grace to face various challenges.
Leave a Reply