The Communist government continues to keep a close watch on Christian activities. Some churches are state-approved and controlled, some are illegal and the state fights against them, and the majority are not registered, but tolerated. Unregistered churches are still ‘managed’ according to certain guidelines, which includes reporting activities. The most restricted areas for Christians are in Muslim and Tibetan regions. Christian converts from a Muslim background also have to deal with persecution from their own family and friends, so hide Bibles and Christian materials….

[China’s] State Authority on Religious Affairs (SARA) is responsible for the general approach on religions and can be quite harsh but frequently decisions depend more on local authorities than on the national ones in Beijing. It is not possible to say that any Christian in China has freedom of religion in the true sense of the word. Churches are monitored and even if only ‘high-profile’ churches are closed—often perceived as acting politically—the sword of Damocles is swinging above all non-registered churches in China. If guidelines demand it, they might be interrupted. For the time being, the tactics are different, however: church leaders are invited for “tea meetings” where officials explain that they are watched and how they are expected to behave.

Christians still are often perceived as being allied with foreign forces, especially those in the Catholic Church. Officially, working with under-18-year-olds is forbidden, but this law is not enforced and therefore much youth work is done. There is a large need for training of Christians and especially leaders. However, this is only allowed in government-approved seminaries. As those are not sufficient to keep up with the demand, virtually every house church network runs its own Bible schools and seminaries. Foreign visitors are watched by authorities.

In Tibet and Xinjing the situation is very tense and volatile. Clashes frequently occur, making the level of control by the state very high. Christians, there, are few in number and they are all Muslim Background Believers, traditionally living in closely knit families. Consequently, Christians take care not to be discovered by [their] community. There are reports that Christians have been disowned and driven away by their families.

“World Watch List 2014: China.” Open Doors. 2014. Web