Despite freezing temperatures and strong winter winds, Faith Chinese Baptist Church (溫哥華信友堂) held its annual outdoor morning prayer gathering in front of its church building on Dec. 13. According to organizers, more than 100 believers attended in person, while others joined simultaneously via Zoom and YouTube. The event marked the church’s 16th consecutive year hosting a gathering focused on the challenges faced by China’s house churches.
The theme of this year’s gathering was “Standing with ‘Early Rain/Living Stone’ in Tribulation, Walking with ‘Zion/Shouwang’ Through the Storm.” Following prayer and hymn singing, pastors offered intercessory prayers and greetings. Participants included Elder Li Yingqiang (李英強), assistant to Pastor Wang Yi (王怡) of Early Rain Covenant Church (成都秋雨聖約教會), and Pastor Bob Fu (傅希秋), founder and president of China Aid.
Rev. Sean Long (龍降恩), acting senior pastor of Beijing Zion Church (北京錫安教會), joined the prayer gathering online for the first time. In his greeting, Rev. Long said the outdoor prayer gathering reminded him of the outdoor assemblies held by Shouwang Church (守望教會) in 2011, reflecting the spiritual connection among churches across different regions. He invited believers to pray for Zion Church members and pastors currently under pressure, asking God to grant strength and unity, to watch over those detained and their families, and to provide protection and comfort for their physical, financial, and spiritual needs. He also requested prayer for legal teams and pastoral workers, that they may serve together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Senior Pastor Rev.Yu-Jian Hong (洪予健) of Faith Chinese Baptist Church reflected on how China’s house churches have drawn increased attention amid persecution in recent years. He noted that different churches have adopted different approaches under pressure: Early Rain Covenant Church has spoken publicly with a clear biblical stance, while Shouwang Church and Beijing Zion Church have chosen lower-profile and more decentralized forms of gathering. However, he said these experiences show that no particular strategy can fully avoid external restrictions, underscoring the long-term challenges faced by urban house churches in China.
Drawing from the Apostle Paul’s exhortation in 2 Timothy, Pastor Hong emphasized that faith must be deeply rooted and sustained by a spirit of strength. He encouraged overseas Chinese churches, despite their limited size and resources, to continue praying and standing in solidarity—not out of expectation for immediate change, but out of trust in God’s sovereignty and a commitment to spiritual growth in Christ.
Pastor Hong also introduced a joint proposal initiated by Beijing Zion Church (北京錫安教會), Faith Chinese Baptist Church (溫哥華信友堂), Harvest Chinese Christian Church (華夏豐收教會) and other churches and organizations. The proposal calls for Jan. 9 to be designated as “China Religious Freedom Day,” and the ninth day of each month as a “Day of Fasting and Prayer for China’s House Churches.” He announced that Faith Chinese Baptist Church will lead the annual March 9 fasting and prayer gathering, joining churches worldwide in interceding for persecuted house churches in China.
During the response session, Pastor Pan Yongguang (潘永光) of Mayflower Church (五月花教會), currently residing in Texas, led the congregation in prayer online. Several pastors and co-workers from Faith Chinese Baptist Church then offered intercessory prayers for various house churches, pastors, and believers in China.
