Pray for Beijing House Church Leader, Shi Weihan and his family

March 26, 2010

Return to Ten Thursdays of Prayer for China’s Church.  

Shi Weihan (Picture from China Aid)

Beijing house church leader and businessman, Shi Weihan, is currently serving a sentence of three years’ imprisonment with a fine of 150,000 Yuan (about $22,000) for an alleged “illegal business operation.” What was his illegal business? Shi owns the Holy Spirit Christian Bookstore and Holy Spirit Trading Company. He printed and distributed Bibles at no cost to Christians in both the registered national church and house churches. Six others who worked with him were sentenced with him and received sentences of between one and three years, according to China Aid.

Shi was first arrested and jailed at the Haidian Detention Center in November 2007, when his bookstore was raided and all of the materials confiscated. His wife, Zhang Jing said that Shi “broke no laws” and that all of the books that he sold were “legally sanctioned religious materials.” For days, Zhang heard nothing about her husband’s whereabouts and safety although Chinese law requires notice to be given after 24 hours of detention. She and the couple’s two little girls were frantic. Finally, twelve days after Shi’s arrest, she received a notice of his detainment.

Shi suffered from extremely harsh conditions in Haidian. During the period of his interrogation, he was kept in a cell with no heat, issued no clothing by the prison, and subject to sleep deprivation torture. In addition, Shi was not allowed any visits from his family, and he was not able to write to them, either, or to acknowledge the letters that his family sent to him.

Shi, who became a Christian over 13 years ago, pastored an informal house church, the “Antioch Eternal Life Church.” According to China Aid, approximately 20-30 believers would meet for worship in a room next door to Shi’s bookstore. In spite of Shi’s suffering, he shared the Gospel at the Haidian Detention Center. A December 14, 2007 press release from China Aid indicated that Shi had already shared the Gospel with over 20 other prisoners.

Criminal charges were dropped due to lack of evidence and Shi was released in January 2008. But then, unbelievably, in April 2008, he was rearrested! China Aid and others believed that his arrest was part of the crackdown on Christians prior to the Beijing Olympic Games. At the time of his arrest police claimed he was a “dangerous religious element,” China Aid reported.

Again Shi was mistreated and was quite ill because of diabetes, which was not being treated properly, as well as suffering from some skin irritations. In July 2008, 18 Republican members of Congress signed a petition for the release of Shi and other prisoners. Over the summer and fall of 2008, his condition deteriorated to the point where he was “barely recognizable,” friends told China Aid. But when friends of China Aid visited Zhang Jing towards the end of 2008, they were able to report that Shi was doing much better. International pressure, particularly from the United States, forced the Chinese authorities to ensure that he received medical treatment. In addition to the petition from the Congress, President George W. Bush was personally aware of Shi’s case and requested updates on his condition, the U.S. Embassy in China was checking with his family on a monthly basis, and Senator Arlen Specter had sent a letter to the Chinese Ambassador in September, urging immediate medical care for him. 

Zhang Jing, Shi Jia (12), and Shi En Mei (8) (Picture from China Aid)

Finally, in April 2009, Shi stood trial. He was ably defended in court by two attorneys of the Beijing Kingdom Law Firm, Zhang Xingshui and Zhou Min. The text of Shi’s defense combines forthright Christian testimony with tough challenges to the Chinese government’s violation of its own constitution and of the opinions on free speech of Marx, Lenin, Engels, and Mao Zedong! But the June 10, 2009 criminal judgment from Haidian District People’s Court of Beijing Municipality was that the defendants had “violated the regulations of the state in printing illegal publications and their circumstance is especially serious.” Very serious indeed, considering that in addition to the Bible, Shi’s Xinshu Printing Company printed such titles as “Learning to be Disciples,” “Basis of Faith,” “Church and Ministry,” and “Light of Grace,” among dozens of others.

Shi’s wife, Zhang Jing, has hired Christian human rights attorney Li Fangping to appeal the sentence. China Aid says that Zhang Jing, Shi Jia “Lily” (12), and Shi En Mei “Grace,” “are under tremendous pressure from authorities.” Zhang is continuing to pastor the house church in Shi’s absence. Interestingly, “Grace” En Mei is an American citizen, born when the family was visiting the United States in 2000.

Prayer Points for the Week of March 25-31, 2010

March 25 & 26

Thank God for the faithfulness to the Gospel of Shi Weihan. Ask Him to bless Shi in prison and to protect him and to keep him healthy in body, mind, and spirit. Thank the Lord that Shi is using his time in prison to spread the Gospel, and pray for those who hear the Good New from him.

March 27

Pray for Shi’s wife, Zhang Jing, and his two daughters, Shi Jia and Shi En Mei. Pray that the Lord would give them strength and peace, that He would provide for all of their needs, and that He would protect them. Particularly pray for the two girls, that Jesus would comfort them as they miss their father. And pray for Zhang as she seeks to both take care of her children and to pastor the house church as they wait for Shi to come home.

March 28

Pray for the members of the Antioch Eternal Life Church. Pray that they would be blessed and continue to grow in their knowledge and love of Christ Jesus. Pray they would reach out to Zhang Jing and the girls and help them while Shi is in prison.

March 29

Thank God for work of Chinese Christian human rights attorneys who are willing to risk their careers and their well-being to defend fellow believers. Particularly pray for Li Fangping who is responsible for Shi Weihan’s appeal. Pray for God to give him success.

March 30

Also continue to pray and thank God for concerned members of Congress who are advocates for the persecuted church and human rights in China. Ask God to continue to bless them and use them for His glory and for the deliverance of China from oppression. Pray for an expansion in the authority of those who care so deeply about such issues, and for continued encouragement in the wearying battles they face on Capitol Hill.

March 31

Pray for a change of heart and repentance on the part of the Chinese government. Pray that God would open the eyes that are blind and make tender the hearts of stone.