Beware of how Chinese Government Infiltrate American Christian Community

Beware of how Chinese Government Infiltrate American Christian Community  

–  The Unity and Infiltration of Three-Self Committee Under The Control of Chinese government into Chinese Churches in the United States

Note:

1.Three-self committee refers to National Committee of Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches.  It is a religious organization controlled by Chinese Central Government. Thousands of thousands of churches under this administration of this committee are registered official churches.

2. Two-track route refers to a compromising position of cooperating with government-controlled churches and house churches in China.

3. Red Pastors refers to those who claim to be Christian ministers but actually communist party members.

Special Commentator in ChinaAid - Guo Baosheng

11/13/2013

November 13, 2013

Psalm 20:7-8 “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright”.

Introduction

On April 10, 2011, Shouwang Church in Beijing had to hold outdoor worship service because it was unable to hold normal indoor worship because its property was taken by force. This church has been persecuted for more than two years. During the period, the overseas Chinese pastor Wang Zhiyong and Pastor Hong Yujian and other people called upon Christians to sign up for the support of Shouwang Church. They collected Christian signatures on the Internet and various media. By 2013, 470 Chinese Christians  and  4,751  English-speaking  Christians signed their names. That is to say, compared to more than 4,000 Westerners, only  less than 500 Chinese Christians signed up to support the church. The number of overseas Chinese Christians is more than 100,000, but why is it that only 400 people has signed up to support the persecuting house church? There are many reasons for this. The most important reason is that the Chinese government has long organized and planned in influencing, infiltrating and drawing closer churches in  North America, especially American Chinese churches. One of the goals of Chinese government  is to let overseas Chinese churches cut off their connection with house churches in China. They want overseas Chinese churches to establish good relationships with Three-Self Churches, which will  cover up the truth about their persecution of house churches and creating the illusion of religious freedom in China.

In the microblog of the famous Christian writer Mande serving in the house church, he wrote five microblog messages about the situation of some overseas Chinese churches:

If I say that most of overseas Chinese churches are afraid that you will tell the persecution stories of the house churches in China, do you believe it? If I say that some people “Christianity“ has become a corrosive agent for weaken the courage and righteousness of believers, do you believe it? If I say that most Chinese Christians have not played a role in promoting character in Chinese community, do you believe it? If I say that many churches have become the organizations that only focus on evangelism but not emphasizing God's righteousness and truth, do you believe it?

If I say that many so-called  celebrities and writers among Chinese Christians at home and abroad are flirting with those in Chinese authorities and have committed the spiritual adultery, do you believe it? If I say that a Christian is simply rejected by most Chinese churches because he dares to tell the truth, do you believe it? If one day, China began to revolutionize the progress of society, not only do Christians refuse to participate in it but also strongly hinder it, do you believe?

If I say that many Chinese pastors and Christians with US passports only condemn the US government, but do not dare to criticize Chinese government and only praise central government and so-called legitimate “Three-Self” churches, do you believe it? If I say that many Chinese Christians are becoming self-interested and can care about their neighbors but never care about the destiny of their motherland and Chinese society, do you believe it?

If I say that many overseas Chinese pastors and Christian publications do not fear God's wrath but the Chinese central government on the other side of the Pacific Ocean (being timid as a rat is ridiculous), do you believe it? If I say that the content of many pastors and Christian publications deliberately distance themselves from the real situation of Chinese people and society, and do not help promote Chinese moral standards, do you believe it?

If I say that the political views of many Chinese Christians abroad are the same as those who lived during the Cultural Revolution, do you believe it? If I say that many Christians’ sense of social justice and conscience are lost, do you agree? If I say that many Christians are ignorant and slow in understanding political and social affairs in China, do you believe it?

Although these five microblog messages are overly vocal, they do reflect the true situation of many Chinese churches abroad: having no social justice, not caring about the persecuted Chinese house churches, and making friends with Chinese communists. There are many reasons for this situation, but Chinese government’s infiltration into overseas Chinese churches is an important reason.

Coincidentally, there is an author called Berea who wrote an article entitled "The Phenomenon of ‘Red Christians" among Overseas Chinese". It reads: "Red Christians have the following characteristics. First, they are the most hypocritical patriots in the world. On the one hand, they replace God with state and state becomes their idol. On the other hand, they simply do not obey the ruler of the country they are living, but loyal to the Chinese government. Some of them have already naturalized and sweared in their loyalty to the country they are living. This is a public lie because they are only loyal to the Chinese authorities. Impure faith and political fraud are the true characteristics of patriotic Christians.

Second, red Christians are indifferent spectators. They are turning blind eyes to all the sufferings in China. They only praise everything Chinese government is doing. Therefore, they always pray for the sufferings in Western society, but they do not want to speak out about mine disasters occurring in China. Check out some websites of overseas Christians that do not record drought and mine disasters, etc. in China.  No one cares about them. On the contrary, praying for Haitian refugees and a large number of gags became their "spiritual" performance.

Third,  red Christians are fierce accomplices. Anyone who dares to publicize the sufferings in China will be sieged. They criticize you of engaging in politics, or attacking you by saying "your theology has problems." Their sensitivity to “politicalism” always exceeds the concerns of victims of suffering. They have no genuine concern for the victims of sufferings. They even gloat over the misfortune of the victims of suffering in the United States. Red Christians are also a group of people that have true knowledge of the truth. They are the remnants of the spirit of the Red Guards in the church."

Indeed, "red Christians" and "red pastors" have flooded overseas and have basically become the representatives of Chinese churches. This phenomenon has led to the reality that overseas Chinese churches have almost no effect in advancing the religious freedom and social progress in China. This has also led to the difficult situation of Christians and pastors from Chinese house churches who call upon to focus on social injustice in China. They are besieged on all sides and under pressure everywhere. "Red Christians" and "red pastor" are also the fruits of Chinese government drawing closer overseas Chinese churches. They become their trophies. Christians and those who care about social justices at home and abroad need to reflect on Chinese government’s planned and systematic infiltration into overseas Chinese churches.

一． The Beginning of Chinese Government’s Alignment with Oversees Chinese Churches

Since China's reform and opening up, Chinese government attempted to influence Chinese churches in Hong Kong , Taiwan and the United States as the CCP's United Front Work Department and the Religious Bureau resumed their work. Most of the pastoral staffs at Chinese churches in the United States are from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Their attitude toward Chinese government are influenced by the political views of those pastors in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Chinese government  uses connections and money to influence influential figures, sects, and churches.

According to Brother Shehe’s "Analysis of Three-self Churches", Brother Chen Ge’s exposition on Three-self churches, a Taiwanese pastor’s article "The Contemporary Major Events in Mainland Church ", we have seen that in the early days Chinese government use two Chinese prominent pastors  Ke Shiyuan and Teng Jinhui to voice their support of Three-self churches.  The consequence is that a large array of Chinese churches, seminaries and believers follow their suit.

Overseer Kou Shiyuan is a famous pastor in Taiwan. He was originally the first preacher of the Lingliang Church in Taipei. After pastoring this church more than 10 years, he established “The Home of Christ” Church. In 1978, Overseer Kou started the first “the House of Christ” in San Francisco and the Church has grown to seven branches now. There are several “The Home of Christ” churches in Los Angeles. Most of Overseer Kou’s sons are  pastors, so his family and “The Home of Christ” in the United States and Taiwan has enormous influence.

Around 1990, Overseer Kou began to contact the CCP-controlled Three-self Churches. In 1992, he visited to mainland China and received a grand reception from the United Front Department, Three-Self Churches and Bishop Ding Guangxun. He went to several government-controlled churches and seminaries. He also visited Ding Guangxun's wife in the hospital and prayed for him. After Overseer Kou returned to the United States, he praised and promoted the CCP’s religious policy in the overseas Chinese church community. He did not mention the difficult situation of the house church and religious freedom. Even though he suddenly passed away because of illness in 1993, he had a decisive influence on the path American Chinese Churches church take -  to stay away from the house churches. After he visited Three-self churches, many pastors and believers in American Chinese Lutheran Churches, Baptist Churches, Missionary Churches, and Charismatic Churches began their journey to Beijing.

In June 1995, the China Christian Association Press published a book of two volumes: "Bible Study Collection of Kou Shiyuan" (this is probably the first Chinese American pastor's work published in China). The preface of the book was written by Ding Guangxun, the head of Three-self Churches. The editorial was written by another leader, Cao Shengjie. In his preface, Bishop Ding used political clichés to promote the reunification of Taiwan and Mainland China  in addition to being grateful to Yu Shiyuan for visiting and praying for his wife.

Overseer Kou’s two-way route has misled many people. On December 8, 2008, the San Francisco Consensus, which was initiated by Pastor Yuan Zhiming, echoed the "harmonious society" of the CCP and replaced  "Chinese house churches" with "the churches". There is no mention of the misery of Chinese believers being persecuted. Some people with discernment commented by saying that it has harmonized the CCP and disobeyed Christ. Among the organizers of this conference, many of them are from “the House of Christ” churches. Nowadays, Overseer Kou’s son Kou Shaoen and others have become the honorable guests of the Three-Self Churches. Under their influence, many Chinese believers in Taiwan and the United States maintained close relationships with Three-self churches.  However, they turn blind eyes to suffering house churches and shew indifference toward them.

In fact, it was the famous Chinese pastor Teng Jinhui who initiated first contact with the Three-self Churches. As early as September 1984, a Hong Kong Christian delegation, nominated by the State Council, visited Beijing; Pastor Teng Jinhui was one of them. Pastor Teng is the advocate of the famous "two-track route", that is, to maintain communications and cooperation with both house churches and Three-self churches. Under the influence of the "two-track route", the mainstream churches in Hong Kong became supportive to Three-self churches around the 1990s. They exchanged and cooperated with Three-self instead of house churches. Like Abraham’s nephew Lot, he was gradually drawn to the cities of sin – Gomorrah and Sodom, etc. (see Genesis 13).

On July 5, 1997, Pastor Teng Jinhui preached a series of sermons entitled "Half Truth" ("Two Sides of Truth") on “Deepening Christian Spirituality Conference” held in New York. On Page 11 in the third sermon,  he spoke of Three-self churches and house churches: " God’s work is mainly through house churches. I hope that if the gospel spreads wider in mainland China in the future, it will be more accepted, and more people will believe in the Lord. At that time. There is no pressure, and the model of house churches should continue. God has already blessed the churches in China through house churches... Public churches and house churches should continue in coexistence. Let God’s work be done on different occasions because God has given two different venues of granting His grace. We often hear the good news of house churches, and we hear the good news of public churches.  God has granted grace to both models of churches.  Some brothers and sisters told us that they attended both house churches and public churches. This is truly a channel of communication”.

Thank God! Today (God) still protects the beliefs of Three-self churches. In the past, the leaders of Three-self Churches held liberal theology. With these decades passing, obviously their mainstream beliefs have become the evangelical faith, the Biblical faith. Many people recognize that it is God’s work. God has granted grace to these models of churches.

Wherever God works, the Holy Spirit works. So we will work and service wherever God works.  The most important thing is we hold two standards of evaluating a church: whether its faith is orthodox and whether it has freedom to preach the gospel.

According to two criteria of Pastor Teng Jinhui, Three-self churches   are precisely the most problematic. However, he insisted on taking the two-track route, which not only affected the churches in Hong Kong, but also greatly influenced American Chinese Church. Teng Jinhui once served as a pastor at  Beijiao Churchin, the largest missionary church in Hong Kong.  In 1987, he went to the United States to serve in Chinese Missionary Theological Seminary. He has served as the Chancellor of the Jiandao Theological Seminary and Chinese Theological Institute, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Association of the Missionary Alliance, World Chinese Evangelical Ministries Contact Center, and the Missionary Press, Honorary President of the International Association. Because of his great influence, the two-track route spread in Chinese churches, which led many Chinese pastors and believers to be confused on the issue of Three-self churches.

In 1998, New York’s World Journal published a quarter-large announcement on May 10th entitled “He Kangsheng’s Resignation from Jiandao Theological Seminary”. He Kangsheng lived in California. He recalled the history of Jiandao Seminary to move from Guangxi to Hong Kong because of escaping from the Communist Party. According to Mr. He, in the face of the withdrawal of Hong Kong by the Chinese Communist Party in 1997, he proposed to the high-level authorities about moving the seminary out of Hong Kong, but got no response.  His concern was the infiltration of Chinese Three-self churches controlled by Chinese government. 1999 was the 100th anniversary of its founding. He Kangsheng thinks that the celebration was  "Three-self" victory ceremony. Because starting from the 109th issue of "Jiandao Communications", the trend was that it would be controlled by Three-self churches. In the announcement, Mr.He mentioned  the honorary president of the seminary, Mr. Teng Jinhui, and He Kangsheng wrote: "But his mistake was to promote cooperation with Three-self churches when he had authority to do otherwise. He made a big mistake." Mr.He also believes that Jiandao’s  current President

Zhang Muzhen(1998)’s cooperation was “a covenant with death and an alliance with the hell”...

On February 9, 2007, reporter Ji Jiahao reported on the "Christian Daily" (Hong Kong) website: “Theological Student Day in 2007 was officially held  today (February 9) at 9:30 am at Yongguang Branch on the Pentecostal Holiness Church. A total of about 800 students from 13 theological schools in Hong Kong gathered together to worship the Lord by singing hymns and listening to the sermon on mission”.

Unexpectedly, there were representatives from Chinese Three-self Churches and seminary leaders during the worship period, including the elder Ji Jianhong in the Committee of Chinese Christian Three-Self Patriotic Movement,  the deputy director general of the Chinese Christian Association and the director of the training department, Pastor Bao Jiayuan, and Deans and professors from six seminaries (Central South, Jinling, Northeast, Yanjing, East China, and Sichuan).  Elder Ji preached a sermon. It is indeed rare for such a large-scale “Three-self” leaders ho unite with many theological students in Hong Kong. But who arranged this meeting?

Almost half of the pastors of Chinese churches in the United States are from Hong Kong, especially the Cantonese-speaking churches.   Almost all pastors in Hong Kong are  affected by Teng Jinhui. These pastors, directly or indirectly, have influenced thousands of believers. They have no concern about the situation of China’s house churches and the persecution of house churches. They are afraid of taking about China’s political corruption and CCP’s authoritarian dictatorship. And those Christian human rights activists who have been busy with exposing Chinese problems have been misunderstood, attacked and isolated.

二． How Chinese Government Unite Overseas Chinese Churches

After successfully drawing  influential Chinese church leaders and sects, most of the Chinese churches in the United States have fallen. Not only that, but the CCP has intensified its efforts to strengthen its support agents to infiltrate the American Chinese Christian community in the following areas:

1. Unite and infiltrate into Chinese churches, seminaries, sectarian associations, organizations, fellowships and forums, conferences.

2. Unite and Influence overseas Chinese Christian media.

3. Attack, isolate and crowd out Christian human rights activists and their institutions in the United States that connect with house churches.

1.Unite and filtrate into Chinese churches, seminaries, sectarian associations, organizations, fellowships and forums, conferences.

The CCP’s three-pronged approach to unite overseas Chinese churches and other organizations is divided into two methods: one is to directly support the agents, and the other is to let some Christian leaders to express their support for Three-self churches (also mistakenly called registered churches, legitimate churches, or open churches). According to some Christians from house churches in the United States, Three-self has supported a gospel institute called the Christian Leadership Exchange. The heads of the organization are Dr. Danny Yu and Dr. Wing-ning Pang. Dr. Yu was born in Hong Kong. He immigrated to the United States in 1966 and received a doctorate in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary.

This organization is a gospel agency registered in the United States specifically to focus on Christian ministry in China.  Most of the organization's activities in Mainland China are carried out through the Three-self Churches. In the past few years, the organization has funded the free distribution of "Tianfeng" magazines of Three-self churches  in North America. Since 1999, it has regularly invited and sponsored Three-self church leaders to visit the United States every year, and held fundraising meetings for Three-self Churches. The organization is also involved in the activities of the so-called "China-US Christian Leadership Forum."

According to relevant sources, this organization raises millions of dollars each year for Three-self churches. They are mainly used to building churches and conduct charity activities and so on. For example, in 2000, the agency invited a Three-self church delegation headed by Deng Fucun, vice chairman of the committee of Three-Self churches. They were arranged to  meet  many church representatives  in the western parts of the United States. At this seminar, Three-self churches submitted a request for assistance program with a total of 44 projects, from building a church to English training, etc. Each Three-self seminary would receive grants of  $15,000. Such activities have been held every year in recent years. Obviously, the agency is undoubtedly the agency of Three-self agency in the United States.

Since the reform and opening up, Three-self churches have  sent pastoral personnel to study at the American Theological Seminary and stay to pastor American Chinese Christian churches. When they become the chief pastors, their churches becomes the acting churches of Three-self churches in  the United States.  There are many such churches in Los Angeles and New York.

Except for supporting agents, main policy of Three-self churches is influence and infiltrate Chinese Christian churches and organizations abroad. The above mentioned “the House of Christ” and most churches (in Hong Kong) influenced by Teng Jinhui have close ties with Three-self churches in China. Besides them, many churches and church associations have also been united by Three-self churches. A exiled house church Christian told me that he had visited many churches during his stay in Los Angeles, such as Lutheran Church, Methodist Church, and other independent churches. When asked to contact what churches in China, many churches answered: registered churches and legitimate churches. Apparently, they refer to Three-self churches.  A Lutheran Church has always been in touch with Three-self churches. When they knew the identity of the exiled house church member, they immediately drew

 a line and no longer contacted him.

There are many sectarian associations in the overseas Chinese church community, and their responsible persons are the key targets of the influence of the CCP. An organization with nearly 100 members (churches) is called   The Chinese Baptist Fellowship of United States and Canada ( http://news.cbfusacanada.org ) ,One leader has recently announced in public that the churches they cooperated with are public churches or registered churches. Although the tendency of the head of the association is not the tendency of each participating pastor. However, he has an inestimable influence as a leader.。

It is seen clearly that Chinese government is aligning with various Christian organizations and seminaries. At present, in the American Chinese church community, there are only a few institutions that express their support toward house churches. Two of them are  " China Ministries International " (http://cmiusca.org ) and "China Aid Association". (http://www.chinaaid.org )

Other Christian organizations often invites the personnel from CCP’s United Front Department and Three-self Churches. They are the frequent visitors to Three-self churches, universities and academic agencies for making speeches and giving sermons.  Gradually, they become “bosom friends”. As to some seminaries influenced by Fuller Theological seminary, they also take a two-track route. They do not pay attention to Chinese house churches and teach the history of house church movement in China. Other Chinese Christian academies in San Francisco and New York do not purposely establish relationships with house churches.

Some Christian businessmen fellowships such as Full Gospel Fellowship has always been an important target of Chinese government. Full Gospel Fellowship is very active in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. They are invited to the CCP’s United Front Work Department. Several leaders in California Full Gospel Fellowships are frequent guests in the CCP’s United Front Work Department. In particular, the Los Angeles Full Gospel Fellowship is large and influential. It is reported that its leader was the Chinese official who worked in the foreign affairs department.  Full Gospel Fellowship often organizes Chinese-themed events. During major events such as Christmas and Chinese New Year, Chinese Embassy officials are often invited to the scene. This gives people impression that Chinese officials are uniting with American Chinese Christians.

The Chinese Communist Party is also very sensitive to the various conferences of overseas Chinese Christians, and often sends people to infiltrate and unite them. In December 2008, “One Generation of Testimonies of Chinese churches at home and broad did not mention house churches in its “San Francisco Consensus” because of the involvement and penetration of the relevant forces, even thought it has the good motive. Therefore, it is difficult to continue after being criticized by people from all sides.

The website of the China Aid Association has published an article of a house church pastor, "Talking about the changing positions of "China Gospel Institution" and "Life Quarterly" from the current situations of Chinese house churches". The article pointed out that Three-self churches have been influencing and infiltrated China Gospel Conference hosted by China Gospel Institution. The article pointed out: "On September 12th - 16th, 2011, the World China Gospel Center held the 8th World Chinese Gospel Conference in Bali, Indonesia, canceling the previously arranged workshop of Chinese house church leaders. There was no public invitation to Chinese house church leaders to attend the conference. Pastor Li Xiuquan, then Director of China Gospel, explained the matter: 'Some people think that we do not need to create a situation we cannot deal with in the future. Doing so is just to avoid some sensitive things”. Indeed, in this conference, there was no Chinese house church to preach, there was no theme like ‘praying for house churches in China’ and there was no one to mention Chines house churches.

The article also points out that the "Life Quarterly" tends to soften the position on house churches: "From November 24th to 27th, 2011, the "Life Quarterly" held Chinese Gospel Conference in Hong Kong, and more than 5,000 brothers and sisters from Mainland China. They went to Hong Kong to attend the meeting. However, this Gospel Conference is very different from the 2007 Hong Kong Chinese Gospel Conference: First, the participants do not explicitly require that they must be members of house churches, so many members of Three-self churches sign up; second, all conference speakers made little mention of the term 'Chinese house church', which completely avoids sensitive issues of house churches; third, the conference did not arrange the theme such as

 ‘Praying for the house churches suffering from persecution (including Beijing Shouwang Church)’.  At

the Chinese Gospel Conference held in Hong Kong in 2007, Pastor Hong Yujian and Pastor Liu Tongsu and so on made the impassioned appeal for house churches; the scene of their unity with Chinese house churches  in Christ has become a thing of the past."

The article points out that the transformation and softening of the "Chinese Gospel Institution" and "Life Quarterly" in the position on they view house churches cannot bring many benefit to their own, but caters to the official intention of the CCP and will bring a huge hurt toward house churches.  Of course, the transformation of "Chinese Gospel Institution" and "Life Quarterly" is closely related to the influence and infiltration of Three-self churches.

2. Unite and Influence overseas Chinese Christian media.

Over the past few years, many Christian media have emerged, such as  "Life Quarterly", "Overseas Campus", "Zhongxin", "Enfu", "Looking Up", "Proclamation”,  "Preaching" and other journals. There are also many online media, such as "Christian Daily" series of websites, and OC (Overseas Campus) series of websites. These media also have a large enough influence on the Christian community in mainland China.

However, after Shouwang Church Persecution Incident, almost no other Christian media reported this persecution except for  "ChinaAid News Network" in USA and  Hong Kong "Times Forum" website, and the occasional coverage of the Christ Daily website. On the contrary, overseas human rights advocating

websites such as Boxun, Canyu, and RFA websites reported it on a large scale. It has become the normal status that the Christian media does not care about the persecution of house churches, especially house church Christians.

If you controlled  the media, so you can control the believers' perception of things. Apart from the influence of some theological concepts, Chinese government pervasive infiltration has deeply influenced the attitude of overseas Christian media toward the persecution. On the one hand, Chinese government takes on a harsh stance toward those do not unite them. If the media reports a persecution incident, then its website may be blocked by the CCP, the TV signals are shut down, and chief-in-editor and editors will have trouble while going back to China. I went to visit Good News TV station (GOODTV) in Taiwan. The person in charge clearly told me that this platform will not broadcast preaching and programs of all preachers from Mainland China, because they are worried that they will get into trouble and the signals be cut off in Mainland China. One of the editors of a Christian magazine once admitted that in order to go to China to evangelize, She usually care about the sensitivity of the article.

From a soft approach, the CCP’s United Front Department also invites some of the heads of overseas Christian media to preach, hold academic conferences, participate in numerous forums with Three-self background, publish books for them, and join pen meetings, etc. Through these means, overseas Christian media have not talked about sensitive persecutions, and have also shied away from social justice, Christianity and politics, and human rights and democracy. Of course, they have decorated their beliefs and Bible content using many "non-politicized" editorial policies.  

3. Attack, isolate and crowd out Christian human rights activists and their institutions in the United States that connect with house churches.

Another purpose of Chinese government aligning with Christians in the United States is to suppress human activists from Chinese house churches because they are exposing the fact that house churches are suffering persecutions in the overseas Chinese church community.

For example, ChinaAid Association has been appealing for house churches and helping the persecuted believers. From the moment of its birth, it has been crowded out, resisted, and attacked by "red pastors" and "red Christians" among overseas Chinese. They tarnished the association “engagement in politics", "utilization of Christianity", "practicing liberation theology", and many major American Chinese Christian forums and conferences have refused the association personnel to attend them. Over the years, charity contributions of our association for Chinese house churches have come from almost all white churches, and only a few Chinese churches have participated in the ministry of our association. The long-term isolation and suppression of the Association in the Chinese church community is the most realistic illustration of sinister and fierce means of Chinese government influencing Chinese Christian churches in the United States.

Besides ChinaAid Association, many house church Christians and preachers are also suppressed. Many of them felt deeply sad because they are persecuted by overseas Chinese Christian community after escaping the persecutions of Chinese government.  According to Guo Baosheng, a Chinese house church preacher who exposed Chinese government’s persecution of house churches and their alignment with Taiwanese churches in Taiwan Legislative, he was involved in many activities related to human rights and religious freedom in China while studying at a seminary in California. (http://www.harvestseminary.org) Some local Chinese believers put pressure on the seminary to ask him not to participate in such activities.

During Guo’s internship at a Chinese church in California, chief pastor Wu received several calls and was demanded to stop accepting Guo as a pastor intern. Under this pressure, Preacher Guo had to leave the church. Since then, in the church where he has been in internship or pastoral care, such things have continued to happen. Some forces have been spreading "he is a dangerous person", “he is cult” and "he is working with Falun Gong" , and “you cannot go back to China if you are with him”.

According to Guo, in 2011 he went to attend a Christian forum in Houston in 2011.  He brought some materials published by China Gospel Society about the persecutions of house churches. When he reached the venue where the forum was held, he was not allowed to bring them in. At this meeting, a person from Shanghai who claimed to be a Christian entrepreneur threatened Preacher Guo face to face: "Be careful of doing things in the United States”.  He also told many people not to buy Guo Baosheng's books, saying “If you buy his books, you cannot go through the customs in China”.

From the experience of Chinese house church minister Guo Baosheng, we can see how difficult it is for the exiled house church members in the United States. After they came to the United States, they were  attacked and suppressed by Chinese government’s acting agencies. Therefore, many preachers with Chinese house church backgrounds are not willing to mention that they are from Chinese house churches, or only they are serving in English-speaking churches. The reason is that most of American Chinese churches have been infiltrated by the CCP forces.

Conclusion

1 Peter 4:17: " For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" American Chinese churches, the churches with many members who are intentionally or unintentionally isolated from the Chinese house church, will face the holy, righteous God. Now it is time  to examine and reflect and repent. Because of their weaknesses, and because of the deceitfulness and fierceness of the "Devil" who is acting as "bright angel", many American Chinese churches have been united, infiltrated and even bought by the anti-Christ CCP and their accomplices, which makes good people chill. If this situation is allowed to develop, not only Chinese churches’ own righteousness and sacredness will be defiled, the Biblical theology system is difficult to establish, Chinese social justice has no backing of overseas Chinese Christians, and the principle of religious freedom that the United States relies on will be hard to establish in this country.  Another consequence is that national security of the United States will also be in crisis of being infringed upon.

Lastly, with Christian conscience, we would like to make the following three appeals and admonitions to US government and many Chinese church believers and pastors in the United States:

1. Some churches in American Chinese community should arbitrarily break any connection with Three-self churches under the control of Chinese government , because they are not churches at all , they are only departments of Chinese government. At the same time, Chinese churches in the United States should only contact and co-work with Chinese house churches to support their development in China. The Chinese churches in the United States should invite persecuted Chinese house church believers to tell the persecution stories and expose the truth of persecution to Christians in American Chinese church community.

2. The US government should ban officials from the Chinese National Religious Affairs Bureau and senior officials from China's Three-self church committee to come to the United States. Because these organizations are the authoritarian machines that persecute China's religious freedom and suppress the house churches. They are foreign spying organizations that infiltrate and influence religious organizations  and threaten the freedom of American religion. The US government should also investigate religious organizations such as the committee of Three-self Churches. Some American Chinese Christian pastors and personnel are close to Chinese govern-controlled churches. Whether they receive the interests of the Chinese Communist Party and do things endangering the freedom of the United States, and sell the interests of this nation should be investigated.

3. The US government and Congress should invite persecuted Chinese house church members to expose the truth of Chinese government’s persecution of house churches (and suppression religious freedom) in various ways, and to discuss countermeasures with prominent figures from Chinese house churches to prevent Chinese government from infiltrating American churches.