The Church Situation From 1975 To Present
In 1975, Richard Nixon, former President of the United States, re-established ties with Mao Zedong's government. Due to foreign pressure on human rights issues, their official policy changed to: "You can admit that you're a Christian but do not evangelise." The Cultural revolution had stopped by 1976.
Since Deng Xiao Ping's took over the communist regime, the situation has improved as their tight grip has been relaxed. In April 1979, the first church reopened and gradually other churches followed. The number of Christians increased rapidly during this period and numerous miracles occurred. Nevertheless, people that are caught preaching will face a minimum prison sentence of 3 years.
In 1980 a law was passed that allowed Christians to worship at specific locations and venues; evangelising elsewhere is prohibited. Seven prohibitions were listed. This includes: no secret family services, no building of churches, and no preaching.
After the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 incident, Christians returned to underground services for only a brief period.
From 1996–present, China's welcoming open-door policy to foreign investors has lifted its economy to new heights and since China wishes to enter new markets and continue the prosperity, Christians can now hold services safely.
Of the current population of Chinese Christians, there are an estimated 2.4 million True Jesus Church members.
There is no well organised church governing structure so many areas still lack Bibles and other reference materials.
Read more about this topic: True Jesus Church In China
Famous quotes containing the words church, situation and/or present:
“If Jesus, or his likeness, should now visit the earth, what church of the many which now go by his name would he enter? Or, if tempted by curiosity, he should incline to look into all, which do you think would not shut the door in his face?... It seems to me ... that as one who loved peace, taught industry, equality, union, and love, one towards another, Jesus were he alive at this day, would recommend you to come out of your churches of faith, and to gather into schools of knowledge.”
—Frances Wright (1795–1852)
“The ex-Presidential situation has its advantages, but with them are certain drawbacks. The correspondence is large. The meritorious demands on one are large. More independent out than in place, but still something of the bondage of the place that was willingly left. On the whole, however, I find many reasons to be content.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“The present century has not dealt kindly with the farmer. His legends are all but obsolete, and his beliefs have been pared away by the professors at colleges of agriculture. Even the farm- bred bards who twang guitars before radio microphones prefer “I’m Headin’ for the Last Roundup” to “Turkey in the Straw” or “Father Put the Cows Away.””
—For the State of Kansas, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)