Many of the Chinese Christians who have been sent to jail say they’re memorizing the entire Bible while in prison because the government can’t take ‘what’s in your heart’.
In efforts to stunt the rapid growth of Christianity in China, authorities throughout the country have shuttered a number of prominent house churches and arrested Christians for worshiping without the approval of the government.
This however, has not stopped the rapid growth of Christianity in the country, in fact, the communist country could have the largest number of Christians in the world by 2030.
Chinese Christians imprisoned for their faith are memorizing Scripture passages smuggled to them on small pieces of paper because prison guards “can’t take what’s hidden in your heart,” one former prisoner revealed.
Wayne Cordeiro, pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu, Hawaii, recently traveled to China to train leaders.
After beginning a lesson, the pastor realized he only had 15 Bibles to pass around, so seven people went without.
He said, ‘Turn to 2 Peter 1, we are going to read it.’ Just then one lady handed her bible to the person next to her.
Cordiero realized she had given her Bible away because she had memorized the whole book.
About 30 million Christians in China are estimated to attend state-sanctioned churches while many others attend illegal underground house churches that are not registered with the government.