A formerly 1,000-member house church that Chinese officials have ground down to a tiny remnant is facing even greater persecution, according to religious rights outlet Bitter Winter.

Though Guangfu Church in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, has kept a low profile for the occasion of its 20th anniversary, persecution has intensified for the 20 remaining people who showed up for worship on Aug. 3, Bitter Winter reported.

“A previous promise from local officials – that the church could gather freely if it refrained from legal action or media outreach – was abruptly revoked by Baiyun District’s new Religious Affairs chief, Yao Huaixiang, who declared, ‘I’m the leader now. What I say goes,” the online outlet reported.

Located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) northwest of Hong Kong, the church this year has seen authorities disrupt gatherings under the pretext of citing electrical issues and inflate costs for fire safety installations. Surveillance cameras have appeared around the church site to monitor those attending, and officials have compiled a list of 58 members whom they are threatening through phone calls, home visits and pressure on employers, Bitter Winter noted.

The threats include intimidation of children.

“Bitter Winter was told that one congregant’s disabled son lost his government assistance after the local village chief mocked, ‘Aren’t you a Christian? Let Jesus give you welfare,’” the outlet reported. “Another believer’s teenage daughter was warned that attending church could jeopardise her education. Families have been threatened with eviction, and some members have been coerced into signing pledges to stop attending services.”

Founded in 2005 by Pastor Ma Chao, also known as Pastor Mark, Guangfu Church since 2015 has been the target of harassment by several government agencies, including the Religious Affairs Bureau, Public Security and local administrative offices, Bitter Winter reported.

“Authorities have sealed worship venues, welded shut doors, forced evictions and obstructed Pastor Ma’s overseas theological education,” the outlet stated. “In one ruthless episode during the church’s 10th anniversary celebration, officials raided the premises, assaulted church workers and congregants and confiscated materials.”

Authorities have repeatedly detained Pastor Ma without charges. When in one instance he asked why he was arrested, an official told him openly that he had done nothing, adding, “If you had, you’d be in prison – we’re just carrying out orders,” the outlet reported.

In 2017, authorities sentenced church member Li Hongmin to 10 months in prison for printing Christian literature, including hymnals and a popular book, “Wandering Son,” and his publishing business was shut down.

Authorities have pressured members to sign a statement that they will no longer “participate in illegal religious activities nor use the internet to carry out religious activities.” Elder Zhang Zhibiao has refused to sign any pledge, resulting in officials intensifying monitoring of his movements, according to the outlet.

The remnant congregation remains steadfast, Bitter Winter reported, citing Pastor Ma’s assertion in a recent statement, “If the Lord allows, I will face it calmly. I am prepared – whether it be prison or martyrdom…Their deceit and tactics are all under God’s control. If He does not permit it, no hair on my head will fall. I firmly believe in God’s protection over His church.”

Unregistered with the government-controlled Three-Self Churches, house churches have been increasingly targeted under “Sinicisation” policies of President Xi Jinping. Increasingly, Sinicisation has become defined not as adapting religion to Chinese culture and traditions but making religion subservient to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ideology.

Sermon content has become more strictly controlled, increasingly requiring CCP ideology to be included.

Xi articulated the goal to “Sinicize” all religions in 2016, a policy designed to ensure religious loyalty aligns with the priorities of the CCP. Raids and arrests targeting house church members have become commonplace, as Chinese authorities seek to dismantle groups deemed to pose threats to “political security and social stability.”

China ranked 15th on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.