Taking our Relationship with God for Granted

House church leader Hua Huiqi hoped to attend service with President Bush.
DUBLIN, August 11 (Compass Direct News) – Security agents yesterday seized Christian activist and house church pastor Hua Huiqi on his way to a service at the government-approved Kuanjie Protestant Church in Beijing, where U.S. President George Bush was scheduled to appear. Bush later attended the service before meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao to discuss human rights concerns, including religious freedom.
“I told him not to go because it’s during the Olympic Games, and this period is sensitive,” Hua’s brother Hua Huilin told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. AP reporters said the line was disconnected three times during the conversation, suggesting that authorities were monitoring the phone call. When Hua insisted on going, however, his brother agreed to travel with him.
As the men cycled towards the church, two black cars approached them. Police seized both men and took them away in separate cars, detaining them in the courtyard of the Hong Kong New World Development Ltd. Co., according to the China Aid Association (CAA). But around noon, police guards relaxed for a moment and activist Hua managed to escape. Police released his brother later that afternoon.
According to the AP report, authorities have arrested and beaten Hua several times in recent years because of his religious activities. Hua also gained a reputation as an activist when he fought against a development project that led to the demolition of his home in 2001. Hua was baptized at the Kuanjie church 10 years ago but has since been a member of a Beijing house church.
In recent months, as part of a “clean-up” operation in Beijing, authorities forced him to attend services at the Kuanjie church instead. The church is registered with China’s Three Self Patriotic Movement, a government body assigned to oversee Protestant churches throughout the country. Since registration places strict controls on the appointment of clergy, sermon content and evangelism, many Chinese believers – such as Hua – prefer to worship in unregistered house churches.
As the Games drew closer and Bush was scheduled to attend a service at the Kuanjie church, authorities banned Hua and his family from attending. According to CAA, most people present at the church on Sunday were “security people, political workers and people trained … to pose as believers.” One church member who spoke to CAA complained, “No one is allowed to enter the church.”
This reminds me straight from the book of Acts: house churches that were meeting despite the opposition (from Rome and harassment from the Jews). They really knew what a Spirit filled life was all about based upon their salvation by grace through faith. Except from this article, these people still continue to meet amidst the persecution and government controlled churches. They filled the church with so called bodies who were told to be there to make it look good? Oh man!!! How many of us pose as believers today? Do we look like we have relationship with the Lord, but we are pretending on the outside? Sometimes these pretenders are called Sunday only believers who come to church to look good or to pretend to believe.
Boy do we have alot to be thankful for. And, we take our relationship with God FOR GRANTED!! Hua is my hero!! (Leave your comments to chime in)