On June 16, 2024, Pastor Sun Hongguang of the Holy Covenant True Word Church in Yanji City, Jilin Province, was taken away during Sunday worship and later administratively detained for five days on the grounds of illegal gathering. The last time Pastor Sun Hongguang faced a similar incident was on February 12, 2023. During that instance, he went to Hefei to serve a local house church and was taken away by local police during Sunday worship. Although released later that day, his computer was confiscated and he was instructed not to leave Hefei temporarily.

Pastor Sun Hongguang serves as the pastor of the Reformed House Church of Jilin Covenant True Word Church. In his twenties, he gave up the opportunity to study abroad to respond to God’s call to become a full-time preacher. He has been serving in the church for over 20 years. He participated in signing the “Pastors’ Joint Signature: Declaration of Christian Faith,” initiated by Pastor Wang Yi of Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church in 2018, which attracted government attention.

In addition to serving his church, Pastor Sun Hongguang is active in serving the broader Christian community. He utilizes the Internet to lead Christians across the country in reading theological books and is respected by many for this effort.

It has become common practice for house churches in China that are unwilling to join the Three-Self Church and register with the Bureau of Ethnic and Religious Affairs—especially those within the Reformed Presbyterian tradition—to experience disruptions during their Sunday gatherings. These disruptions often involve church leaders being summoned or detained.