(Hohhot, Inner Mongolia – July 24, 2024) It has been reported that on July 19, 2024, at noon, preacher Zhang Jiale from Xuan’en Church in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, and his wife Ran Yilian were taken away by local police for a 12-hour summons, returning home only in the evening.

Two days earlier, on the morning of July 17, while several Christians from Xuan’en Church were studying the Bible together, they were interrupted by officials from the United Front Work Department, National Security Brigade, Religious Affairs Bureau, local police station, and community management office. The officials entered the church hall, recorded the names and phone numbers of those present, and ordered them to cease their gathering. The police and staff accused them of illegal assembly and demanded that they attend Three-Self churches instead. They stated that since this was the first occurrence, they would issue only a warning but insisted it should not happen again.

Preacher Zhang Jiale has faced frequent persecution from the local government over the past two years due to his insistence on maintaining house churches and standing with other persecuted churches. He has frequently visited Christians from the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu and participated in the “China at Five PM” kingdom prayer service. Zhang Jiale and Ran Yilian have three young children.

After the Bible study group was raided on July 17, Zhang Jiale sent a pastoral letter to his church. In one section of this letter:

Chengdu Early Rain Covenant Church included a prayer for Zhang Jiale’s family in their public prayer letter this week:

"Praying God to watch over preacher Zhang Jiale’s family, strengthen his faith, support his wife and three young children."