宗教自由
宗教自由是一個容許個人或組織在不受政府影響或干預下，以公開或私下方式透過教導、實踐、敬拜及儀式，表達宗教或信仰的原則，也包含改變個人宗教或信仰的自由。
許多人和大多數國家都認為宗教自由是一項基本人權。在有國教的國家，宗教自由通常被認為意味著政府允許國教以外的其他教派的宗教活動，並且不會迫害持其他信仰的信徒。
美國國際宗教自由委員會在2011年年度報告中指定十四個國家為「特別關注國」。委員會主席評論說，有些國家的行為標誌著他們是世界上最嚴重的違反宗教自由者和侵犯人權者。
這十四個國家是緬甸、中國、埃及、厄立特里亞、伊朗、伊拉克、尼日利亞、朝鮮、巴基斯坦、沙特阿拉伯、蘇丹、土庫曼斯坦、烏茲別克斯坦和越南。
委員會的觀察名單上還有阿富汗、白俄羅斯、古巴、印度、印尼、老撾、俄羅斯、索馬里、塔吉克斯坦、土耳其和委內瑞拉。
中國
《中華人民共和國憲法》中關於宗教自由的條文中其實夾雜了一個重要的限制性條件，就是政府保障它視為「正常的宗教活動」，實際定義是指政府認可的宗教組織所舉辦和官方註冊敬拜場所內進行的活動。
中國五個官方認可的宗教組織是中國佛教協會、中國道教協會、中國伊斯蘭教協會、三自愛國運動和中國愛國天主教協會。這些團體受到一定程度的保障，但同時受到國家宗教事務局的限制和監管。非註冊宗教團體–包括家庭教會、法輪功、藏傳佛教徒、地下天主教徒和維吾爾族穆斯林–遭受不同程度的打壓，包括監禁、酷刑和強迫性信仰思想改造。
中國近年來加強了對宗教自由的監管，加大對未經批准活動的懲罰，加強對某些群體的監督，並且更收緊對穆斯林和基督教信眾的嚴格控制，包括禁止宗教組織接受外國捐款。
非註冊宗教團體早被禁止設立敬拜場所，現在更被禁止建立學校。不僅舉辦未經批准的宗教活動可被重罰三十萬元人民幣（五萬七千加元)，連為這些聚會提供場地的單位也要繳付高達二十萬元人民幣（三萬八千加元)的罰款。
為中國禱告
–張曉燕傳道
慈愛的天父，孩子們同心合意來到祢的面前，為生活在中國大地上的百姓向你呼求：
第一，我們為中國的國家領導人來禱告，求天父用真理的靈來啟示他們，讓他們在領導13億中國百姓前行的路上，能明白唯有祢是創造天地萬物的神，掌管人類生命的主。中國的國家領導人在如此重要的位置上工作，成為百姓的「公僕」，是祢的認可。如果他們順服祢的旨意，祢將成就超過他們所求所想，領受祢無盡的恩典和祝福，得著祢的引導，幫助，供應和保護，因為祢是真善美的源頭。
第二，我們為中國的眾百姓來禱告，求天父將祢滿滿的真愛從天上傾倒下來，充滿整個中國大地和其上居住的百姓，讓他們可以自由的，以各種不同的方式領受祢的愛和恩典。接受這大有能力的福音，在祢的愛中成長，聯結，讓自己成為愛的出口，身邊人的祝福，與社會有益的健康人。
第三，我們為中國的教會禱告，求無所不知，無所不能，監察人心的獨一真神，出手救助屬祢的教會。耶穌基督是教會的頭，是房角的頭塊石頭，豈是人手所能掌控的？讓我們在禱告中認識和經歷神的大能！
眾教會啊，祢要牽手抬起頭來，仰望救祢，愛祢，保護祢的耶穌基督！
天父啊，祢的心意就是：祢願萬人得救，不願一人沉淪，祢甘願用兒子耶穌基督的死來救贖本該屬祢的兒女，賜給他們永生。願祢興起祢的孩子們，禱告，跟隨，與主同工。讓福音暢通無阻地傳遍整個中國。
以上禱告是奉主耶穌基督得勝的名求，阿們。
如果你想瞭解更多關於城北在中國的和平福音工作，或有負擔參與這方面的服侍，請以電郵方式聯絡張曉燕傳道。
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance without government influence or intervention. It also includes the freedom to change one’s religion or belief.
Freedom of religion is considered by many people and most of the nations to be a fundamental human right. In a country with a state religion, freedom of religion is generally considered to mean that the government permits religious practices of other sects besides the state religion, and does not persecute believers in other faiths.
In its 2011 annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom designated fourteen nations as “countries of particular concern”. The commission chairman commented that there are nations whose conduct marks them as the world’s worst religious freedom violators and human rights abusers. The fourteen nations designated were Burma, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
Other nations on the commission’s watchlist include Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Laos, Russia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Venezuela.
China
Freedom of religion in China is provided for in the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China with an important caveat: the government protects what it calls “normal religious activity,” defined in practice as activities that take place within government-sanctioned religious organizations and registered places of worship.
China’s five officially sanctioned religious organizations are the Buddhist Association of China, Chinese Taoist Association, Islamic Association of China, Three-Self Patriotic Movement and Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. These groups are afforded a degree of protection, but are subject to restrictions and controls under the State Administration for Religious Affairs. Unregistered religious groups—including house churches, Falun Gong, Tibetan Buddhists, underground Catholics, and Uyghur Muslims—face varying degrees of harassment, including imprisonment, torture, and forced religious conversion.
In recent years, China has tightened regulations on religious freedom, intensifying punishments for unsanctioned activities and increasing its supervision of certain groups. It also tightened the already stringent controls on Muslim and Christian populations and included a ban on religious organisations accepting foreign donations.
The unregistered religious groups — which were already not allowed to set up places of worship — are now also prohibited from establishing schools. Not only the unapproved religious events will be fined heavily 300,000 yuan (C$57,000), but also those who provided the venue for such gatherings will be fined up to 200,000 yuan (C$38,000).
Praying for China
– Pastor Lydia Zhang (English Translation)
Loving Heavenly Father, your children come before you in one accord, pleading for the people who live in the land of China.
Firstly, we pray for the leaders of the country. As they guide the 1.3 billion people forward, may you send forth the Spirit of Truth to reveal to them that only you are God who created heaven and earth and the Lord of life. It is you who put them in these important positions, to be “public servants” for the people. If they submit to your will, you will accomplish far more than what they could have imagined. Your unending grace and blessings will always be upon them and your guidance, help, provision and protection will always be with them because truth, goodness and beauty all come from you.
Secondly, we pray for the people of China. May the true love of our Heavenly Father be abundantly pouring from heaven to cover the entire land and people in it. Allow them to freely receive your love and grace in each and every way, to accept the empowering gospel and to grow and bond in your love so that they become channel of love, blessings to others and healthy people to build a good society.
Lastly, we also pray for the churches in China. The one true God who is all-knowing, almighty and soul searching, may your saving hand be upon your church. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and the cornerstone. Is he ever directed by the hand of man? As we bow before you, help us understand and experience your power! Oh churches, raise up your hands and lift up your heads. Look upon Jesus Christ who saved you, loves you and protects you!
Heavenly Father, you want everyone to be saved, no one to perish. You sacrificed Your Son to save the children that belong to you and give them eternal life. Please raise up your children to pray to you, to follow you and to partner with you to spread the gospel until it reaches every corner of China.
In the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
If you are interested in knowing more about RHCCC’s PEACE program in China or would like to participate in this ministry, please contact Pastor Lydia Zhang.
宗教自由
宗教自由是一個容許個人或組織在不受政府影響或干預下，以公開或私下方式透過教導、實踐、敬拜及儀式，表達宗教或信仰的原則，也包含改變個人宗教或信仰的自由。
許多人和大多數國家都認為宗教自由是一項基本人權。在有國教的國家，宗教自由通常被認為意味著政府允許國教以外的其他教派的宗教活動，並且不會迫害持其他信仰的信徒。
美國國際宗教自由委員會在2011年年度報告中指定十四個國家為「特別關注國」。委員會主席評論說，有些國家的行為標誌著他們是世界上最嚴重的違反宗教自由者和侵犯人權者。
這十四個國家是緬甸、中國、埃及、厄立特里亞、伊朗、伊拉克、尼日利亞、朝鮮、巴基斯坦、沙特阿拉伯、蘇丹、土庫曼斯坦、烏茲別克斯坦和越南。
委員會的觀察名單上還有阿富汗、白俄羅斯、古巴、印度、印尼、老撾、俄羅斯、索馬里、塔吉克斯坦、土耳其和委內瑞拉。
中國
《中華人民共和國憲法》中關於宗教自由的條文中其實夾雜了一個重要的限制性條件，就是政府保障它視為「正常的宗教活動」，實際定義是指政府認可的宗教組織所舉辦和官方註冊敬拜場所內進行的活動。
中國五個官方認可的宗教組織是中國佛教協會、中國道教協會、中國伊斯蘭教協會、三自愛國運動和中國愛國天主教協會。這些團體受到一定程度的保障，但同時受到國家宗教事務局的限制和監管。非註冊宗教團體–包括家庭教會、法輪功、藏傳佛教徒、地下天主教徒和維吾爾族穆斯林–遭受不同程度的打壓，包括監禁、酷刑和強迫性信仰思想改造。
中國近年來加強了對宗教自由的監管，加大對未經批准活動的懲罰，加強對某些群體的監督，並且更收緊對穆斯林和基督教信眾的嚴格控制，包括禁止宗教組織接受外國捐款。
非註冊宗教團體早被禁止設立敬拜場所，現在更被禁止建立學校。不僅舉辦未經批准的宗教活動可被重罰三十萬元人民幣（五萬七千加元)，連為這些聚會提供場地的單位也要繳付高達二十萬元人民幣（三萬八千加元)的罰款。
為中國禱告
–張曉燕傳道
慈愛的天父，孩子們同心合意來到祢的面前，為生活在中國大地上的百姓向你呼求：
第一，我們為中國的國家領導人來禱告，求天父用真理的靈來啟示他們，讓他們在領導13億中國百姓前行的路上，能明白唯有祢是創造天地萬物的神，掌管人類生命的主。中國的國家領導人在如此重要的位置上工作，成為百姓的「公僕」，是祢的認可。如果他們順服祢的旨意，祢將成就超過他們所求所想，領受祢無盡的恩典和祝福，得著祢的引導，幫助，供應和保護，因為祢是真善美的源頭。
第二，我們為中國的眾百姓來禱告，求天父將祢滿滿的真愛從天上傾倒下來，充滿整個中國大地和其上居住的百姓，讓他們可以自由的，以各種不同的方式領受祢的愛和恩典。接受這大有能力的福音，在祢的愛中成長，聯結，讓自己成為愛的出口，身邊人的祝福，與社會有益的健康人。
第三，我們為中國的教會禱告，求無所不知，無所不能，監察人心的獨一真神，出手救助屬祢的教會。耶穌基督是教會的頭，是房角的頭塊石頭，豈是人手所能掌控的？讓我們在禱告中認識和經歷神的大能！
眾教會啊，祢要牽手抬起頭來，仰望救祢，愛祢，保護祢的耶穌基督！
天父啊，祢的心意就是：祢願萬人得救，不願一人沉淪，祢甘願用兒子耶穌基督的死來救贖本該屬祢的兒女，賜給他們永生。願祢興起祢的孩子們，禱告，跟隨，與主同工。讓福音暢通無阻地傳遍整個中國。
以上禱告是奉主耶穌基督得勝的名求，阿們。
如果你想瞭解更多關於城北在中國的和平福音工作，或有負擔參與這方面的服侍，請以電郵方式聯絡張曉燕傳道。
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance without government influence or intervention. It also includes the freedom to change one’s religion or belief.
Freedom of religion is considered by many people and most of the nations to be a fundamental human right. In a country with a state religion, freedom of religion is generally considered to mean that the government permits religious practices of other sects besides the state religion, and does not persecute believers in other faiths.
In its 2011 annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom designated fourteen nations as “countries of particular concern”. The commission chairman commented that there are nations whose conduct marks them as the world’s worst religious freedom violators and human rights abusers. The fourteen nations designated were Burma, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
Other nations on the commission’s watchlist include Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Laos, Russia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Venezuela.
China
Freedom of religion in China is provided for in the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China with an important caveat: the government protects what it calls “normal religious activity,” defined in practice as activities that take place within government-sanctioned religious organizations and registered places of worship.
China’s five officially sanctioned religious organizations are the Buddhist Association of China, Chinese Taoist Association, Islamic Association of China, Three-Self Patriotic Movement and Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. These groups are afforded a degree of protection, but are subject to restrictions and controls under the State Administration for Religious Affairs. Unregistered religious groups—including house churches, Falun Gong, Tibetan Buddhists, underground Catholics, and Uyghur Muslims—face varying degrees of harassment, including imprisonment, torture, and forced religious conversion.
In recent years, China has tightened regulations on religious freedom, intensifying punishments for unsanctioned activities and increasing its supervision of certain groups. It also tightened the already stringent controls on Muslim and Christian populations and included a ban on religious organisations accepting foreign donations.
The unregistered religious groups — which were already not allowed to set up places of worship — are now also prohibited from establishing schools. Not only the unapproved religious events will be fined heavily 300,000 yuan (C$57,000), but also those who provided the venue for such gatherings will be fined up to 200,000 yuan (C$38,000).
Praying for China
– Pastor Lydia Zhang (English Translation)
Loving Heavenly Father, your children come before you in one accord, pleading for the people who live in the land of China.
Firstly, we pray for the leaders of the country. As they guide the 1.3 billion people forward, may you send forth the Spirit of Truth to reveal to them that only you are God who created heaven and earth and the Lord of life. It is you who put them in these important positions, to be “public servants” for the people. If they submit to your will, you will accomplish far more than what they could have imagined. Your unending grace and blessings will always be upon them and your guidance, help, provision and protection will always be with them because truth, goodness and beauty all come from you.
Secondly, we pray for the people of China. May the true love of our Heavenly Father be abundantly pouring from heaven to cover the entire land and people in it. Allow them to freely receive your love and grace in each and every way, to accept the empowering gospel and to grow and bond in your love so that they become channel of love, blessings to others and healthy people to build a good society.
Lastly, we also pray for the churches in China. The one true God who is all-knowing, almighty and soul searching, may your saving hand be upon your church. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and the cornerstone. Is he ever directed by the hand of man? As we bow before you, help us understand and experience your power! Oh churches, raise up your hands and lift up your heads. Look upon Jesus Christ who saved you, loves you and protects you!
Heavenly Father, you want everyone to be saved, no one to perish. You sacrificed Your Son to save the children that belong to you and give them eternal life. Please raise up your children to pray to you, to follow you and to partner with you to spread the gospel until it reaches every corner of China.
In the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
If you are interested in knowing more about RHCCC’s PEACE program in China or would like to participate in this ministry, please contact Pastor Lydia Zhang.