China Detains Pastor David Tang and Six Church Members After Shanghai Police Raid
Shanghai police raided a house church in Wenzhou on August 5, detaining Pastor David Tang and six others. The group has been held incommunicado, with authorities refusing to disclose their location or the charges against them.
Shanghai police crossed provincial lines on August 5, 2026, to raid the Purpose Driven Church in Wenzhou, China, detaining Pastor David Tang along with a financial administrator and five ministry workers.
The church, also known as Biaogan Church, has operated in Wenzhou for years without registering with the government or joining the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Wenzhou has long been called the "Jerusalem of China" because of its large Christian population.
Two days passed before news of the detentions reached the public, when a social media account dedicated to persecuted churches in China posted about the disappearances. As of mid-August, the seven individuals remained incommunicado.
Bob Fu, president of the Texas-based nonprofit ChinaAid, said the detentions follow a pattern in which Chinese authorities use enforced disappearances to suppress independent Christianity. He noted that officials increasingly avoid explicit religious charges, instead using fabricated economic or criminal accusations such as fraud or illegal business operations.
Chinese authorities censored online reports about the incident. Human rights organizations including ChinaAid and Christian Solidarity Worldwide called on the Chinese government to disclose the detainees' whereabouts, allow them access to lawyers and family members, and release them if no legitimate criminal evidence exists.
Pastor Tang founded the Purpose Driven Church, which is known for attracting intellectuals and young professionals. The church was previously forced to close by authorities but continued operating in a semi-underground capacity.
