Huize, located in the northeast of Yunnan Province, was an ancient Yelang land in the Qin and Han dynasties as well as an important town for copper mining and smelting in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has a history of more than 2,000 years and is a national historical and cultural city.
Based on the book Christianity and Christian Mission in Yunnan, the gospel was first introduced in Huize in 1883 by British and French missionaries, who led the church ministry. Activities at the time were limited to parts of the surrounding area. In the 1880s, the Methodist church sent Samuel Pollard and Frank J. Dymond to evangelize in Zhaotong and Huize. Churches and schools were built. This was the first missionary station of the British Methodist Church in Yunnan. According to Brother Y of the Huize Church, Huize is a major transportation hub, located between Kunming and Zhaotong. During the missionary years of Rev. Pollard, Zhaotong and Huize were his base camps. The Hmong region, known as the Shimenkan in the Bijie area, did not become the focus of his mission until the last ten years of his service. The first chairman of the Southwest Methodist Parish was a native of Huize, named Zhu Ruiguang.
After 1950, many pastors were suppressed because of their faith. People across Huize became frightened by Christianity. Foreign missionaries were repatriated after 1952, and the activities associated with Christianity were ceased in Huize. Six years later, with the assistance of Soviet experts the state built hydropower stations in Huize, Nagu, and other places. "My grandparents participated in the construction of the dam, so did many workers and educated youth from across the country," Y said. Some of the workers, about 20 of them, from other provinces were Christians. One of them was David Yan, who preached at the Trinity International Church in Kunming; another was Jiang Tianxi, who used to work in the Yunnan Christian Council. According to Pastor Y, both of them paid visits and presented gifts such as Bibles, an organ, and funds to the Yunnan Christian Council as representatives when the Huize Church was flourishing in the 1980s and 1990s.
He continued, "In the 1950s, there was a brother Liu, who worked in a power plant. His family had been believers for generations. Later, Liu’s brother also came to work in the Supply and Sale Cooperative on Baiwu Street in Nagu, Huize. He was assigned to his position after he graduated from junior high school at a young age. He was a beautiful testimony, very enthusiastic and diligent at work. He often helped the elderly who lived alone in the village carry water and with other tasks. He held fast to the faith even during the 'Cultural Revolution'. He was denounced because of his faith, so was a physician, who once served as a Methodist pastor. The old fellow’s name was Liang Xiaochuan, who studied abroad in the UK, served in the Zion Church in Kunming, and ran the ‘Wude English After-school Academy’. He later returned to Huize to practice medicine in Baiwu Village. Both he and my grandfather were from Huize and worked together in the Forestry Bureau before. Thus, he had a close relationship with my family.”
In 1978, an employee of the fourth-level power station of the Yili River Power Plant in Huize, Wang Jiashui, developed liver cancer. He went to Kunming for medical treatment and met the family of the old Lutheran Church Pastor Du Xinfu. After becoming a believer, he recovered and returned to Huize to evangelize and develop the church.
“In the 1980s when my grandfather suffered a stroke, old brother Liu shared the gospel with my family. Thereafter, my grandfather experienced miracles and was healed. My family began to trust in the Lord. I was baptized when I was a baby, and grew up in a godly environment.”
Pastor Y recalled that "our church back then often spent Christmas in the wilderness and by the reservoir. People came to join from every village and town. Sometimes there were 1,000 or 2,000 people participating. Non-believers also came to visit. It was remarkably boisterous like going to a bazaar."
According to the report in Christianity and Christian Work in Yunnan Province, there were more than 500 believers in Huize County by the end of 1981. The churches were influential, but none of them joined the Three-Self Patriotic Movement at that time. Those churches came to the attention of the governing authority. In May 1982, the Christian organization developed by Wang Jiashui was publicly banned with the order of the Provincial Public Security Department. After he was released from his detention, he continued to evangelize. He had held 16 pastoral training courses with more than 320 trainees since 1989. Most of the believers in the County were discipled by Wang. The number reached a peak in 1993-1994. Based on the original survey and statistics organized by the Qujing region in October 1995, there were 72 activity sites operated in 17 towns and 105 villages across the County, with more than 8,000 believers.
Pastor Y shared that Wang Jiashui was very talented in organization and management. He conducted various training courses such as healing through acupuncture. He gathered the believers to learn the techniques of repairing watches so that they could make a living by setting up a repairs stall. Wang also mobilized the believers to raise funds and started a pharmacy, where retired doctors were invited to be consultants. He even built a rice noodle factory. He was creating an industry while developing the church. He had high prestige among the believers. After Yunnan Theological Seminary reopened in 1989, the Huize Church had been well established. Although it did not join the Three-Self Patriotic Movement at that time, it sent five or six seminary students to Yunnan Seminary in the name of the Huize Church, including Wang’s son and daughter-in-law.
Wang's son, Wang Xinliang, and his daughter-in-law, Gao Mingzhu, published an article in the official church’s Tianfeng magazine in 1999 about their development plan for the Huize Church, "The Church Should Take Concrete Actions to Overcome Poverty First." The plan mentioned the size of the Huize Church. "There are 15 larger churches with 170 meeting locations in Huize, Yunnan. All belong to one church of the same belief and unified teachings, exalting the Triune God. The entire church has 47,000 registered believers, of which 42,000 are rural residents. Most of them live in the cold alpine mountains. The rural believers have little income. All the pastoral staff members are volunteers.”
At that time, they suggested that the Huize Church should take concrete actions to overcome poverty first. They raised 12,000 yuan to purchase new species of potatoes and chemical fertilizers, which were distributed to those who couldn’t afford it.
Wang Jiashui lived in Dabanqiao, Kunming later on, preaching and ministering to the believers mainly through audiotapes. Sadly, the flourishing Huize Church was drastically changed due to the intrusion of the cult, "The Church of Almighty God." More than 90% of the believers were poached. The leader of the church, Wang, was converted by the "The Church of Almighty God" in 2003. Converted with him were the ministers in the 40 meeting locations in Huize that he established through his evangelism. There were less than 1,000 people remaining in faith. Minister Y and his parents in the Huize Church were witnesses. To share about the history, Minister Y interviewed several elderly brothers and sisters, and collected related information.
The cult "The Church of Almighty God" was introduced to Huize from outside of the province. According to Pastor Y, the "The Church of Almighty God" learned that the church in Huize was flourishing and that Wang was very influential in the local area. A strategic plan was created to win the person in charge first. They conducted research on him in advance and collected his basic information. When they communicated with Wang and shared much information about himself, Wang felt that these people were like prophets. He was convinced of and accepted the teachings of the "The Church of Almighty God". He then took co-workers from various townships to Kunming for training. Wang not only led them to join the "The Church of Almighty God" but publicly interspersed and preached its teachings in his sermons. He even announced the dismissal of the co-workers and the believers who expressed different opinions. This was questioned by some believers, who stood up for the truth and fought for the pulpit.
"My parents were dismissed by Wang because of their questioning. Those who participated in the training organized by Wang Jiashui used to be faithful workers or intellectuals in the church. They all followed Wang stubbornly, stating that 'we’ll follow Wang Jiashui even if he is going to hell’.” Pastor Y indicated that his parents and other co-workers went to various churches at that time to uncover the propaganda of the "The Church of Almighty God." Later, the believers moved to his grandmother's house for meetings. Conflicts and disputes happened oftentimes in the church in Nagu Town. The group that believed in the heresy was excluded after its propaganda was uncovered. The group took away everything in the church overnight. The vacant place was rented again after that, and the believers began to meet. The believers dismissed by Wang Jiashui have reunited and been meeting together until now. Other believers began to flee Wang's church as well after noticing the problem. Unfortunately, some faithful church workers believed in the teachings of the "The Church of Almighty God" after arriving in Kunming. They were lured by financial gains and even sent to serve in local churches.
Pastor Y also read about the two cases of the victims of the "The Church of Almighty God," written by his father. Sister L, who used to work in Huize Tobacco Factory, was well educated and talented. She was good at painting and writing poetry. Her ability at work was recognized as well. Since she believed in the "The Church of Almighty God", she had given up her job and high income. She swept away the 200,000 yuan cash savings of her family and then disappeared. Her husband and children were devastated and waited for her to return every day. There were many such cases in the local area. For instance, a son held fast to the truth while the father drifted away; one brother held fast to the truth while the other went astray and abandoned the family. Sister W was another example. She ran away from home when she believed in the "The Church of Almighty God." Her husband, working at the Waterworks Authority, became furious whenever he talked about what happened. Moreover, some workers at a mine in Huize left their jobs to follow the cult, causing pain to their wives and children.
The backbones of the churches in several towns and villages in Huize were deceived by the "The Church of Almighty God" cult. To join, they sold their pigs, chickens, cattle and sheep, and family property. They were abandoned when no longer of use. Some of the former pastoral staff were deceived and suffered ultimately. "People who were exploited by the cult abandoned their families, estranged from their wives and children. They were unwilling to return to the truth. It was difficult for them to leave the cult." In Kunming, a group of the ministers of older generations intended to restore the bewildered believers but were lured to follow the "The Church of Almighty God" instead. "The harm that the cult caused to believers and churches was indescribable. My church members and I once visited the victims of the cult. A co-worker who participated in the cult’s training in Qujing was unable to escape. He was watched closely by the followers of the cult. He was able to escape later by giving an excuse that something had happened to the senior at home. After coming back, he fell into a coma and was sent to a hospital by the brothers and sisters from the church.”
These have had a negative impact on the orthodox churches. "The harm that heresies and cults have caused to believers and churches is indescribable. It leads to misconceptions about Christianity among nonbelievers and makes evangelism difficult." In this regard, this minister believes that in order to prevent the spread of heresies and cults, churches and believers should avoid worshiping the church leader. The church should develop a balanced governance model and supervision mechanism in place of authoritarian leadership. The negative impact may be minimized this way if the leader goes astray. Due to the limited resources and lack of theological reading materials at that time, the believers were isolated from the outside world. They received teachings solely from Wang and were not able to discern right from wrong. Many stumbled when the heresy pervaded. Some have been worshiping Wang Jiashui to this day.
Today, there are still believers of the "The Church of Almighty God" in some villages in Huize. Pastor Y added that people would mention the "The Church of Almighty God" and the two taels of grain when he was evangelizing. They also commented that the believers of the “The Church of Almighty God” neglected their families and job duties.
- Translated by June I. Chen
会泽位于云南东北，秦汉时为古夜郎地，明清时为采矿炼铜之重镇，至今已有两千多年的历史，是国家级历史文化名城。
据《云南的基督教与基督教工作》一书介绍，会泽的福音最早于1883年由英、法传教士传入，并主持教务。当时的活动范围仅限于城区的周围部分地区。19世纪八十年代，循道公会派遣柏格理和邰慕廉到昭通、会泽传教，并建立教堂和学校，这是英国循道公会在云南的第一个传教站。据会泽教会的Y弟兄介绍，会泽位于昆明和昭通的之间，是主要的交通枢纽地带，柏格理牧师宣教的时代就以昭通和会泽为大本营，最后工作的十年才转向了苗族地区，即众所周知的毕节地区的石门坎。循道公会西南教区第一位教区主席是会泽本地人，叫朱瑞光。
1950年之后，有好些牧师因信仰被镇压，整个会泽也对基督教谈虎色变。1952年后，外国传教士被遣返，基督教终止了在会泽的活动。6年后，国家在会泽、娜姑等地修建水电站，有苏联专家援建。“我的爷爷奶奶也曾在大坝上参与建设，他们从全国各地调去不少工人和知青”。从外省调去的工人中有的信仰基督教，约20人，其中就有的在昆明三一国际礼拜堂讲道的闫大卫，和曾在云南省基督教两会工作的蒋天洗等。Y传道说，他们两位在会泽教会80-90年代很复兴的时候，还到代表云南基督教协会赠送圣经和访问，赠送所需要的圣经、风琴和资金。
“50十年代还有一位刘XX弟兄在电厂工作，他家祖辈就是信主的。后来，他的兄弟刘XX也来到会泽县娜姑镇白雾街供销社工作，很年轻初中毕业后就被分配到那里，他有很美好的见证，工作十分热情认真，经常帮助村里的孤寡老人挑水干活。即便在’文革’时期也持守信仰，曾与一位做过循道公会的牧师的医生一起因信仰而被批斗。这位老人叫梁筱川，还去英国留学，也在昆明的锡安堂服侍，办过一个‘’务德英语补习班‘’。后来，回到会泽做医生，也同在白雾村工作。因为，他和我爷爷以前一同在林业局工作过，又因同是会泽县城里的人，和我们家的关系比较好”。
1978年，会泽以礼河电厂四级电站职工王家水身患肝癌，到昆明求医，结识了信义会杜信甫老牧师一家，他接受了福音之后，身体得到了康复。回到会泽开始传福音发展教会。
“80年代，当时我爷爷患了中风，那位刘老弟兄向我的家人传福音，之后经历了神迹奇事，病得到医治，我们家族就开始信主。我从小就受了婴儿洗礼，在信仰的熏陶下长大”。
Y传道回忆道：“那个时候，我们教会经常在旷野和水库旁过圣诞节，每个村镇都有人来，有时有一两千人参加，不信主的人也来参观，就像赶街一样热闹非凡。”
根据《云南省基督教与基督教工作》的报告：到1981年底，会泽县发展信徒500多人。当时的教会都没有加入三自，影响很大，所以被有关部门关注。1982年5月，经省公安厅批准，王家水发展的基督教组织被公开取缔。他被关押获释后，又继续开展传福音的工作，1989年以来先后举办教牧培训班16期，受训人员达320多人，全县大部分信徒是由王发展起来的，1993-1994年达到高峰。据1995年10月原曲靖地区组织的调查统计，全县有17个乡镇，105个村办有活动点72个，信徒达8000多人。
Y传道分享，王家水很有组织和管理才能，搞各类培训班比如针灸治病，召集信徒学习修手表的技术，以此摆摊赚钱谋生。王也发动信徒募捐和筹款，开了一个药房，请退休的医生坐诊。他还开了米线厂，一边发展实业一边发展教会，在信徒当中威望很高。云南神学院于1989年重新开放后，会泽教会已经形成规模，虽然当时没有加入三自，但还是以会泽教会的名义送出了五六个神学生去云南神学院学习，其中就有王家水的儿子和儿媳。
1999年的《天风》还刊登过王家水的儿子王新亮和儿媳高明珠对于会泽教会的发展计划《教会要用实际行动先脱贫》，里面提到了会泽教会的规模：“云南会泽有15间较大的教会，聚会点170个，同属一个教会，教义是统一的，信仰是一致的，都是高举三位一体的神。全教会在册信徒有4.7万人，其中4.2万为农村人口，大多数分布在高寒山区，农村信徒没有什么经济收入，所有教牧全是义工。”
当时，他们提出，会泽教会要用实际行动先脱贫，自筹资金1.2万元购进新品种马铃薯和化肥，分配给没有能力买化肥的。
后来，王家水常住昆明大板桥，主要以录音磁带讲道和牧养信徒。令人感到痛心的是，会泽教会复兴的局面因为“全能神”的侵扰而彻底改变，90%以上的信徒都被掳掠。2003年，教会负责人王被“全能神”拉下水，并把他在会泽传福音建立的40个聚会点的同工带进去，只剩下不到1000人。会泽教会的Y传道和父母都是亲历者。为了分享这段历史，Y传道还找了几位年老的弟兄姐妹进行访谈，并收集相关资料。
“全能神”是从外省传入会泽的。据Y传道讲述，“全能神”了解到会泽教会很复兴，王在当地很有影响力，就制定策略——先拿下负责人，因此事先对他进行调查并掌握了基本情况。当他们跟王交流，说出了不少他的情况，这让王感觉那群人像先知一般，就对那些讲论深信不疑，并接受了“全能神”的教导。之后他把各乡镇同工带到昆明参加培训，不仅带他们加入“全能神”，在讲道中公开穿插宣讲其教导，还公告开除有异议的同工和信徒。这遭到了一些信徒的质疑，并站起来为真道争辩，抢夺讲台。
“我的父母就因为质疑而被他开除了，而参加过王家水组织的培训的人，以前都是忠心的教会同工或知识分子，但他们都死心塌地地跟随王，甚至说’王家水下地狱，我们也要跟着他’。”Y传道说，当时自己的父母和其他同工到各处教会揭露“全能神”的教训，后来信徒们挪到了他的外婆家聚会。娜姑镇上的教会经常发生冲突和纷争，接受异端的群体被揭露后无法接受，就在一夜之间拿走了教会的所有东西。之后，空下来的地方被重新租下，开始聚会，之前被王家水一伙开除的信徒合在一起，一直聚会到如今，其他信徒在发现问题后也开始逃离王的教会。可惜的是，一些忠心的教会同工到昆明后就接受了“全能神”的教导，受到金钱诱惑，还被派到了地方教会服侍。
Y传道还读了自己父亲写的两个“全能神”受害者案例。曾经在会泽烟厂工作的L姊妹，文化水平高、有才能，会写诗和画画，工作能力也被肯定。但自从信了“全能神”，她放弃工作和较高的收入，还将家里的20万现金存款卷走，后来不知去向，丈夫和儿女悲痛欲绝，天天盼望着她回来。在当地有多个这样的例子，有的是儿子坚守真道父亲跟随异端，有的是兄弟俩一人坚守真道另一人跟随异端，之后对家庭不管不顾。另一位是W姐妹，她因信“全能神”而离家出走，其丈夫是水务局的，提起这个事情就气愤。还有的是会泽某个矿的工作人员，他们放弃工作跟随邪教，给妻子儿女带来伤痛。
会泽好几个乡镇的教会的骨干都被“全能神”邪教欺骗，卖了猪鸡牛羊和家产跟随，等到没有利用价值的时候就被抛弃。原来的一些教牧人员受了欺骗后结局很惨。“被邪教利用的人不管家庭，妻离子散，不愿意重新回到真道里，他们很难逃脱。”在昆明曾有老一辈的传道人想去挽回被迷惑的信徒，结果却被诱惑而去跟随“全能神”。“邪教给信徒教会带来的危害真是一言难尽，我还曾经和教会一起探访过异端邪教受害者，有一位同工参加曲靖的异端培训无法逃离，被‘全能神’的人盯着，后借故家里老人有事才得逃脱，回来以后昏迷沉睡，请弟兄姊妹送往医院救治。”
这些给正统教会带来了负面的影响。“异端邪教给信徒和教会带来的危害真是一言难尽，还让更多不信主的人误解基督教，使福音难以传播。”对此，这位传道人认为，为了防止异端邪教的传播，教会和信徒要避免对个人的偶像崇拜，不能让教会负责人威望太高、独断专权，要有健康的教会治理模式和监督机制，否则在他被异端影响的时候会拉其他人下水。由于当时教会条件有限，没能有充足的神学书籍，也很少跟外界往来，信徒就只是听王的讲道，个人缺乏分辨能力，因此在异端侵扰的时候站立不住。直到现在，一些信徒依然崇拜王家水。
今天，会泽的一些村子还是有“全能神”的信徒。Y传道说，他在跟一些人讲基督教的时候，对方会提到“全能神”和二两粮，说信徒不顾生产和家庭。
http://www.fuyinshibao.cn/article/index/id/62319
历史回顾：会泽教会曾被“全能神”掳去数万名信
Huize, located in the northeast of Yunnan Province, was an ancient Yelang land in the Qin and Han dynasties as well as an important town for copper mining and smelting in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has a history of more than 2,000 years and is a national historical and cultural city.
Based on the book Christianity and Christian Mission in Yunnan, the gospel was first introduced in Huize in 1883 by British and French missionaries, who led the church ministry. Activities at the time were limited to parts of the surrounding area. In the 1880s, the Methodist church sent Samuel Pollard and Frank J. Dymond to evangelize in Zhaotong and Huize. Churches and schools were built. This was the first missionary station of the British Methodist Church in Yunnan. According to Brother Y of the Huize Church, Huize is a major transportation hub, located between Kunming and Zhaotong. During the missionary years of Rev. Pollard, Zhaotong and Huize were his base camps. The Hmong region, known as the Shimenkan in the Bijie area, did not become the focus of his mission until the last ten years of his service. The first chairman of the Southwest Methodist Parish was a native of Huize, named Zhu Ruiguang.
After 1950, many pastors were suppressed because of their faith. People across Huize became frightened by Christianity. Foreign missionaries were repatriated after 1952, and the activities associated with Christianity were ceased in Huize. Six years later, with the assistance of Soviet experts the state built hydropower stations in Huize, Nagu, and other places. "My grandparents participated in the construction of the dam, so did many workers and educated youth from across the country," Y said. Some of the workers, about 20 of them, from other provinces were Christians. One of them was David Yan, who preached at the Trinity International Church in Kunming; another was Jiang Tianxi, who used to work in the Yunnan Christian Council. According to Pastor Y, both of them paid visits and presented gifts such as Bibles, an organ, and funds to the Yunnan Christian Council as representatives when the Huize Church was flourishing in the 1980s and 1990s.
He continued, "In the 1950s, there was a brother Liu, who worked in a power plant. His family had been believers for generations. Later, Liu’s brother also came to work in the Supply and Sale Cooperative on Baiwu Street in Nagu, Huize. He was assigned to his position after he graduated from junior high school at a young age. He was a beautiful testimony, very enthusiastic and diligent at work. He often helped the elderly who lived alone in the village carry water and with other tasks. He held fast to the faith even during the 'Cultural Revolution'. He was denounced because of his faith, so was a physician, who once served as a Methodist pastor. The old fellow’s name was Liang Xiaochuan, who studied abroad in the UK, served in the Zion Church in Kunming, and ran the ‘Wude English After-school Academy’. He later returned to Huize to practice medicine in Baiwu Village. Both he and my grandfather were from Huize and worked together in the Forestry Bureau before. Thus, he had a close relationship with my family.”
In 1978, an employee of the fourth-level power station of the Yili River Power Plant in Huize, Wang Jiashui, developed liver cancer. He went to Kunming for medical treatment and met the family of the old Lutheran Church Pastor Du Xinfu. After becoming a believer, he recovered and returned to Huize to evangelize and develop the church.
“In the 1980s when my grandfather suffered a stroke, old brother Liu shared the gospel with my family. Thereafter, my grandfather experienced miracles and was healed. My family began to trust in the Lord. I was baptized when I was a baby, and grew up in a godly environment.”
Pastor Y recalled that "our church back then often spent Christmas in the wilderness and by the reservoir. People came to join from every village and town. Sometimes there were 1,000 or 2,000 people participating. Non-believers also came to visit. It was remarkably boisterous like going to a bazaar."
According to the report in Christianity and Christian Work in Yunnan Province, there were more than 500 believers in Huize County by the end of 1981. The churches were influential, but none of them joined the Three-Self Patriotic Movement at that time. Those churches came to the attention of the governing authority. In May 1982, the Christian organization developed by Wang Jiashui was publicly banned with the order of the Provincial Public Security Department. After he was released from his detention, he continued to evangelize. He had held 16 pastoral training courses with more than 320 trainees since 1989. Most of the believers in the County were discipled by Wang. The number reached a peak in 1993-1994. Based on the original survey and statistics organized by the Qujing region in October 1995, there were 72 activity sites operated in 17 towns and 105 villages across the County, with more than 8,000 believers.
Pastor Y shared that Wang Jiashui was very talented in organization and management. He conducted various training courses such as healing through acupuncture. He gathered the believers to learn the techniques of repairing watches so that they could make a living by setting up a repairs stall. Wang also mobilized the believers to raise funds and started a pharmacy, where retired doctors were invited to be consultants. He even built a rice noodle factory. He was creating an industry while developing the church. He had high prestige among the believers. After Yunnan Theological Seminary reopened in 1989, the Huize Church had been well established. Although it did not join the Three-Self Patriotic Movement at that time, it sent five or six seminary students to Yunnan Seminary in the name of the Huize Church, including Wang’s son and daughter-in-law.
Wang's son, Wang Xinliang, and his daughter-in-law, Gao Mingzhu, published an article in the official church’s Tianfeng magazine in 1999 about their development plan for the Huize Church, "The Church Should Take Concrete Actions to Overcome Poverty First." The plan mentioned the size of the Huize Church. "There are 15 larger churches with 170 meeting locations in Huize, Yunnan. All belong to one church of the same belief and unified teachings, exalting the Triune God. The entire church has 47,000 registered believers, of which 42,000 are rural residents. Most of them live in the cold alpine mountains. The rural believers have little income. All the pastoral staff members are volunteers.”
At that time, they suggested that the Huize Church should take concrete actions to overcome poverty first. They raised 12,000 yuan to purchase new species of potatoes and chemical fertilizers, which were distributed to those who couldn’t afford it.
Wang Jiashui lived in Dabanqiao, Kunming later on, preaching and ministering to the believers mainly through audiotapes. Sadly, the flourishing Huize Church was drastically changed due to the intrusion of the cult, "The Church of Almighty God." More than 90% of the believers were poached. The leader of the church, Wang, was converted by the "The Church of Almighty God" in 2003. Converted with him were the ministers in the 40 meeting locations in Huize that he established through his evangelism. There were less than 1,000 people remaining in faith. Minister Y and his parents in the Huize Church were witnesses. To share about the history, Minister Y interviewed several elderly brothers and sisters, and collected related information.
The cult "The Church of Almighty God" was introduced to Huize from outside of the province. According to Pastor Y, the "The Church of Almighty God" learned that the church in Huize was flourishing and that Wang was very influential in the local area. A strategic plan was created to win the person in charge first. They conducted research on him in advance and collected his basic information. When they communicated with Wang and shared much information about himself, Wang felt that these people were like prophets. He was convinced of and accepted the teachings of the "The Church of Almighty God". He then took co-workers from various townships to Kunming for training. Wang not only led them to join the "The Church of Almighty God" but publicly interspersed and preached its teachings in his sermons. He even announced the dismissal of the co-workers and the believers who expressed different opinions. This was questioned by some believers, who stood up for the truth and fought for the pulpit.
"My parents were dismissed by Wang because of their questioning. Those who participated in the training organized by Wang Jiashui used to be faithful workers or intellectuals in the church. They all followed Wang stubbornly, stating that 'we’ll follow Wang Jiashui even if he is going to hell’.” Pastor Y indicated that his parents and other co-workers went to various churches at that time to uncover the propaganda of the "The Church of Almighty God." Later, the believers moved to his grandmother's house for meetings. Conflicts and disputes happened oftentimes in the church in Nagu Town. The group that believed in the heresy was excluded after its propaganda was uncovered. The group took away everything in the church overnight. The vacant place was rented again after that, and the believers began to meet. The believers dismissed by Wang Jiashui have reunited and been meeting together until now. Other believers began to flee Wang's church as well after noticing the problem. Unfortunately, some faithful church workers believed in the teachings of the "The Church of Almighty God" after arriving in Kunming. They were lured by financial gains and even sent to serve in local churches.
Pastor Y also read about the two cases of the victims of the "The Church of Almighty God," written by his father. Sister L, who used to work in Huize Tobacco Factory, was well educated and talented. She was good at painting and writing poetry. Her ability at work was recognized as well. Since she believed in the "The Church of Almighty God", she had given up her job and high income. She swept away the 200,000 yuan cash savings of her family and then disappeared. Her husband and children were devastated and waited for her to return every day. There were many such cases in the local area. For instance, a son held fast to the truth while the father drifted away; one brother held fast to the truth while the other went astray and abandoned the family. Sister W was another example. She ran away from home when she believed in the "The Church of Almighty God." Her husband, working at the Waterworks Authority, became furious whenever he talked about what happened. Moreover, some workers at a mine in Huize left their jobs to follow the cult, causing pain to their wives and children.
The backbones of the churches in several towns and villages in Huize were deceived by the "The Church of Almighty God" cult. To join, they sold their pigs, chickens, cattle and sheep, and family property. They were abandoned when no longer of use. Some of the former pastoral staff were deceived and suffered ultimately. "People who were exploited by the cult abandoned their families, estranged from their wives and children. They were unwilling to return to the truth. It was difficult for them to leave the cult." In Kunming, a group of the ministers of older generations intended to restore the bewildered believers but were lured to follow the "The Church of Almighty God" instead. "The harm that the cult caused to believers and churches was indescribable. My church members and I once visited the victims of the cult. A co-worker who participated in the cult’s training in Qujing was unable to escape. He was watched closely by the followers of the cult. He was able to escape later by giving an excuse that something had happened to the senior at home. After coming back, he fell into a coma and was sent to a hospital by the brothers and sisters from the church.”
These have had a negative impact on the orthodox churches. "The harm that heresies and cults have caused to believers and churches is indescribable. It leads to misconceptions about Christianity among nonbelievers and makes evangelism difficult." In this regard, this minister believes that in order to prevent the spread of heresies and cults, churches and believers should avoid worshiping the church leader. The church should develop a balanced governance model and supervision mechanism in place of authoritarian leadership. The negative impact may be minimized this way if the leader goes astray. Due to the limited resources and lack of theological reading materials at that time, the believers were isolated from the outside world. They received teachings solely from Wang and were not able to discern right from wrong. Many stumbled when the heresy pervaded. Some have been worshiping Wang Jiashui to this day.
Today, there are still believers of the "The Church of Almighty God" in some villages in Huize. Pastor Y added that people would mention the "The Church of Almighty God" and the two taels of grain when he was evangelizing. They also commented that the believers of the “The Church of Almighty God” neglected their families and job duties.
- Translated by June I. Chen
Tens of Thousands of Believers in Yunnan Once Captives of 'Almighty God' Cult
