Pastor Gong Shengliang

Founder and Pastor of the “Huanan Church” (South China Church, SCC), Gong Shengliang was arrested along with sixteen other South China Church leaders in April of 2001. In December 2001 his original death sentence was reduced to life in prison. He was convicted of “using a heretical organization to undermine the implementation of the law” This church has been banned by authorities. The SCC is a relatively small house church group, with 100,000 members, yet over 1,500 SCC leaders have been arrested as the government attempts to eradicate this illegal group. Pastor Gong was beaten severely while in prison and is now under 24/7 “observation” by two guards. His family may visit him once a month.