Summary: What does it cost to follow Jesus under constant government surveillance? A West African believer living in China opens up about facial-recognition cameras, restricted conversations, and a friendship that went silent overnight — and challenges readers to make more of the freedom they take for granted.

I am originally from West Africa, and I live in China as a Christian. As a foreigner, I am allowed to practice my faith within limits. I can attend a registered church for foreigners, worship and pray, and invite other foreigners to my home to study the Bible. I am not allowed, however, to invite Chinese people to follow Jesus. It is illegal.

I initially went to China as a student, and although I thought myself a Christian, it was not until I returned home that I really encountered Christ and started to grow in my faith. When I went back to work in China, I was excited to renew my friendship with an older Chinese brother who used to read the Bible with me. I reached out to him on WeChat to inform him that I had received some training in discipleship that I wanted to share with him. Initially, he seemed excited, but soon afterwards he stopped returning my messages. The woman who introduced us went silent and blocked me.

Chinese people live under intense scrutiny from their government. Movement is tracked through their phones, and facial recognition cameras are installed across cities and in buildings. The government believes that the Communist Party should be the ultimate authority over the lives and actions of its citizens. This translates into harsh restrictions on religious people who have a higher loyalty to God.

Registered churches are called the “The Three-Self Patriotic Movement” and services are held in large, visible buildings under strict state oversight. The pastors are approved by the government, and the theology is adapted to fall in line with socialist values. Many true Christians attending these churches are doing the best they can to live their faith under these restrictions. However, anyone under 18 years of age is barred from attending services or Sunday School, even in a registered church.

Publicly, the government says that there is religious freedom, but in practice, religious activities are closely monitored. Foreign students could have a religious meeting, but it is necessary to get permission for anything outside of your own room or apartment, and there can be a lot of red tape to navigate to get authorization.

Religious activities are closely monitored.

Unregistered churches are called “underground” or “house churches,” although some are large churches. The government was once more relaxed about religious activities, but in 2018, revisions to religious regulations made it illegal for any religious activity to take place outside of government control. Since then, Christians have faced more arrests, restrictions and even the demolition of churches.  Refusal to remove crosses from the roofs of churches, rejection of facial-recognition cameras inside churches, and sermons that express ideas not in line with the Party can trigger harassment and persecution by the police.

In October 2025, a major crackdown against the underground Zion Church led to the arrest of 19 pastors. A news agency reported on this from within China, and you can watch it at https://youtu.be/4BYv86_w7RM?si=YUJXI2PyV3TlMCni

As a foreigner, I am not allowed to attend some Chinese churches, and I may not try to convert someone to Christianity, but I am free to talk one-on-one about my faith and live my love for Jesus openly. I want to urge people back home to take advantage of their religious freedoms. I live in a part of the world where people are not free to practice their faith. Imagine hiding to fellowship, or being in prison, only able to read Scripture that is smuggled in.  We have the Bible on our phones, and it is with us every day, but we don’t make much of it.  We should utilize our freedom and study the Word more, for many don’t have that freedom at all.