Freda Zhang
Member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2026
- Messages
- 1
I spent ten years in an underground church in Shanghai run by a Taiwanese individual. Initially, I was genuinely seeking the Lord, but over time, I grew increasingly uneasy with what I observed. Below are the phenomena I noticed—please help me discern:
1. **No Mother Church**: This Taiwanese person claims to have received a vision one day, in which God instructed him to "spread the gospel and establish a church." He then left his original fellowship and started this underground church independently. But why must he start his own church and appoint himself as the highest leader if his goal is simply to spread the gospel? Who oversees him?
2. **Lack of Financial Transparency**: The church's finances are not disclosed to the congregation. It is unclear how tithes and offerings are used. In each pastoral district, offerings are managed independently by three individuals: a treasurer, a financial officer, and an auditor. However, their records are not made public, which theoretically allows for potential misconduct. Additionally, if offerings in a district exceed a certain amount, the surplus must be submitted to the headquarters.
3. **Emphasis on "Obedience for Blessing"**: The church promotes unconditional obedience to leaders, spiritual coverings. Disobedience is labeled as "unspiritual" and thus unblessed. Their interpretation of obedience primarily involves serving—if you are asked to serve and comply, you are obedient; if you refuse, you are disobedient.
4. **Top-Down Decision-Making**: Church decisions are made without open discussion, criticism, questioning, or voting among fellow workers. For example, when relocating venues, the senior pastor directly informs the district leader, who then makes the decision without consulting other workers, often justifying it as "God's arrangement."
5. **Focus on Spiritual Experiences**: The church places great importance on speaking in tongues, receiving visions, and having dreams. During prayer gatherings, many claim to "see this or that," and some are "slain in the Spirit," falling to the ground.
6. **Numerical Growth as a Primary Goal**: Growth targets are set based on visions and dreams received by the preacher, her husband, and their son. For instance, they claimed God revealed that the church should grow to 200 members within seven years.
7. **Information Control**: Members are discouraged from listening to external sermons. When a newcomer unknowingly shared an external sermon in a group chat, the preacher immediately demanded its removal.
Additionally, I observed a few other troubling practices:
1. **Systematic "Training" for Newcomers**: New members are required to complete a structured course, similar to an onboarding process. After completion, they are assigned tasks such as evangelism or other duties, creating the impression that spiritual growth is tied to course attendance. These courses are also fee-based. Similarly, events like Bible study camps and prayer retreats require payment.
2. **Use of Fear Tactics**: Leaders often employ fear to achieve their goals. For example, if someone is late for Sunday service, the preacher might say, "Do not be late. This gathering is like the gate of heaven—once it closes, what will happen?" When members miss services, I have heard the preacher and her husband remark, "Those who come receive blessings; those who don't, miss out." During a period of declining attendance, the preacher attributed it to "the end times, where God is separating the sheep from the goats and sifting people—some are being sifted out."
1. **No Mother Church**: This Taiwanese person claims to have received a vision one day, in which God instructed him to "spread the gospel and establish a church." He then left his original fellowship and started this underground church independently. But why must he start his own church and appoint himself as the highest leader if his goal is simply to spread the gospel? Who oversees him?
2. **Lack of Financial Transparency**: The church's finances are not disclosed to the congregation. It is unclear how tithes and offerings are used. In each pastoral district, offerings are managed independently by three individuals: a treasurer, a financial officer, and an auditor. However, their records are not made public, which theoretically allows for potential misconduct. Additionally, if offerings in a district exceed a certain amount, the surplus must be submitted to the headquarters.
3. **Emphasis on "Obedience for Blessing"**: The church promotes unconditional obedience to leaders, spiritual coverings. Disobedience is labeled as "unspiritual" and thus unblessed. Their interpretation of obedience primarily involves serving—if you are asked to serve and comply, you are obedient; if you refuse, you are disobedient.
4. **Top-Down Decision-Making**: Church decisions are made without open discussion, criticism, questioning, or voting among fellow workers. For example, when relocating venues, the senior pastor directly informs the district leader, who then makes the decision without consulting other workers, often justifying it as "God's arrangement."
5. **Focus on Spiritual Experiences**: The church places great importance on speaking in tongues, receiving visions, and having dreams. During prayer gatherings, many claim to "see this or that," and some are "slain in the Spirit," falling to the ground.
6. **Numerical Growth as a Primary Goal**: Growth targets are set based on visions and dreams received by the preacher, her husband, and their son. For instance, they claimed God revealed that the church should grow to 200 members within seven years.
7. **Information Control**: Members are discouraged from listening to external sermons. When a newcomer unknowingly shared an external sermon in a group chat, the preacher immediately demanded its removal.
Additionally, I observed a few other troubling practices:
1. **Systematic "Training" for Newcomers**: New members are required to complete a structured course, similar to an onboarding process. After completion, they are assigned tasks such as evangelism or other duties, creating the impression that spiritual growth is tied to course attendance. These courses are also fee-based. Similarly, events like Bible study camps and prayer retreats require payment.
2. **Use of Fear Tactics**: Leaders often employ fear to achieve their goals. For example, if someone is late for Sunday service, the preacher might say, "Do not be late. This gathering is like the gate of heaven—once it closes, what will happen?" When members miss services, I have heard the preacher and her husband remark, "Those who come receive blessings; those who don't, miss out." During a period of declining attendance, the preacher attributed it to "the end times, where God is separating the sheep from the goats and sifting people—some are being sifted out."
