作者：程筱筱
编辑：赵杰 责任编辑：刘芳 校对：熊辩 翻译：彭小梅
我叫程筱筱，今天我作为民主党的活动发起人、主持人与众教会的弟兄姊妹、抗议中共的民主运动人士们，站在洛杉矶中国领事馆门前，怀着沉重与愤怒的心情，为北京锡安教会被中共非法抓捕的金明日牧师和教会的众弟兄姊妹发声。
我为什么要站出来
我了解的锡安教会是一间和平、公开、敬虔的家庭教会。金明日牧师从2007年带领教会以来，忠心传扬福音，帮助家庭、关怀社会，从未做过任何违法之事。
然而10月9日，中共却以“非法聚会”、“扰乱社会秩序”、“非法利用网络信息罪”等荒唐罪名，进行大规模抓捕行动。锡安教会的金明日牧师、传道人和信徒当天被带走。其中包括师母、帮忙管理财务和做媒体的同工。从我经历和了解的事例中，我确定中共的这次抓捕并不是孤立事件，从守望教会、秋雨圣约，到现在的锡安教会，中共是一次又一次抓人、关人！可是这些因信仰受逼迫的弟兄姊妹们，他们并不是“罪人”，他们唯一的“罪”，就是不愿让政府干预讲台；他们唯一的“错”，就是坚持自由敬拜。今天和众多的弟兄姊妹站在这片自由的土地上，我想大声地呼喊和宣告：信仰不是罪，敬拜不是罪，传福音更不是罪。
从黑暗里走出来，我不能再沉默
我在中国的时候，也因为信仰受到过威胁。我知道那种恐惧，也知道那种无助。 中共拆教会、没收圣经、逼迫我们签保证书、不准聚会。可是他们并不懂得，真正的信仰不是一栋房子，不是一个场地。教堂他们可以拆毁，可以封门，却封不住人的心。抓捕不能摧毁信仰；监禁也不能阻止祷告；威胁更不能消灭真理。
作为一名亲历信仰逼迫、逃离极权统治的人，我深知那种黑暗与恐惧。如今中国家庭教会正在被拆毁，信徒被带走、威胁、甚至失联。今天我站在这片自由的土地上，我无法沉默。因为沉默，就是对暴政的纵容。
我的呼喊
我要在这里向中共政权发出最强烈的抗议：你们无法关掉人的灵魂！你们无法禁锢信仰的声音！
真理的光，永远不会被黑暗吞没！信仰属于上帝，不属于政权。信仰自由是普世人权，不容任何人践踏。
同时我也呼吁国际社会——请不要忽视这一切！
信仰自由是人权的核心，是文明社会的底线。
我们站在这里是让更多的人听见中国家庭教会的呼喊，关注那些正在监狱中受苦的弟兄姊妹。
我叫程筱筱，我曾在极权的阴影下备感恐惧，但今天，我选择在阳光下作证。因为我相信：黑暗无法消灭光，逼迫无法夺走信仰，真理，终将胜过恐惧。同时我也想对被囚禁的金明日牧师与信徒们说：你们不是孤单的，我们与你们同在。
我会继续为你们祷告、关注、呼喊，直到所有被关押的信徒获得自由，直到真理得以彰显，直到中国的信仰自由真正实现。
I Cannot Stay Silent: A Testimony Against the CCP’s Religious Persecution
Author: Cheng Xiaoxiao
Edited ：Zhao Jie Managing Editor: Liu Fang Proofread： Xiong Bian Translated： Xiaomei Peng
Abstract:This speech was delivered by Cheng Xiaoxiao in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, condemning the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Zion Church and calling on the international community to defend religious freedom. Drawing from her own experience, the author testifies to the unyielding power of faith, emphasizing that faith transcends political authority—and that light will ultimately break through darkness.
Why I Stand Here Today
My name is Cheng Xiaoxiao. Today I stand before the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles as an organizer of the Democratic Party’s protest, together with fellow church members and pro-democracy activists. We stand here with heavy and indignant hearts, to speak out for Pastor Jin Mingri and the brothers and sisters of Beijing Zion Church who have been illegally detained by the CCP.
The Zion Church I know is a peaceful, open, and devout house church. Since 2007, Pastor Jin Mingri has faithfully preached the gospel, supported families, and cared for the community—never violating any law. Yet on October 9, the CCP launched a massive crackdown under absurd charges of “illegal gatherings,” “disrupting social order,” and “illegal use of online information.” Pastor Jin, other church leaders, and believers were all taken away including his wife, the church’s financial workers, and media volunteers.
From my own experience, I know this is not an isolated incident. From Shouwang Church to Early Rain Covenant Church, and now to Zion Church—the CCP arrests, imprisons, and persecutes believers again and again. But those who suffer for their faith are not criminals. Their only “crime” is refusing to let the government control the pulpit; their only “fault” is insisting on the freedom to worship.
Today, standing on this land of freedom, I declare with all my strength: Faith is not a crime. Worship is not a crime. Preaching the gospel is not a crime.
From Darkness to Light — I Can No Longer Be Silent
When I was in China, I too faced threats because of my faith. I know that fear, and I know that helplessness. The CCP demolished churches, confiscated Bibles, and forced us to sign pledges not to gather. But they will never understand that true faith is not a building—it is not a place.A church may be torn down and its doors sealed, but the hearts of believers cannot be locked. Arrests cannot destroy faith; prisons cannot silence prayer; and threats can never erase truth.
As someone who has personally endured religious persecution and fled an authoritarian regime, I know the suffocating darkness it brings. Today, as China’s house churches are being demolished and believers are being detained, threatened, or disappeared, I cannot remain silent—because silence is complicity with tyranny.
My Cry
Here, I raise my voice in the strongest protest the Chinese Communist regime: You cannot imprison the soul! You cannot silence the voice of faith!The light of truth will never be extinguished by darkness. Faith belongs to God, not to political power. Freedom of belief is a universal human right that no one has the authority to trample.
I call upon the international community—please do not look away.Religious freedom is the foundation of human rights and the bottom line of any civilized society.We stand here today so that more people will hear the cry of China’s house churches and remember those who are suffering in prison for their faith.
My name is Cheng Xiaoxiao. I once trembled in the shadow of tyranny, but today I choose to testify in the sunlight. I believe that darkness cannot defeat light, persecution cannot destroy faith, and truth will ultimately triumph over fear.
To Pastor Jin Mingri and all imprisoned believers, I say this: You are not alone. We stand with you.I will continue to pray, to speak out, and to call for your freedom—until every imprisoned believer is released, until truth prevails, and until religious freedom truly arrives in China.
