by Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – In a chilling expansion of state surveillance, China is now requiring facial recognition cameras in all registered churches–part of a sweeping crackdown on Christianity amid rising unrest and economic pressure under Supreme Leader Xi Jinping.
Christian leaders and human rights advocates warn that worshippers across China are being monitored by artificial intelligence-driven systems designed to track attendance, identify participants, and flag “unapproved” religious activity.
“All four corners of the church, including the pulpit, have to install face recognition cameras,” said Bob Fu, president of China Aid. “They’re watching everyone–who comes, how often, and what is said.”
This unprecedented digital surveillance has turned China’s state-sanctioned churches, such as the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, into extensions of Communist Party control. Before singing hymns, congregants are required to stand and sing the national communist anthem–an order designed to glorify the state above God. Sermons are vetted for ideological purity. And now, every worshipper’s face is scanned and stored.
The policy is part of a broader campaign launched May 1, when Beijing implemented new regulations barring foreign missionaries from preaching or even supporting ministries without government approval–permission rarely granted unless the activity promotes state values.
Christian organizations say the government’s increasing reliance on AI surveillance is aimed at suppressing China’s growing underground church movement. With the economy faltering and student-led protests surging in major cities, Xi’s regime is trying to prevent Christianity from becoming a rallying point for dissent.
“Masses are fed up. They are marching in the streets,” said Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern. “And when there is that pressure, that pain, people look for meaning. They’re turning to faith–and that terrifies the regime.”
Fu says the surveillance technology doesn’t stop with cameras. Churches are now being audited for sermon content and monitored for unauthorized gatherings. Even private Bible studies and orphanage work have come under scrutiny if linked to foreign Christians.
“What we are seeing is a digital police state weaponized against the body of Christ,” Fu warned.
State media claims the measures are necessary to maintain “religious harmony” and protect national security. But critics say it’s just the latest example of the Chinese Communist Party branding unregulated faith as extremism–and using high-tech tools to crush it.
Despite the risks, many believers continue to meet in secret house churches, where facial recognition is harder to implement. But Fu and King both agree: as surveillance intensifies, so too does the resolve of Chinese Christians.
“We’ve seen this story before,” said King. “When persecution rises, so does revival.”
In the 2025 World Watch List by Open Doors, China is ranked 15th out of 50 for severe Christian persecution, up four spots from the previous year. This rise is due to stricter regulatory enforcement, resulting in the shutdown of unregistered churches and heightened scrutiny of official ones. Open Doors estimates there are about 96.7 million Christians in China.
Since the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949, Christianity has seen explosive growth from 4 million Christians to an estimated 58 million Protestants and 9 million Catholics by 2010.
Despite ongoing intense persecution and strict government controls, current estimates suggest that there are between 80 to 100 million Christians in China, including both officially registered members and those in unregistered house church communities.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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