A local governing body in China's central Guizhou province on has announced the termination of welfare for Christians who attend church activities.
The move, which happened on July 2, appeared to be an attempt of religious-gagging and crackdown on practicing believers. A similar incident was reported to have happened around 2 years prior.
Among China's huge 1.4 billion population, only 5 percent are believed to be practicing Christianity.
According to Mou, a house church member, officials came and verbally announced denying Christians of any welfare or any old-age insurance.
"Now, the county [government] called on the government in the towns and villages to order believers to sign [a guarantee], stating that if they gathered again, their welfare would be cut off," he said.
The incident brings back memories of the plight of Miao Christians in China's inland Sichuan province.
An ethnic minority in China, 36 Miao Christians were detained by officials and held separately for 5-11 days on September 28, 2014. During that time the government started blocking their welfare payments.
"Not long ago, I went back to my hometown and asked my parents about the welfare payment cancellation. They told me that they still hadn't received their welfare. Authorities only arrested my mother last time, but they cancelled the welfare of [both of my parents]," said Zhang Shucai, one of the victims of the Miao churches on July 14, 2016.
Zhang also added a lot of the Miao Christians have no knowledge about defending their rights in the country even if they want to take legal action.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the crackdown against Christians has stiffened since Xi Jinping assumed office as the President of China in 2012.