Faith Under Fire

Written by Don Tan

Edited by Amy Ji

Mr. White and the Church That Won’t Be Silenced

In an expanse of the world where the name of Jesus must be whispered, a quiet revolution of faith is unfolding. For over a decade, Mr. White—a pastor, principal, and underground shepherd has led believers in a nation where Christianity is not merely discouraged; but criminalized.

Operating in secrecy, Mr. White pastored a house church and ran a theological school, training future leaders of the underground church in defiance of the regime’s iron fist. Every meeting, every prayer, every hymn was an act of holy rebellion. But on Easter Sunday, their fragile peace was shattered.

The authorities had discovered them.

In a coordinated raid, officers from seven police stations descended on the church gathering. What began as a joyful celebration of the resurrection quickly turned to chaos. Worshippers were dragged from the service; over 40 believers arrested, interrogated, and many beaten. Children screamed. Bibles were trampled on. Chairs overturned. The scent of fear replaced the songs of praise.

At the center stood Mr. White.

He was seized and taken to an interrogation room, dim, bare, and hostile. There, his captors demanded names: Who leads this movement? Who organizes these meetings? Who else must we arrest?

He said nothing.

Their response was brutal. Slapped, punched, spat upon, Mr. White endured every blow in silence. Refusing to betray his brothers and sisters in Christ, he was eventually hoisted from the ground—his hands cuffed and hung from the ceiling like a criminal. For nearly an hour, he hung there—his body stretched, trembling, and numb. His tormentors mocked his faith and laughed at his pain.

Still, Mr. White prayed. “God… have mercy.”

Mercy came suddenly. Without reason or explanation, the authorities released him. But freedom came with a price. Mr. White is now under surveillance. Every movement watched. Every word measured. His church scattered. Public worship silenced.

But not destroyed.

Today, believers still gather…but in secret. Hidden in homes. Whispering hymns behind locked doors. Once a month, under cover of darkness, a remnant meets in a concealed industrial unit to break bread and remember the One broken for them.

Miraculously, Mr. White’s Bible school continues to operate underground, always shifting. Over the past year alone, the school has relocated 13 times. Sometimes classes are held in- person; sometimes they meet online under aliases and encrypted platforms. Each session is a risk. Each gathering, a miracle. Time after time, they have evaded arrest—often disappearing just hours before the police arrive.

The danger relentless. The cost is high. The pressure immense. Yet the calling remains.

Jesus said, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” (John 9:4). For Mr. White, that truth has become a lifeline. He presses on—not in comfort, not in safety, but in obedience.

He is a man on mission. A pastor in the shadows. A servant of Christ in the fire of persecution.

Through it all, he remains unshaken, bringing light into darkness and hope into hostile ground.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”— 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 (NIV)

This story is written in according to true story in the field.