Police Raid Cornish Church

It started as an ordinary Saturday night youth meeting. It ended when the Secret Police burst in and dragged off a number of the group for interrogation...

The meeting was going well. The worship was flowing. The praise was uplifting. There were about 30 teenagers of the youth group there. This was a gathering of the Youth Group at Grace Community Church at Morval, near Looe.

Next came a time of prayer followed by some small group Bible studies on persecution and supporting Christians who were being persecuted. All of a sudden there was a crash, a lot of screaming and a number of armed Secret Police stormed in forcing everyone onto their knees and not allowing anyone to look up.

A number of teenagers were separated from the group, blindfolded and removed from the room. It seems that a Secret Police mole planted in the church had betrayed the Christians. The Secret Police were looking for the ringleaders in this illegal church.

The blindfolded teenagers were taken outside, disorientated and led into a holding room. Here they were asked to hand over any personal possessions which were put into a bag and they then had to sign for them. The young people were also fingerprinted and asked to sign again. All but two did so willingly.

The remnants of the youth group got down to prayer for those who had been taken away. They were fervant, but also edgy in case the Police returned.

Next came the scary part. They were taken from the room individually and interrogated by the Secret Police and government agents. They were asked about the activities they had been involved in that evening. They were then shown photographs of the church leadership team and asked if they recognised any. Most of the young people willingly identified their leaders. The look on their faces when told the leaders would now be arrested on their evidence and sent to jail. The youth group were now beginning to realise how easily they had led to their church being decimated.

They were then read their own confessions and statements denying their faith. "But I haven't said that," they protested. The interrogators then showed them the signature at the bottom of the sheet. It was their own. When they had signed for their personal effects, they had actually been tricked into signing their confession and denial. "How will the rest of your group feel when we read them what you have put your name to?" they were asked. Faces fell.

One girl was horrified at how easily she gave the Secret Police the details they wanted about the church pastor. Her eyes misted as she was told she was free to go, but her pastor's wife and children may not welcome her back at the church once they realised who had led to the pastor being arrested. A teenage boy look dumbstruck as he proudly announced that his parents were also Christians only to be told they would now be arrested and charged with brainwashing children.

Fortunately for Grace Youth Group this was just a realistic roleplay. After two hours of torture and interrogation it stopped and everyone gathered for the debrief. Wow! What a lot had been learned about being a Christian in a country where Jesus' followers are persecuted. A new understanding of what it means to be a Christian in North Korea or Saudi Arabia was beginning to emerge. The young people were grateful for the learning experience, and grateful for the freedom to express their faith in the U.K.

The youth group acknowledge the materials from Open Doors and the help of the church's Upstream group in holding this evening on persecution.

For further details of youth activities at Grace Community Church contact the Youth Pastor Mark Davy 01503 240178