Kuanjie Protestant Church, Protestant church in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
Kuanjie Protestant Church is a church building in Beijing's Dongcheng District featuring traditional Christian architectural elements. The structure combines classical European design with local building materials and proportions that fit naturally within the urban landscape.
The Kuanjie Christian Meeting Hall grew out of the Beijing Local Church founded in the 1930s. In 1948 Yan Jiale came from Suiyuan to lead it, and the congregation practised Ni Tuosheng's "handing over" and shared possessions, growing past a thousand members and enlarging the Kuanjie hall. In April 1955 Yan briefly withdrew from the Three-Self body under Wang Mingdao's influence, rejoining after Wang's arrest. In 1958 the city's 64 Protestant churches merged into four, and Kuanjie survived as the North Church. In August 2000 it moved from 50 Di'anmen East Street to 10 Jixiang Hutong for the Ping'an Avenue works.
The name Kuanjie comes from the street where the meeting hall stood before it was rebuilt in 2000 on Jixiang Hutong, off Di'anmen East Street. The congregation belongs to the local-church tradition founded by Watchman Nee, and since 1958 it has served as the Protestant North Church within Beijing's united worship system.
The church welcomes visitors for services throughout the week at various times. Appropriate dress and respectful behavior are expected when visiting this active religious community.
The congregation traces to the 1930s Beijing Local Church; in 1948 Yan Jiale arrived from Suiyuan and led the "handing over" campaign, pooling property and spreading the gospel until membership passed a thousand, prompting the Kuanjie meeting hall's expansion. In 1958, when Beijing's 64 Protestant churches were merged into four, this one survived as the North Church.
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