Leaders of the Early Rain Covenant Church, a prominent underground church in China, were detained Tuesday. The sweep occurred in Deyang, Sichuan province. This action signals an escalation in China's crackdown on unregistered Christian groups.

Li Yingqiang, the church's leader, was taken from his home by police. His wife, Zhang Xinyue, was also detained. Pastor Dai Zhichao and lay member Ye Fenghua are among those held. Four other members were briefly detained and released. Some members remain out of contact. The detentions followed the arrest of 18 senior members of other unregistered churches.

The Early Rain Covenant Church issued a statement confirming the detentions. The church's activities are now severely disrupted. Further arrests are possible.

China's government officially allows Christian worship. However, it requires churches to register with state-approved bodies. Many Christians worship in unregistered "house churches" to maintain independence. The government views these unregistered groups with suspicion.

The situation remains fluid. International religious freedom organizations are likely to condemn the detentions. The future of the Early Rain Covenant Church is uncertain.