True Jesus Church

Beliefs and distinctives

Doctrinally the True Jesus Church emphasizes a direct, personal relationship with God and strict adherence to certain practices it regards as commanded in the New Testament. It is commonly identified as nontrinitarian because its teaching stresses the singular divine nature of God. Personal and corporate prayer are central to religious life, and the church places particular importance on daily prayer as part of individual devotion and communal worship.

Worship practices

• Baptism: Baptism is administered by full immersion, with the candidate placed completely under water (baptism by immersion).
• Sabbath: The congregation observes Saturday as the biblical Sabbath (Saturday observance), rather than Sunday.
• Rituals: Foot washing is practiced as an act of humility and service (feet washing).
• Charismatic gifts: Speaking in tongues and other charismatic phenomena are accepted and practiced in many congregations (speaking in tongues).
• Healing: Faith healing and prayer for the sick are an active part of ministry (faith healing).

These practices, coupled with an emphasis on holiness and strict moral teaching, differentiate the True Jesus Church from many mainstream Protestant bodies while placing it in the broader family of charismatic and indigenous Chinese Christian movements.

The church expanded rapidly in the first half of the 20th century. By 1949 it reported significant membership and congregational presence (1949 membership figures). After the establishment of the People's Republic of China many independent religious groups, including the True Jesus Church, faced legal restrictions; the denomination was effectively banned in 1958 and later permitted to reorganize and reopen in many areas starting around 1985. Today it remains especially strong in several provinces such as Jiangsu, Hunan and Fujian.

Since mid-century the movement has spread internationally through migration, missionary work and overseas Chinese communities. Congregations can now be found in roughly 48 countries across six continents, with active evangelism and community networks in Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa and Oceania.

On cultural matters the True Jesus Church takes positions that reflect both its biblical literalism and sensitivity to what it regards as religious purity. For example, many adherents do not observe widely celebrated Christian festivals like Easter or Christmas, arguing that those dates and associated practices have syncretic or pagan origins — a historical example often cited in discussions of calendar customs is the Roman feast of Sol invictus. Such stances distinguish the church from denominations that integrate traditional Christian holidays into annual worship life.

Today the True Jesus Church continues to emphasize evangelism, disciplined communal life, and the particular rites and doctrines that it believes faithfully reflect the New Testament model of the church. While estimates of global adherents vary, the movement remains a notable example of an indigenous Chinese Christian denomination with a global footprint.