Chinese Church Reduced to Rubble after Standoff

Demolition crews razed a Chinese church made famous earlier this month when its members stood between the building housing their sanctuary and bulldozers sent to demolish it.

Those protestors eventually left the church in Wenzhou, believing their leaders had reached an agreement with government officials.

But that agreement apparently broke down and bulldozers reduced the church to rubble on Monday.

The Sanjiang church became a beacon of defiance to the communist government's crackdown on churches in Wenzhou province. Church members accused the provincial government of conspiring to slow the growth of Christianity in their area.

China's growing Christian community is estimated between 23 and 100 million people. Some say the government is planning to target house churches that refuse to come under Communist Party oversight.

"They have gone too far," Britain's The Telegraph quoted one church leader. "Countless worshippers are shedding tears of sorrow tonight."

Church leaders there say communist officials intend to tear down 10 churches in the region.