China Senior Pastor Detained for Opposing Removal of Crosses

China has detained the senior pastor of the country's first mega-church.

Pastor Joseph Gu has led Chongyi, China's largest Protestant church, since 2005. It's an official government church in Zhejian province.

Christian activists say the pastor may be detained in a secret location known as a "black jail."

The move comes 10 days after Gu was dismissed from his position as senior pastor. Gu has been an outspoken critic of the forced removal of church crosses in Zhejiang.

"Chongyi Church is now faced with an unprecedented, heart-chilling time of testing, and we shall all have to overcome by the grace of God," Gu and his wife wrote in a statement following his dismissal.

"Thank you for the concern you have shown to the both of us, we are both deeply touched by it," they continued.

"We will walk with Chongyi Church, the Lord's church, through all trials and tribulations," the statement said. "No matter what happens in the future, you will see us serving at Chongyi, unless the Lord says otherwise. How we serve may change, but our heart for the Lord and for our flock will never change because we are servants of God."

According to ChinaAid's Bob Fu, Gu is the highest ranking national church leader arrested since China's cultural revolution.