Letter from Chunli Liu (Anna) in response to the arrest of her husband, Jin Mingri (Ezra Jin)

October 12, 2025

Dear family in Christ,

Peace be with you! I am Chunli Liu (Anna), the wife of Pastor Mingri Jin (Ezra) of Zion Church. I earnestly and humbly ask for your prayers for him and the church. On October 10th, Pastor Jin was handcuffed and taken away by a group of police officers, along with dozens of fellow pastors and co-workers. He is currently being held in a detention center in Beihai, Guangxi province, for  “illegal dissemination of religious information online.” I feel a mixture of shock, sadness, worry, anxiety, and anger. I firmly believe that Pastor Jin simply did what any good pastor would do. In whatever circumstance, online or in-person, he did what every pastor in the universal church does: preach the gospel to everyone and proclaim his faith in Jesus Christ. He is innocent!

My husband, Ezra, found Christ in 1989 and soon after began actively participating in church services. He graduated from Beijing University in 1990, and worked for a foreign-enterprise cooperation for two years. Despite his comfortable living conditions, he felt a deep sense of God’s calling to be a pastor. In 1992, he resolutely decided to enter Yenching Theological Seminary and became a full-time preacher, beginning his career in the church. In 2002, Pastor Jin felt called to further his theological studies and enrolled in the doctoral program in pastoral ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary. While studying in the United States, Pastor Jin became committed to training more Chinese preachers. In 2007, he returned to Beijing and established Zion Church.

Since committing his life to Christ, Pastor Jin has devoted himself entirely to two things: first, diligently cultivating future preachers; second, diligently spreading the gospel and church planting. For decades, he has worked tirelessly and passionately. Whenever he met brothers and sisters who are passionate in the Lord, he encouraged them to dedicate their lives to Christ, believing that is an incomparable cause He also devotes all his resources to providing support and assistance to young people who are willing to serve. I’ve met many people who have said to me, “It’s amazing that Zion Church has so many gifted, insightful young pastors!” I believe this is largely due to Pastor Jin’s long persistence, coupled with his optimistic and inspiring attitude. This enabled the young pastors to work closely with him and has resulted in Zion Church having so many talented and passionate pastors.

Ezra Jin is the most gentle person I’ve ever met. He’s also incredibly optimistic, and open-minded. This applies not only to me, but also to everyone he comes into contact with. We’ve been married for nearly 35 years, and throughout our time together, he’s been a thoughtful and kind husband. He never lost his temper with me, but he’s always been able to discern my emotional ups and downs, constantly showing care. In 2018, when the Zion Church faced persecution, Ezra and I came to the United States together, hoping to ease the government’s pressure on the church. Upon discovering that the church was still facing immense oppression and attack, he resolutely decided to return to China to face the challenge alongside the church. Although I was filled with worry, my faith in God and my respect for his choice led me to let him go. My prayer at the time was that he and the church would safely overcome the difficulties and embrace a new round of revival. Since then, Ezra has been restricted from leaving the country under an exit ban. Pastor Jin lost the freedom to visit our family and we were forced to begin a seven-year separation.

While he faced extreme persecution and repression in Beijing, I raised our children alone in the U.S. My friends teased me, saying, “Your situation is worse than the Chinese tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. They, after all, can reunite once a year during the Qixi Festival.” The two boys also lost their father’s presence during their crucial coming-of-age period. When they most needed their father as a role model and companion, they were without a father! Whenever we could, we met each other virtually. I would often cry silently seeing the longing for each other across the screen. I ask God to open doors for I believe that if God opens it, no one can shut it! God’s Word is a constant comfort. He says, “You who sow in tears will reap with joy.” (Psalm 126:5)

As Pastor Ezra Jin’s wife, I’m also deeply concerned about his health. Once again, I implore all his family and friends in the Lord to pray earnestly for him and the church: Protect Your devoted servants, and keep them at peace and grant wisdom in their hearts. I pray for their complete freedom, not only a full and unconditional release but also the lifting of Ezra’s exit ban so we can be reunited.