Mingri (Ezra) Jin and Zion Church
Summary and Updates
Late on October 10, 2025, Chinese authorities detained Pastor Ezra Jin, launching the largest coordinated nationwide crackdown against an urban house church in 40 years. Around the same time, nearly 30 other Zion Church pastors and workers were detained or went missing across Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu, Beihai, Jiaxing, and Huangdao. Pastor Jin founded Zion Church, previously Beijing’s largest church and now among China's largest urban evangelical church networks, in 2007. Jin was under an exit ban and constant surveillance in China since 2018, unable to reunite with his children—American citizens—despite regular petitions to leave.
Zion Church Pastor Sean Long gave an update on Sunday, October 19th. The video, with English subtitles, can be accessed here.
Mingri (Ezra) Jin issued a letter from prison, dated October 19th, which can be read here.
Four of the detained leaders were released on bail on November 10th. See the “Documentation” section below for an updated list of those still detained.
Nine more members were released on June 19, 2026. The church issued a public prayer letter in response.
On July 3, 2026, Ezra Jin was released and admitted into the US to be reunited with his family.
Eight members of Zion Church remain in prison, 6 men and 2 women. The church continues to pray for them. Ezra Jin now shares his story and actively seeks for the US government to aid the other eight.
Call for Prayer
Please join us in praying for the remaining 8 imprisoned individuals associated with Zion Church, and for all Christians in China as they face redoubled persecution. We pray for an end to the persecution, for safety for those detained or missing, for peace and comfort for their families, and for courage, hope, and perseverance for the Church in China.
A pastor in China has adapted a prayer originally published in Every Moment Holy to fit the current crackdown. We have translated the prayer into English, which can be found here: A Prayer for the Imprisoned.
Zion Church leadership released a prayer letter on October 16, 2025. Excerpts can be found here.
Documentation
List of people detained during crackdown on Zion Church (as of Nov 11, 2025)
Detention Warrants: Mingri (Ezra) Jin, Sun Cong, Yang Lijun, Yin Huibin, Gao Yingjia, Wang Zhong
Communication from Family Members
Letter from Chunli Liu (Anna), wife of Mingri (Ezra) Jin
Letter from Jing Zhan, sister of Ge Zhan
Letter from Shi Lin, wife of Sun Xue (posted on X, original in Mandarin)
Government Responses
Letter to President Trump from Sen. Sullivan, Rep. Moolenaar, and Rep. Smith
Secretary of State Rubio: Post on X
State Department Press Statement:Detention of Zion House Church Leaders in China
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Risch: Post on X
Sen. Todd Young: Post on X
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: Post on X
Former-VP Mike Pence: 1st post on X, 2nd post on X
Press Coverage
Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-releases-imprisoned-pastor-ezra-jin-after-u-s-pressure-340d6d08
Washington Times: Opinion by Rep. Chris Smith and Amb. Sam Brownback: “Why China’s war on religion matters to the U.S.”
Fox News: “Cruz leads Senate push to hold China accountable for Beijing church crackdown”
Hudson Institute: “Why the US Should Prioritize the Release of Chinese Christian Pastor Mingri “Ezra” Jin”
BBC Newshour: Interview with Grace Jin (daughter of Ezra Jin) (begins at 39:20)
BBC: “US calls for China to release 30 leaders of influential underground church”
New York Times: “China Detains Dozens of Members of Underground Church”
NPR: “Pastors and staff from underground church are arrested in China”
Christianity Today: “China detains influential house church pastor”
Christian Daily: “Daughter of arrested Chinese house church leader Pastor Jin Ming-li “Do not forget persecution” appeals” (article in Korean)
The Economist: “China is rounding up Christian leaders” Wall Street Journal: “China Detains Prominent Underground Pastor, Complicating Ties With U.S.”
Dagen: “Famous Chinese pastor arrested in biggest crackdown on house congregations in 40 years” (article in Swedish, English version available)
Associated Press: “Zion Church pastor has been detained in China, his daughter and a religion monitoring group say”
Fox News: “Chinese underground church pastor, father of US citizens, detained by authorities, family says”
Background Information
Wall Street Journal profile of Pastor Jin from 2011 - “China’s Banned Churches Defy Regime”
Christianity Today story on a previous crackdown on Zion Church from 2018 - “China Bans Zion, Beijing’s Biggest House Church”