Most of the pastors and church staff who were detained in coordinated raids on the Zion Church network on 9 and 10 October remain in two detention centres in Beihai, Guangxi province, including senior pastor and church founder Jin (Ezra) Mingri. He has written a pastoral letter from prison (see below) in which he reflects on his time in detention and encourages church members. His wife Chunli Liu has also written an open letter, expressing her emotions about her husband’s detention and describing his background. Chunli Liu lives in the US with their three adult children, who have US citizenship.
Pastor Jin and his family moved to the US in 2018 when pressure began to increase on Zion Church, hoping that the departure of the lead pastor would appease the Chinese authorities. The government had installed facial recognition cameras in the lobby of the church building after Pastor Jin refused to install them in the main meeting room. Harassment of church members continued, however, and the pastor decided to return to China later that year, leaving his family in the US. That was the last time Chunli Liu saw her husband.
While Pastor Jin’s family is safe in the US, family members of other leaders in the Zion church network suffer trauma and ongoing struggles when their loved ones are detained – it can be particularly distressing for those who experience a police raid on the family home and witness their father, mother, son or daughter taken away into detention.
Pastor Jin’s daughter speaks about case
Pastor Jin’s daughter Grace Jin Drexel travelled back to China to visit her father in 2019 and was prevented from leaving China for eleven months, disrupting her plans to attend law school until she was eventually allowed to return to the US. She now works as a staffer in the US Senate and her husband Bill Drexel works as a fellow at the Hudson Institute think tank; both continue to speak out on behalf of Zion Church.
Grace told CNN that Zion members are deeply worried about the detainees, noting that some are elderly with health problems, while others have young children. Her father has severe diabetes, for which he is being given medication.
Most of the detainees have been granted legal representation, a development that Grace credits to international attention on the case. Pastor Jin’s lawyer has said he appears to be in “relatively good spirits” and even joked that the bad food in detention was good for controlling his diabetes.
Pastor Jin’s letter from prison
Dear brothers and sisters, all the saints of Zion: May God’s grace and peace be upon you from our Father God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Beloved, everything here is still new to me, but I often think back to those exciting days – the days when we pioneered the gospel together, trained disciples, and established churches. They feel as if they were right before my eyes. You were always so kind, steadfastly focused on the things of Christ. My heart longs for you.
I’m gradually adjusting to life here. My blood sugar and physical discomfort are slowly improving. Don’t worry about me. I find great comfort in being able to endure this little suffering for the gospel. Thinking back over the years, many of our young ministers, deacons, and elders have been imprisoned for the gospel, and those senior church leaders I respect have also suffered. When I heard this news, I was so heartbroken that I didn’t know what to do. Now that I’m experiencing these things myself, I feel more at peace. I’m truly joyful to be among these brothers and sisters who have paid the price for the gospel. Isn’t this what the Lord Jesus said? “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
Zion Church is a church that values the gospel and is a member of the Chinese house church community. We carry on the legacy of our forefathers, upholding the gospel and respecting the separation of church and state. We do not oppose dialogue with the government, nor do we confront it, but rather emphasise obedience to those in authority. During this persecution, many co-workers have been imprisoned. I see this as a good opportunity to share our true stories with others and to educate and grow ourselves. God works all things together for good to those who love him (Romans 8:28). In such trials, our faith is refined, becoming pure as gold; our hope grows brighter, shining like the morning star.
Remember, in 2018, our theme was “Do Not Throw Away Your Courage”. God encouraged us through the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 10:35). Back then, God prepared us to face the September 9th Incident. Now, amidst the persecution, I hope we will not lose the courage given to us by the Holy Spirit. C. S. Lewis said that courage is the first virtue; without it, all other virtues cannot be maintained. While expounding on the Book of Revelation, I noticed something: in the new heaven and new earth, when the Lord removes all that is bad in Babylon, the first thing mentioned is the cowardly. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8) Cowardice, though small, can block the door to heaven. The Lord calls us to be overcomers, giving us the courage that David had when he faced Goliath. May this persecution, like the thorns that afflicted Paul, sharpen our courage and make our faith as solid as a rock.
In 2019, God gave Zion a song: “By God the Father’s Good Forces”. (“Von guten Mächten”) God has indeed used His power to uphold us, raising us from the dead and ushering in a new round of revival. I believe that God is also testing us this time, like refining silver – painful but full of love. God will not abandon us.
Last week, on a Sunday, when I was taken to the detention centre, God gave me the words from Jonah chapter 2: “For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’” (Jonah 2:3-4) Even in the abyss, our hearts still look toward God’s temple. Jonah was saved from the belly of the fish, and we will be freed from here too, for the Lord is the victor who breaks down the bronze gates.
I am always grateful and praying for you. May the Lord grant you the peace that surpasses all knowledge to guard your hearts and minds; may the Holy Spirit ignite courage in your hearts; may the grace of Christ nourish Zion, bringing abundant fruit to the glory of God the Father.
May the God of peace keep you; may the love of Jesus Christ fill you; may the presence of the Holy Spirit light your way. Amen!
Your servant in Christ, in the grace of the Lord. October 19, 2025 AD
(China Aid, CNN)
Photo: Zion Church