China launches brutal nationwide crackdown on Zion Church and its pastors
Beijing — China’s communist authorities have initiated a comprehensive crackdown on Zion Church, one of the country’s largest unregistered Christian congregations, detaining or disappearing more than 30 pastors and members across multiple provinces, reports 24brussels.
The operation has ignited outrage among international human rights advocates and senior US officials. According to a statement from Zion Church, circulated by the Texas-based group ChinaAid, authorities executed simultaneous raids across five provinces, including Beijing and Shanghai. The church reported that its worship venues were sealed, property confiscated, and the families of members subjected to harassment.
“Our detained pastors and believers are innocent Christians whose only act is worshipping God, preaching the Gospel, and serving their communities,” the church stated, condemning the arrests as flagrant violations of China’s constitution and international human rights law.
Among those detained was Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, Zion’s head pastor, who was taken from his home in Beihai, Guangxi Province, on October 10. His daughter, Grace Jin, currently in the United States, suggested that her father’s detention was likely linked to the church’s significant growth following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, which had propelled many believers online. “Zion expanded quickly after the pandemic, and that made the authorities nervous,” she noted. “He always knew this could happen but believed his duty was to stay with his congregation.”
Since a 2018 government crackdown that led to the closure of Zion Church’s main sanctuary, its membership soared from approximately 1,500 to over 5,000, with congregations meeting in small venues like homes and restaurants, according to the Epoch Times.
US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s repression of independent churches. Rubio characterized the arrests as “further evidence of Beijing‘s hostility toward Christians who reject Party control.” Pence has demanded the immediate release of Pastor Jin, while Pompeo deemed China “the greatest threat to religious freedom worldwide.” This incident underscores the CCP’s ongoing efforts to suppress religious expression outside state oversight, continuing a broader campaign against faith that appears resolute, as reported by the Epoch Times.
