Global Christians Call for Zion Pastor’s Release

Global Christians Call for Zion Pastor’s Release

A global wave of support is rising for China’s Zion Church. More than five hundred Christians from forty five countries have signed a prayer petition calling for the release of Pastor Jin Ezra Mingri and other detained church leaders. The signatories come from nations connected to China through the Belt and Road Initiative and the BRICS alliance. Their involvement marks the first time Christians in these regions have joined voices in a coordinated show of solidarity for the persecuted church in China.

A Prayer that Crosses Borders

The petition was written by Pastor Jin’s family and circulated among believers with ties to China. It urges Chinese authorities to recognize that religious freedom strengthens nations. It also calls for the immediate release of all Zion Church leaders and asks for a future where Christians in China can worship without fear. The prayer expresses concern for believers who face pressure, restrictions, and punishment because of their faith and reminds them that they are not forgotten. It affirms that Christians around the world are standing with them.

Rising International Attention

This global action comes as the United States Senate passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the arrests. Earlier in the week, Chinese officials released four Zion Church leaders on bail, yet at least eighteen remain in detention centres in Beihai. Most detainees now have access to legal help. Pastor Jin is reported to be physically and spiritually stable. He shared a letter on October nineteen encouraging the church to stay courageous. He wrote that he finds comfort in sharing in a small part of the suffering of the gospel.

Bill Drexel, a Hudson Institute fellow and Pastor Jin’s son in law, said the worldwide petition shows that the global church is watching. He explained that many nations in the Global South have rapidly growing evangelical communities. Their voices carry weight in regions where China is expanding its influence, making the petition more symbolic for China’s global relationships.

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Voices from Latin America

One of the signatories is Daniel Bianchi from Argentina. He met Pastor Jin in 2017 and invited him to speak at an event focused on the persecuted church. Pastor Jin never attended because authorities shut down Zion Church in 2018 and restricted his movement. When news of the latest arrests broke, Bianchi alerted a WhatsApp network of Latin American church leaders. He believes Christians in his region should use their freedom to speak for believers in China. He emphasises the idea of koinonia, a shared fellowship in suffering, as a call to stand together. Although many grassroots believers are praying, Bianchi observes that senior leaders in his region have been slow to respond. He hopes the global petition will encourage more action.

A Church Under Pressure but Still Standing

Zion Church continues to meet despite the pressure. Members gather every Sunday through Zoom and in small groups across forty cities. Maintaining unity has been challenging. Miscommunication and fear have caused tensions at different points. Interim pastor Sean Long said the church must handle the crisis together. He believes unity is essential for spiritual victory during this season. The church runs a counselling centre that supports the families of imprisoned leaders. Some members have stepped back because of safety concerns, yet new believers continue to join and even receive baptism. Long said many of these new members are ready to pay the cost of discipleship, and their courage strengthens church leaders.

Global Support Continues to Grow

Religious freedom groups supported Zion Church with a twenty four hour International Day of Prayer on Tuesday. Long believes the public petition from Pastor Jin’s family has stirred more interest among nations that have political or economic ties to China. He hopes more pastors from BRI and BRICS nations will lend their voices. He said their advocacy will be heard by God but also by leaders in China.

David Ro, executive director of Arise Asia, said some pastors fear signing the petition because it might affect their travel or ministry in China. He argues that silence is not the right approach. Ro worked closely with Pastor Jin through Mission China 2030, a movement encouraging Chinese Christians to engage in global missions. He believes Pastor Jin prepared the church for this time by building strong international relationships. These connections are now amplifying the call for justice.

Persecution and Purpose

Many house churches in China are struggling with how to respond. They want to support Zion Church but understand that public statements could expose them to more risk. As persecution rises, more believers are considering moving abroad to worship freely and to give their children access to Christian education. Ro sees a pattern similar to the early church in Acts chapter eight, where persecution scattered believers but also carried the message of Christ into new regions. He believes something similar is happening now through Mission China 2030.

For many believers around the world, the call is clear. They want Pastor Jin and the other Zion Church leaders released. They want Christians in China to worship freely. And they want the global church to continue praying, speaking, and standing together in unity.

 

 

 

 

 

Content Credit : Boluwatife Abiola

Image Credit : Google. Com