Pastor Zhang Shaojie Walks Free After 12 Years in Chinese Prison

November 28, 2025 OLAOLUWA AYOMIDE

A Global Wake-Up Call for the Persecuted Church

In a moment shaking the global Christian community, Chinese pastor Zhang Shaojie has finally walked out of prison after spending 12 long years behind bars, a punishment believers around the world have long described as a politically motivated crackdown on the Church.

Pastor Zhang, a respected leader of the Nanle County Christian Church, was arrested in 2013 and later convicted on charges of “disrupting public order” and “fraud.” According to advocates, the real issue was far more spiritual than legal: he refused to surrender church property to the government and resisted efforts to silence the Gospel in his region.

A Decade of Darkness; Sustained Only by Prayer

Now free, Pastor Zhang has openly testified that he survived prison only because of global prayer support.

“Without prayer,” he revealed, “I might not be here today. I could have been forcibly disappeared.”

His words echo the painful reality countless Christians face in nations where faith is treated as a threat. Zhang’s release is not just the closing of a chapter, it is a reminder that spiritual persecution is alive, ongoing, and often ignored.

A Mother’s Unbroken Hope

Perhaps the most emotional moment in this miraculous story was the reunion with his 84-year-old mother, who prayed daily for her son’s safety throughout his 12-year imprisonment. Her unwavering faith is a symbol of the resilience the persecuted Church continues to display, even under brutal pressure.

More Than One Man’s Release — A Call to Wake Up

Pastor Zhang’s freedom arrives during Thanksgiving week, and while many celebrate, it exposes a sobering divide:

Some believers rejoice over God’s intervention.
Others argue over trivial church issues, seemingly unaware of the real battles believers are fighting worldwide.
Meanwhile, countless Christians remain imprisoned, silenced, or tortured for their faith.

The release of Pastor Zhang isn’t just a victory, it is a divine warning, a reminder that God still “breaks chains,” but His people must not ignore those still in captivity.

What This Means for the Global Church

The story of Pastor Zhang:

Reaffirms the reality of Christian persecution in closed countries.
Reveals the power of sustained, global intercession.
Calls believers back to the urgency of standing with the persecuted Body of Christ.

Freedom for one is a testimony, but it is also a command.

A Call to Prayer

Pray for the persecuted Church worldwide.
Pray for every believer still behind bars, whose names may never make headlines.
Thank God for Pastor Zhang’s freedom, and for the chain-breaking power that still moves today.

The story is not over.
But today, heaven rejoices, and so does every believer who understands the cost of faith.