When Grace Jin Drexel couldn’t reach her father, Ezra Jin Mingri, on October 10th, her worst fears were quickly realized. Her father, the prominent leader of the underground Zion Church in China, had been swept up in a massive, coordinated crackdown by Chinese authorities, one of the most severe suppressions of the house church movement in years. Dozens of other church members were also detained.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Chinese authorities view non-sanctioned Christianity as an ideological threat, one they are determined to control through a campaign of “Sinicization.” But for Drexel and her family—all American citizens living in the US while Jin resided in China—the crackdown is deeply personal.
This week offers a rare, critical window of opportunity. US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea. While trade talks are expected to dominate, Drexel, who works as a staffer in the US Senate, and her family are urgently calling on the administration to place her father’s freedom on the agenda.
“We think that the Trump administration’s prioritization of Americans in this scenario also could be helpful for my father as well, to bring a family member of an American citizen home to be with us in the US and safe,” Drexel told CNN.
The timing is crucial. Jin is currently being held on suspicion of “illegally disseminating information online,” a charge that could lead to a hard-to-negotiate indictment. His family has significant political support, including public condemnation and calls for his release from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Sen. Ted Cruz.
China’s Foreign Ministry remains defiant, stating it firmly opposes the US “interfering in China’s internal affairs under the guise of so-called religious issues.”
Despite the official opposition and the high stakes of China’s opaque judicial system, Drexel remains focused on a single, simple plea ahead of the leaders’ meeting: she just wants her dad back.
Key Facts on Pastor Jin Mingri’s Detention
- Church: Founder and Pastor of the underground Zion Church, one of China’s largest non-registered Protestant congregations.
- Detention Date: October 10, 2025, detained along with dozens of church members in a nationwide crackdown.
- Charge: Suspected of “illegally disseminating information online,” referencing the church’s rapid growth through online sermons during the pandemic.
- Health Concern: Pastor Jin suffers from severe diabetes and has been unable to receive his prescription medication while in detention.
- Advocacy Goal: Secure his release during the high-level meeting between President Trump and President Xi at the APEC Summit.
