Grace Jin Drexel is urging U.S. lawmakers to help free her father, Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, who was arrested in China along with 17 other leaders of the Zion Church. The underground Christian congregation, which is not officially registered with the state, faces harsh pressure from Chinese authorities. The leaders are charged with “illegally using information networks,” a crime that could carry up to three years in prison. 

 

Drexel, speaking before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said her father founded Zion Church so believers could worship freely under God’s authority, rather than under Party control. She described past harassment — including interrogations, threats, and pressure to conform to government religious mandates. 

 

The arrest comes amid broader concerns about religious freedom in China. The Chinese Communist Party continues to crack down on unregistered churches, often shutting buildings, seizing assets, or even detaining clergy and congregants. 

 

Drexel’s testimony aligns with former President Donald Trump’s frequent rhetoric about defending Christians globally. A White House official said Trump is aware of the detentions, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly called for the leaders’ immediate release. 

 

Religious freedom advocates, including former U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, have called the crackdown in China a national security issue — warning that the Communist Party’s repression of faith is not just a domestic matter, but a threat to universal religious rights. 

 

Key Takeaways:

 

Grace Jin Drexel appeals to U.S. Congress to free her father, Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, and other detained Zion Church leaders in China.

 

Zion Church, one of China’s largest unregistered Christian congregations, is targeted for refusing to conform to state-controlled religious structures.

 

The detentions highlight growing religious persecution in China and have drawn U.S. political attention, including calls for action by Trump-era officials

 

Adapted From 

 

https://apnews.com/article/trump-china-christian-leaders-detained-nigeria-babd324066dfee9d9c3065675f9f8c01

Religion is the opium of the masses...