China's Communist Party Wages War on Faith, Targeting Christians Like Pastor Ezra Jin

Beneath the towering image of Mao Zedong, China’s Communist Party views any belief system outside its control as a threat. This ideology has fueled a severe crackdown on Christianity, targeting underground churches and their leaders.

Pastor Ezra Jin, a prominent figure in China’s burgeoning house church movement, was arrested on October 10, 2025, along with dozens of other Christian leaders. Jin, the founder of the underground Zion Church, faces charges of “illegal dissemination of information online,” a charge his family and supporters believe masks the true reason for his detention: leading a religious community independent of state authority.

Jin’s daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, and her husband, Bill Drexel, living in the United States, have become vocal advocates for his release. They report increased government surveillance and harassment, highlighting the Chinese government’s reach beyond its borders to silence dissent. “The Chinese government tries to intimidate those who speak out,” Grace stated, “and they want to show that there is no safe place for you anywhere in the world.”

Ezra Jin’s journey to faith began in his youth, amidst the political turmoil following Mao’s Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. After a profound spiritual awakening in college, contrasting with the emptiness he felt after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Jin dedicated his life to ministry. He initially served in state-sanctioned churches but grew frustrated with the Communist Party’s tight control over religious practice.

In 2007, Jin returned to China from the U.S. to establish Zion Church, a house church operating outside government oversight. The house church movement rapidly grew, with millions of adherents seeking spiritual guidance independent of official channels. However, new regulations in 2018 intensified the pressure, leading to increased surveillance and the eventual shutdown of Zion Church in Beijing after Jin refused to install facial-recognition cameras.

Despite the risks, Jin continued to lead his congregation, shifting to online sermons during the COVID-19 pandemic, which reached thousands. However, in 2021, he was reportedly drugged and interrogated by authorities—an event captured on video by a congregant. His arrest in October 2025 followed new legislation criminalizing online religious dissemination outside state-approved platforms.

Now imprisoned, Jin has been denied medical care for his diabetes and access to his Bible. His family advocates tirelessly, testifying before international bodies and urging world leaders to pressure China for his release. “We are asking for a miracle,” Grace expressed, echoing her father’s unwavering faith amidst persecution.

This article is based on reporting from the Daily Monitor (Uganda).