Imagine waking up to find your spiritual leaders gone, vanished in the night. That's the reality for many members of a prominent underground church network in China, and the US is demanding answers. China's recent detention of 30 leaders from a major unregistered church network has sparked international outrage, raising serious concerns about religious freedom within the country.
According to the US-based non-profit ChinaAid, the sweeping arrests occurred during overnight raids across multiple cities. Among those detained is Pastor Jin Mingri, the founder of Zion Church, reportedly apprehended at his home after a search by ten officers. This incident has sent shockwaves through the Christian community, with some calling it the most significant crackdown on religious faith in China in decades. But here's where it gets controversial...
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officially promotes atheism and maintains strict control over religious practices. For years, Christians have faced pressure to join state-sanctioned churches, led by government-approved pastors who adhere to the party line. These state-controlled churches often have limitations on what can be preached and how worship can be conducted, leading many to seek alternative forms of religious expression. This is why many choose to attend unregistered "house churches."
The exact charges, if any, against the detained church leaders remain unclear. Zion Church released a statement condemning the actions, stating, "Such systematic persecution is not only an affront to the Church of God but also a public challenge to the international community."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed these concerns, urging China to release the church leaders. In a statement released on Sunday, Rubio asserted that "this crackdown further demonstrates how the CCP exercises hostility towards Christians who reject Party interference in their faith and choose to worship at unregistered house churches." Former US Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have also voiced their condemnation of the arrests on X (formerly Twitter).
When questioned about the arrests during a press conference, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian claimed to be unaware of the case. However, he added, "The Chinese government governs religious affairs in accordance with the law, and protects the religious freedom of citizens and normal religious activities. We firmly oppose the US interfering in China's internal affairs with so-called religious issues." And this is the part most people miss... The Chinese government's perspective is that they are simply managing religious affairs according to their laws, while the US sees it as a violation of fundamental human rights.
This incident adds another layer of complexity to the already strained relationship between the US and China. Tensions are rising over trade, with renewed discussions on tariffs and export controls impacting both economies. The arrests raise doubts about whether a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, initially expected to take place in South Korea, will proceed as scheduled.
Under Xi Jinping's leadership, Beijing has intensified its efforts to control religious expression, particularly targeting Christians and Muslims. During a national conference on religion in 2016, Xi urged the party to "guide those [who are] religious to love their country, protect the unification of their motherland and serve the overall interests of the Chinese nation." This statement highlights the CCP's desire to ensure that religious practices align with the party's goals and ideology, which many religious groups find unacceptable.
Despite these restrictions, the number of unregistered house churches in China has continued to grow. Zion Church, founded by Jin Mingri in 2007 with just 20 members, has become one of the largest underground churches in the country, boasting a network of approximately 10,000 people across 40 cities.
In September 2018, the government officially banned Zion Church after it resisted pressure to install security cameras on its property in Beijing. Jin Mingri and other church leaders were briefly detained. Since then, many of the church's branch congregations have been investigated and shut down. While Jin's family relocated to the US for safety, he chose to remain in China to continue serving his congregation, despite being barred from leaving the country. Even under these circumstances, the church continued to meet in small groups and share sermons online.
ChinaAid has described this recent roundup of Christian leaders as unprecedented, calling it the "most extensive and coordinated wave of persecution" against Christians in over four decades. This assessment is based on the scale of the arrests, involving police across multiple cities, and the coordinated nature of the operation.
"This new nationwide campaign echoes the darkest days of the 1980s, when urban churches first re-emerged from the Cultural Revolution," said ChinaAid's founder Bob Fu, drawing a parallel to a period of intense political and social upheaval in China.
In a heartfelt letter seeking prayers, Liu Chunli, Jin Mingri's wife, expressed her "shock, grief, sorrow, worry, and righteous anger." She emphasized that her husband "simply [did] what any faithful pastor would do... He is innocent!" She also shared her disappointment that her family's hopes for a reunion after seven years of separation have been dashed.
Several other house churches in China have also issued statements in support of the detained leaders, calling for their immediate release.
Sean Long, a Zion Church pastor based in the US, revealed that Jin Mingri had anticipated a crackdown of this magnitude. In a recent Zoom call, Long asked what would happen if Jin was imprisoned and all the church leaders were detained. Jin replied with unwavering faith: "Hallelujah! For a new wave of revival will follow then!"
This begs the question: Does this crackdown truly represent a suppression of religious freedom, or is it a legitimate effort by the Chinese government to maintain social order and manage religious affairs within its borders? Where do you stand on this issue? And what impact will this have on the already delicate relationship between the US and China? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
