After months of imprisonment for his Christian faith, Pastor Ezra Jin is finally free.
The founder of Beijing’s influential Zion Church arrived safely in Los Angeles on July 4 after being released directly from detention in China, ending an ordeal that prompted an international outcry and months of fervent prayer from believers around the world. The release marks a significant victory for religious freedom advocates, even as other members of Jin’s church remain behind bars.
ChinaAid announced the pastor’s release Saturday, saying it welcomed the news “with profound gratitude” after learning Jin had safely reached the United States.
According to the ministry, “Pastor Jin had spent months in detention because of his Christian faith and ministry. His unexpected freedom is an answer to countless prayers offered by Christians around the world and demonstrates once again that sustained international advocacy can save lives and restore freedom.”
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Rev. Dr. Bob Fu, founder and president of ChinaAid, celebrated the pastor’s release while giving thanks to God and those who worked to secure his freedom.
“We rejoice with Pastor Ezra Jin, his family, and the global Body of Christ on this remarkable Independence Day miracle,” Fu said. “We thank Almighty God for hearing the prayers of His people. We are deeply grateful to President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and all U.S. officials who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to secure Pastor Jin’s freedom. Their unwavering commitment demonstrates that principled leadership and persistent diplomacy can make a life-saving difference.”
Jin’s release comes after one of the largest crackdowns on a single house church in modern Chinese history. Chinese authorities detained Jin and numerous Zion Church leaders during coordinated raids in October 2025. Eighteen church leaders were ultimately arrested as Beijing intensified its campaign against independent Christian congregations operating outside state control.
Although Christians are celebrating Jin’s freedom, Fu emphasized that the work is far from over.
“While we celebrate Pastor Jin’s freedom, our hearts remain with the countless pastors including 8 other jailed pastors and coworkers from Zion Church, priests, bishops, house church Christians, Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and other prisoners of conscience who remain unjustly imprisoned by the Chinese Communist Party. We respectfully call on President Trump and his Administration to continue making religious freedom and the release of all prisoners of faith a top priority in every engagement with Beijing. True progress in U.S.-China relations must include freedom for those imprisoned simply because they choose to believe.”
ChinaAid also thanked members of Congress, international religious freedom advocates, churches and countless Christians whose prayers and advocacy kept Jin’s case before senior U.S. officials throughout his imprisonment. The organization pledged to continue pressing for the release of every believer imprisoned because of his or her faith.
Fu concluded with a reminder that Jin’s release is only one step toward a larger goal.
“Freedom for Pastor Jin is a tremendous victory. But our work is not finished until every prisoner of faith is free.”
The circumstances surrounding Jin’s release make the story even more remarkable.
According to ChinaAid, trusted sources said Chinese officials informed Jin that his freedom came as a result of discussions between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping and was presented as a goodwill gesture ahead of America’s Independence Day.
Reuters, the Associated Press and other news organizations separately reported that Trump personally raised Jin’s case during his May visit to Beijing, where Xi reportedly agreed to give the request serious consideration. Less than two months later, Jin was released from detention and reunited with his family in the United States.
Even so, eight members of Zion Church remain imprisoned in China, showing the world that the fight for religious freedom is far from over. Please lift them in prayer for strength and endurance during this time of persecution.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
