Opinion

My father is a pastor, imprisoned in China. President Trump, please save him

Our family has faced threatening calls, tire slashing and surveillance in the U.S. for speaking about his detention.

By Grace Jin Drexel Fox News

Published May 10, 2026 7:00am EDT

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When President Donald Trump sits down with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming weeks, the world will be watching for deals on trade, Taiwan and global security. I will be watching for something much more personal: whether my father will finally be able to come home.

My father, Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, is the founder of Zion Church in China. The church had humble beginnings – it began in 2007 with just 20 people. But my father’s passion and faith helped the church grow, which made it a target of the Chinese authorities.

Over the years, dozens of church staff members have been detained or harassed by the Chinese authorities. In 2018, the church was officially banned and all church property confiscated after church leadership refused government demands to install surveillance cameras to monitor its congregation.

Trusting in God’s sovereignty while at the same time not wanting to bring further pressure on the congregation, my father shifted the church to a hybrid model, giving online sermons and building a network of satellite locations throughout the country. Within just a few years, Zion Church was reaching 10,000 people in 40 cities, making it one of China’s largest "house........

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