(China — October 10, 2025) Since October 10, 2025, pastors and members of Zion Church in multiple cities in China have been targeted in coordinated police raids, with several individuals taken away or reported “without contact.” The degree of the scale and organization of the operation has sparked widespread attention. Zion Church has long existed at the margins of religious freedom in China, and this latest crackdown may mark the beginning of a broader suppression against this church.
As of 8 a.m. Beijing time on October 11, 2025, the following is the known list of those taken away and the latest updates of this incident:
List of Those Taken Away
Shanghai:
- Pastor Wang Lin: Taken at Shenzhen Airport on October 10.
- Liu Jiang: Taken on October 11 and has since “lost contact.”
Beijing:
- October 10: Preacher Wu Xiaoyu, Pastor Wang Cong, Pastor Sun Cong, and Sister Li Shengjuan.
- October 11: Pastor Gao Yingjia; Sister Ming Li, who serves in ministry in Beijing on October 10, but was taken away in her hometown.
- Sister Hu Yanzi, who has since lost contact after sending a message on October 10, is believed to have been taken away.
Jiaxing, Zhejiang:
- Preacher Zhange was taken away; the arrest warrant was dated September 26; the family was not allowed to accompany.
Beihai:
- October 10: Pastor Jin Mingri and Pastor Yin Huibin.
- October 11: Preacher Misha.
A city in Shandong Province:
- Pastor Liu Zhenbin.
Fuzhou, Fujian:
- Preacher Wang Rong: Taken away by police around 10:20 p.m. on October 10; the home was searched, and the phone, computer, and other personal items were confiscated.
Chengdu, Sichuan:
- Preacher Mu Chenglin was taken away on the morning of the 11th.
Under Control, but Arrest Unconfirmed
Beijing:
- Sister Cui Xiaole and Sister Anmei: Currently under control but not confirmed to have been formally taken away.
Members Who Have Lost Communications (Pending Verification)
Beihai, Guangxi:
- Members include Jin Mu, Sister Li Yan, Yin Mu, Pastor Yang’s wife, Pastor Wang Desheng (possibly), the family of Zhang Paul (four individuals), Dr. Chen Xiaobin, and the family of Tuya (four individuals), all of whom currently lost communication. (Information pending further verification.)
Summary of the Situation in the Beijing Area
According to the latest reports, multiple raids took place across various locations in Beijing on the evening of October 10. The details are as follows:
Around 8 p.m. on October 10, more than ten individuals broke into the residence of Pastor Jin Mingri in Beihai. All four people in the house were handcuffed, and the search lasted through the night, with even the study sealed off. On the morning of the 11th, Pastor Jin was taken away in handcuffs.
Preacher Misha: Around 9 p.m., several people came to Misha’s home. Currently, police remain stationed outside Misha’s residence, and communication with the family has been lost. Updates from the 11th indicate that Misha has been taken away and appears to have been transferred to Beihai, Guangxi.
Pastor Wang Cong and Preacher Renzhong: The electricity in their homes was cut off. Police, who lied about being property maintenance staff, entered after forcing the lock. Pastor Wang Cong was taken away, and his phone, computer, and personal belongings were confiscated at the same time.
Preacher Wu Xiaoyu: After knocking on the door, police from both Beihai and Beijing, carrying a search warrant, took her away. Her phone, computer, and bank cards were confiscated. Her child is now being cared for by the grandparents.
Pastor Gao Yingjia: Taken away around 2 a.m. on October 10 (possibly referring to the early morning of the 11th).
Sister Li Shengjuan: Four police officers broke into her home and confiscated her computer, phone, and other items.
Background of the Incident and International Response
Zion Church, founded in 2007, is an unregistered “house church” with broad influence within China’s Christian community. Its Reformed theological background and comparatively large-scale gatherings (at max reaching up to 1,500 attendees) have made it a target of the government. On September 9, 2019, Zion Church’s main congregation in Beijing was raided by police, involving multiple police vehicles and SWAT officers. The church’s meeting venue was subsequently shut down, and the Civil Affairs Bureau subsequently announced that the church was engaged in “illegal gatherings.”
In the following years, the church’s senior pastor, Jin Mingri, was placed on an exit control list and has long been unable to reunite with his family abroad. By 2025, Zion Church’s branch congregations across the country were investigated and shut down one by one. Despite the mounting pressure, the church has continued to hold to its faith practices and work hard to provide spiritual support to its members.
The latest incident of raids indicates that Zion Church and other unregistered house churches in China are facing unprecedented pressure. Reports suggest that many Christians were taken away without receiving any legal documentation or notice and had their communication devices and personal materials confiscated.
Sources indicate that authorities may be invoking the charge of “Illegal Utilization of Information Networks,” a provision often linked to freedom of speech and religious expression, as a legal basis for the arrests. However, there is no evidence that all those detained will face this specific charge.
The current status and whereabouts of the Christians taken away remain unclear, and communication with the outside world has been cut off. Members within the church note that the coordinated nature of these operations suggests unified planning from authorities in the central government.
Some pastors believe that the cases of this unified operation may be transferred for trial to Beihai, Guangxi, far from the capital, Beijing, to reduce the degree of political sensitivity caused by this incident.
This wave of arrests has once again sparked discussions on religious freedom, freedom of expression, and human rights protection. Since those taken were not provided with any formal legal notification, their fundamental rights have been gravely violated. The incident has already drawn significant international attention, with numerous religious organizations and human rights groups urging the Chinese government to end its suppression of religious communities and religious individuals and to guarantee their fundamental freedoms.
At present, members and families of Zion Church are anxiously seeking to reestablish contact with the individuals who have been taken away and to gain more information on their safety. The universal Church and human rights groups around the world will continue to monitor the situation closely, calling for necessary legal support and humanitarian aid for those Christians affected.
ChinaAid Association
