God is still working miracles.
On this week’s Pray with America’s Leaders, Kris Kubal welcomed Grace Jin Drexel back to the webcast to share an extraordinary answer to prayer: the release of her father, Pastor Ezra Jin, after nine months in a Chinese prison. While celebrating God’s faithfulness, Grace also urged intercessors to continue praying for the many believers who remain imprisoned for their faith in China.
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Grace reminded viewers that Pastor Jin, who led one of China’s largest independent house churches, was arrested last October along with nearly 30 church leaders across 11 cities in what she described as one of the most widespread crackdowns on unregistered churches in recent years. Following his arrest, she left her job to advocate full-time for her father and other persecuted pastors, asking Christians around the world to pray for their release.
Those prayers were answered in remarkable fashion.
Grace shared that President Donald Trump personally raised Pastor Jin’s case during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Shortly afterward, Pastor Jin was released and reunited with his family in California on July 3. Having been separated for years because of a travel ban, the reunion was especially meaningful, as Pastor Jin was finally able to meet his grandchildren—including Grace’s newborn son, who was named after him.
Although Pastor Jin’s release is a cause for celebration, Grace emphasized that the story is far from over. Eight additional leaders from Zion Church remain imprisoned, and hundreds of pastors across China continue to face detention and persecution. She warned that authorities are moving rapidly toward trials for the remaining church leaders, giving defense attorneys little time to prepare their cases. Grace asked intercessors to pray that God would once again intervene in miraculous ways and that world leaders would continue advocating for the release of those still imprisoned.
Grace also reflected on the spiritual battle facing the Church in China. She explained that while China’s government has tightened its control over civil society under Xi Jinping, God has continued to build His Church. After authorities shut down Zion Church’s physical location in 2018, the congregation transitioned to an online model that eventually expanded into a nationwide network spanning dozens of cities. What appeared to be a devastating setback became an opportunity for unprecedented growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout the webcast, one message stood above all the others: God is still setting captives free. Pastor Jin’s release serves as a powerful reminder that no prison, government, or impossible circumstance is beyond the reach of God’s power. At the same time, his story calls us to continue praying for those who remain imprisoned and to faithfully stand with the persecuted Church around the world.
Grace Jin Drexel embraces her father, Pastor Ezra Jin, upon his return to America.
You can watch this webcast in the embedded player below.
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(Photo Credit: Grace Jin Drexel)
