As President Donald Trump meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week, the world’s attention has turned once again to the relationship between the United States and China. While much of the public discussion has focused on trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and other geopolitical concerns, advocates and members of Congress have also urged President Trump to raise the cases of detained dissidents and religious leaders, including Pastor Ezra Jin. Whether or not Pastor Jin’s case is discussed directly, his detention remains a call for believers to pray for the Chinese church and for the global church as the body of Christ.
Pastor Ezra Jin is the leader of Zion Church, a large network of unregistered churches in China. Zion has long operated independently of the state-sanctioned religious system, and its size, public presence, and online ministry have brought ongoing pressure from Chinese authorities. As a result, Jin and several other members of the church were arrested in October of last year.
They have been detained ever since, while their attorneys have reportedly faced pressure from the authorities. In the days leading up to the meetings, lawmakers, advocates, and Pastor Jin’s family urged President Trump to raise his case with President Xi. With that in mind, here are several ways we can pray as these meetings take place.
First of all, we can pray for believers suffering under detention and pressure. Jin is just one of many Chinese Christians who have suffered because of their refusal to compromise their faith. Christians like Pastor Jin may face detention, isolation, pressure on their families, and uncertainty about their future because they refuse to renounce their faith. Often isolated in prison, they need prayer for strength and endurance in the face of sustained hardship. Jesus talks about the growth of seeds depending on the soil they land in. In times of pressure, faith can be tested, refined, and strengthened. Pray that the faith of the believers only grows in the face of persecution.
That leads into the second prayer point this week and going forward: that the gospel will spread rapidly among the Chinese people. The CCP has often viewed independent religious communities, including unregistered churches, as a challenge to its authority. If people worship God, then their ultimate allegiance belongs to Christ. We know, however, that throughout Scripture and church history, the Lord has often worked powerfully in places where opposition is strong. The first-century church grew rapidly despite intense persecution by the Roman Empire.
Modern China faces a similar situation. Despite CCP persecution, the gospel is thriving in China. Reliable numbers are difficult to confirm, but many estimates suggest that the Christian community in China numbers in the tens of millions. Even amid opposition and pressure, Jesus’ name continues to be made known throughout China. Pray for doors to open for believers in China to share their faith. Whether it’s in the countryside, in the cities, or behind bars, the Great Commission cannot be stopped. Also, pray Luke 10:2 over China, asking that more believers would answer the call to share the gospel across China.
Finally, we can pray for the leaders of both countries. President Trump has an opportunity to advocate for believers suffering for their faith. Pray that he and other American leaders would do so with courage, wisdom, conviction, and humility, and that concern for persecuted believers would not become merely a political talking point. On the other side, pray that calls for mercy would not fall on deaf ears. Chinese leader Xi Jinping also needs prayer.
As the leader of China and head of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi holds significant responsibility for the policies that shape religious life in China. While the Bible tells us to pray for our enemies, this is often easier said than done. Nevertheless, we are called to pray with humility, asking that the Holy Spirit softens Xi Jinping’s heart and brings him to repentance. In addition, pray that he has sympathy for the persecuted church and relieves their suffering.
There are no limits as to who the Lord can call to repentance. Constantine the Great, Emperor of Rome, became a Christian and ended centuries of Christian persecution in the Roman Empire. In the Bible itself, the apostle Paul was one of the leading persecutors of Christians. Yet on the road to Damascus, the Lord transformed Saul into Paul, who went on to preach the gospel across the Roman world. Pray that the Lord will do likewise in the heart of Xi, turning him toward mercy, repentance, and justice.
While we may speak different languages or have different passports, we are one church under Jesus Christ. Prayer is a way we can all draw closer to Christ and be a more unified church. This moment is not only about China or the United States. It is also about how the global church, as the body of Christ, remembers those who suffer, prays for those in power, and bears witness together amid geopolitical tension. Being one community in Christ strengthens our shared faith in the face of worldly persecution.
The suffering of Pastor Jin and many other persecuted Christians should break our hearts. Persecution of believers is widespread across the world. Whether or not Pastor Jin’s case is raised directly during these meetings, his detention reminds us that the global church must continue to remember those who suffer for their faith. This moment calls believers everywhere to pray—for China, for the United States, for those in power, and for the church to remain faithful to Christ above every earthly power. The Lord is already doing great things in China, and through prayer, the global church has the privilege of joining in his work.
