The Wife of a Jailed Chinese Pastor Just Spoke Out — and Her Account of “Immense Suffering” Is Hard to Ignore

Sister Su Ziming, wife of Pastor Wang Lin of Beijing Zion Church, has described the past nine months as “the longest and most painful” of her family’s life after her husband’s detention by Chinese authorities.

Wang Lin, who previously practiced law and earned a Ph.D. in Old Testament theology from Wheaton College, returned to China in 2017 to co-lead Zion Church, a prominent house-church network active in more than 40 cities. Authorities banned the church in 2018, and a major crackdown in October 2025 detained 30 leaders. Eight, including Wang, remain imprisoned.

“To the outside world, nine months have simply passed. But for our family, they have been nine months of separation, waiting, and uncertainty,” Su said. She noted her husband has missed every milestone in their children’s lives and that she believes he has committed no crime.

Prison conditions are severe: cells hold 20 to 30 people with limited ventilation, poor nutrition consisting mainly of boiled vegetables, and reports of intimidation during interrogation. Wang experienced significant physical distress, including heart discomfort, and his health has deteriorated due to prolonged malnutrition.

While some Zion Church members, including Pastor Ezra Jin, have been released, Su said several others face escalated charges. She expressed gratitude for the releases but urged the world not to forget those still held. “We will continue to speak out, hoping that society does not forget them or their families.”

Su asked for prayers for her husband’s health and faith, for the other seven families enduring separation, and for continued public attention so the remaining pastors are not forgotten.