Missionary Dennis Balcombe Safe in China

Missionary Dennis Balcombe Safe in China

By Jeremy Reynalds
Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service NANYANG, CHINA (ANS) -- Missionary Dennis Balcombe is safe in China. That's according to a statement from Revival Chinese Ministries International.

Dennis Balcombe

There was an earlier concern for his safety when Balcombe was arrested at a revival meeting held in a hotel.According to a story by CBN News Senior International Reporter Gary Lane, in a statement posted on the ministry's web site and released to the media, Balcombe thanked "everyone for their prayers..." He said he spent a day in his hotel room "speaking with authorities."
CBN News said Balcombe has served as a missionary to China since first arriving in Hong Kong in 1969. He admitted the house church meeting he attended in Nanyang on April 20, raided by religious police, was illegal.
He said in the statement, " ...We had broken the regulations on religion by conducting a Christian meeting of over 30 people not first registering with the RAB."
Balcombe said authorities raided the meeting because someone told them foreigners were attending a "religious cult" gathering.
Balcombe said in his statement, "We were invited to speak to authorities in my hotel room in which people from various departments discu ssed various issues with me. They all said I was a good pastor and preacher (they listen to my sermons on the internet) and our church and the churches we associate with in China are good 'orthodox Pentecostal churches.' However we had broken the regulations on religion by conducting a Christian meeting of over 30 people not first registering with the RAB."
CBN reported that Balcombe said the next day, he went to another hotel on his own and while he had been arrested nearly 20-years ago in Fangcheng Count, he said "given the greater degree of religious freedoms in other parts of China, I was surprised this would happen to us."
CBN said authorities returned Balcombe's passport and invited him to preach in the future in official government Three Self Churches, or even some house churches. However, he must first let them know about his plans when he comes to Henan Province.
Balcombe said the experience was not enjoyable, but he considered it an honor and blessing to be in the same place where so many missionaries an d Chinese preachers worked and gave their lives fore the Gospel.
According to CBN News, Balcombe said the experience reminded him of the Book of Acts, 5:41. "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."
For Balcombe's full statement, go to http://rcmi.wordpress.com/category/dennis-balcombe