Nicaragua’s government has jailed a local pastor and an American missionary faces criminal charges following a large-scale missionary campaign in the country.
Missionary Britt Hancock of Mountain Gateway Ministries, who led a major evangelism campaign in Nicaragua last year, says that’s pretty much exactly what happened. 1 million people participated.
However, Hancock, along with his son Jacob and daughter-in-law Cassandra, are now facing money laundering and organized crime charges.
Eleven Nicaraguan pastors from Mountain Gateway face similar charges, according to Nicaragua’s attorney general.
“Mountain Gateway wishes to publicly deny these allegations and regrets this situation,” the group said in a statement. “Mountain Gateway has diligently complied with all U.S. and Nicaraguan legal requirements applicable to nonprofit and faith-based organizations.”
“These accusations are based on false information and Mountain Gateway will do everything in its power to resolve this matter through diplomatic channels.”
The charges against Hancock follow an operation last year in Nicaragua.
“Over the past year, I have watched God heal, deliver, and change lives,” Hancock wrote. CBN News. “I am saddened and very concerned that our pastor and my friends are currently in prison.”
Hancock and his family were able to leave the country safely, but now they are trying to help the remaining pastors in prison.
“The Nicaraguan government has reviewed and approved all of our budgets, so I simply cannot understand what is happening in this country that we love dearly and have done everything we can to help,” he said. continued.
In the same press release, the Nicaraguan government said nine of the pastors are innocent, but claims they were under the control of three Americans and two imprisoned Nicaraguan pastors.
Despite the government recognizing their innocence, the pastors have been in prison for nearly two months and have not been able to contact their families.
“I believe that God has a purpose for this, as I know without a doubt that the Lord has called us to do evangelistic work,” Hancock wrote to CBN News. “He is not surprised by our situation. We see again and again in the Bible that where there is persecution, the church grows.”
“He’s working, he’s doing something,” he added. “Please pray with us for the release of the pastors. Pray for their families, and pray for the continued encounter of the people of Nicaragua with Jesus Christ!”
Image credit: ©Getty Images/dimarik
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributor to Christian Headlines and host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast dedicated to sound doctrine and Biblical truth. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Alliance Theological Seminary.
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