My Grander Vision for Cuba | Being a Part of the Global Great Commision

The Growth of the GLS in Cuba

Abel Gonzalez is the senior pastor of a church of more than 2,000 people in a large city in the center of Cuba. “We held the Summit in Havana,” says Abel. “Even though I’ve served as a pastor for 25 years, I have received many challenging ideas at the Summit that have inspired me to be more aggressive. The most important thing it gave me was hope. Sometimes as a Christian leader, you do not think that you could have a global influence. The Summit opened my eyes to a larger picture. The idea that the local church is the hope of the world really moved my heart to re-position Christian ministry in the critical place in our moment in history.” Abel has shared these ideas with some of his friends, and they have responded the same way. He connected with the leaders holding the Summit in Havana, and talked about holding the Summit in his church.

This year Abel’s church in the center of Cuba will also host the Summit and 600 leaders are expected.  “Our focus is to bring together key leaders, pastors and church staff. We also want to bring together missionaries and leaders in small churches because that is where church growth is happening,” he says.

Abel believes the Summit will be a blessing, a great resource, and a powerful experience for Christian leaders. “We have passion for the church in Cuba, but also for other churches,” he says. “We deal with sacrifice. As Christian leaders, we know what it is like to work with few tools. We’ve learned how to be more dependent on God alone. This is our way to carry out the Great Commission, but we really need to be a part of this global community. We can share with each other, and complement each other, because it’s not a local challenge; it’s a global challenge. In our country right now, we are facing the same issues that you are facing. We’re really living in the center of the same spiritual and ethical challenges.”

The impact of the GLS on the Church in Cuba

The new phenomenon and growth in Cuba is happening in house churches with an average size of 50-60 people. “There are thousands of them,” he says. “The old churches are growing too, but it’s not the same as what is happening in this wonderful new way we’re seeing. It’s wonderful. It’s the new phenomenon.”

Abel says they have planted five small churches meeting in houses. “It’s one of our ministries, and one of our fruits,” he says. “One of those churches put the idea that the local church is the hope of the world into action and started a clinic for people struggling with alcohol addiction.” This small countryside church, located in a very poor area, developed a clinic for alcohol addiction because in that community, alcohol is destroying families. It’s destroying marriages, and destroying the community. “This church asked for my support,” he said. “We bought some resources, and a humble house, and beds. Now we have the first Christian clinic for alcoholic addiction…not in the city, and not developed by the mother church, but developed by the house church in the countryside. It happened because they believe that the local church is the hope of the world. That small church wants to be the hope of the community. It’s amazing what is happening because of this connection.”

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A Grander Vision for Cuba

Abel’s grander vision is first for his country. “My grander vision is to be a country that is transformed as a whole,” he said. “My country has been under the dark ages because of political, ideological and spiritual influence for decades. My vision is to transform the country so that we can be free socially, spiritually and completely so people can develop normal lives. I want to be a country where parents can raise their kids in a secure environment, not only physically but also spiritually. I want to see millions of the people in my homeland converted to the Lord, and for there to be a spread of the Gospel across the country.”

Abel says he has another grander vision to see Cuban Christian missionaries spreading all over the world, and being a part of the global Great Commission. “Cuba has been a closed country for decades, and because of circumstances, God developed specific capabilities and talents in our leaders to endure hard circumstances. We know how to be a Christian who ministers undercover, underground, with few tools, with opposition, at risk of losing jobs, at the risk of losing freedom and at the risk of being stigmatized. Because of that, we feel Cuban Christians can be another battalion for the global Great Commission. We want to help our other brothers to win the world for Christ. I want to see the church become a stronger light in the world.”

Pray for Leaders in Cuba

“Pray for us,” he says. “Pray that God would give us the opportunity to become more influential in our culture. Pray that God would open the doors to resources that we critically need to enlarge our hands to have more service. There have been recent changes in our country, and many Cuban leaders have this perception that if the process continues, there will be more changes in our society – maybe more prosperity, maybe a more American way of thinking, and there is this question that we need to be more deep and solid. Pray that our Lord would give us wisdom to know how to face this new environment, and not to be captured by naïve ideas, and simplicity.” Christian leaders in Cuba need God to open their eyes and give them discernment to know how to deal with these new challenges that they’ve never experienced in their history.

Thank you for your support in Cuba

“I want to thank all of you who have been a part of the effort to support the Cuban church,” says Abel. “If you donated resources and supported us financially, we want you to know that you are in the center of what God is doing in my country right now. The Cuban church is not alone because we have been receiving your help. We do not feel alone, and we know that in the future, we will not be alone. Thank you so much. We pray that God will open the door of blessing to you because of what you did for us. God bless you. Thank you.”

Please continue to pray and support leaders like Abel in Cuba who seek to transform Cuba. You make a difference for hundreds of thousands of leaders through your support and prayer.

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