Sunday, May 11
Thank you for praying for Cuba during these 50 days. But this is just the beginning of Cuban Baptists' plan to reach their country for Christ. Prayer is essential to that plan, and Cuban Baptists value your continued prayers. Pray the dreams of Cuban pastors and the visions of thousands of lay ministers will become a reality. Pray Cuba will indeed be won to Christ.
_____________________________
May these 50 Days of Prayer be just the beginning of your prayer journey!
Day Forty-nine
Saturday, May 10
Rapid church growth requires strong leadership development. As Cuban Baptists seek to plant a church within walking distance of every person in Cuba, pray the Lord of the harvest will send more laborers into the harvest. Ask God specifically to call out more workers to reach children and youth, the future leaders of Cuban churches.
Rapid church growth requires strong leadership development. As Cuban Baptists seek to plant a church within walking distance of every person in Cuba, pray the Lord of the harvest will send more laborers into the harvest. Ask God specifically to call out more workers to reach children and youth, the future leaders of Cuban churches.
Day Forty-eight
Friday, May 9
Pray for Cuban Baptist children's leader Xiomar Acosta Blanco (see week 7 story) and others who are training Cuban children for future church leadership roles. Several children's house churches meet in Xiomar's town tonight. Pray that the children in these and other house churches will accept Christ early and become strong church leaders.
Pray for Cuban Baptist children's leader Xiomar Acosta Blanco (see week 7 story) and others who are training Cuban children for future church leadership roles. Several children's house churches meet in Xiomar's town tonight. Pray that the children in these and other house churches will accept Christ early and become strong church leaders.
Day Forty-seven
Thursday, May 8
Churches need many types of leaders such as pastoral, worship, children's, prayer and outreach. Pray God will call out leaders to fill these roles in churches across Cuba. Pray He will provide appropriate training for each need.
Churches need many types of leaders such as pastoral, worship, children's, prayer and outreach. Pray God will call out leaders to fill these roles in churches across Cuba. Pray He will provide appropriate training for each need.
Day Forty-six
Wednesday, May 7
Praise God for the more than 30 Lay Missionary Training Centers scattered across Cuba. These centers offer practical training to about 2,000 Cuban Baptist lay leaders. Pray for these leaders and their ministries.
Praise God for the more than 30 Lay Missionary Training Centers scattered across Cuba. These centers offer practical training to about 2,000 Cuban Baptist lay leaders. Pray for these leaders and their ministries.
Day Forty-five
Tuesday, May 6
Cuban Baptists have more than 5,000 churches, missions and outreach centers in Cuba but only 296 ordained pastors. Thousands of faithful lay ministers provide vital leadership to many of these congregations. Pray God will continue to call out lay leaders. Pray that ordained church leaders will empower them to carry out their ministries.
Cuban Baptists have more than 5,000 churches, missions and outreach centers in Cuba but only 296 ordained pastors. Thousands of faithful lay ministers provide vital leadership to many of these congregations. Pray God will continue to call out lay leaders. Pray that ordained church leaders will empower them to carry out their ministries.
Day Forty-four
Monday, May 5
On the first Monday of the month, Cuban Baptists observe a day of prayer and fasting for God to bless their nation. Join them in this time of concentrated prayer, asking God to help Cuban Baptists find creative ways to train believers for church leadership. Pray for Cuban Baptists José Enrique Pérez and Daniel González Garcia (see week 7 story) and other leaders involved in training Cuban believers for ministry.
On the first Monday of the month, Cuban Baptists observe a day of prayer and fasting for God to bless their nation. Join them in this time of concentrated prayer, asking God to help Cuban Baptists find creative ways to train believers for church leadership. Pray for Cuban Baptists José Enrique Pérez and Daniel González Garcia (see week 7 story) and other leaders involved in training Cuban believers for ministry.
Week Seven
Looking toward the future
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams" (Acts 2:17, NIV).
During these past 42 days, you've been praying weekly about Cuban Baptists' dreams to reach a million Cubans for Christ and to start 100,000 new churches by the end of 2010. Looking toward those goals, Cuban Baptists are already experiencing one of the most rapid rates of church growth in the world.
As a result of that growth, one of the major issues facing Cuban Baptists is a vast need for more church leaders. "For many years our work has been larger than the leadership," says Pastor José Enrique Pérez, a Cuban Baptist missions leader. "We've been trying to repair the situation."
One way Cuban Baptists are trying to do that is by moving theological education closer to the local churches to equip lay people to assume major church leadership roles. At his church José Enrique coordinates a training center that makes it possible for students to receive theological education without having to leave their ministry to attend seminary. "Every church should be a center of theological training in order to prepare the thousands of leaders that we will need," he says.
Besides this emphasis, some Cuban Baptist leaders are trying to get churches to enlarge their staff to include missions ministers able to motivate the church to strategically accomplish its mission. Cuban Baptist seminary professor and pastor Daniel González Garcia leads a missions-study track at his seminary that prepares students for such a role. "We understand that nothing will happen in Cuba-speaking spiritually-without the church fulfilling its mission," Daniel says.
Cuban Baptists are also training children to become future church leaders. One church not only reaches out to children through traditional church programs but also has started nearly a dozen house churches for children. In these house churches, children learn how to lead worship and study the Bible. Their teachers share the Gospel with the children but also try to reach their parents and extended family.
"We establish a relationship with the parents and don't let it go," says Cuban Baptist children's leader Xiomar Acosta Blanco. "We follow them until they come to know God."
A focus on the family is central to the development of the church in Cuba, says Daniel. "The best training for us as pastors is our family and our extended family," he says. "The success of a pastor here will not be to deliver a great sermon to a large gathering, but rather to communicate sincerely in one small group truths that can be told in another and another."
As Cuban Baptists look toward the future, "We're not thinking as much about a city with large churches but communities saturated with (house) churches," Daniel says. "The home is where the real test of spiritual disciplines lies-of patience, self-control, forgiveness. The home is basic and simple."
___________________
Sunday, May 4 - Day Forty-Three
The rapid rate of church growth in Cuba has created a huge need for practical leadership in the churches. Pray God will raise up enough leaders to disciple the thousands of Cubans who are being won to Christ.
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams" (Acts 2:17, NIV).
During these past 42 days, you've been praying weekly about Cuban Baptists' dreams to reach a million Cubans for Christ and to start 100,000 new churches by the end of 2010. Looking toward those goals, Cuban Baptists are already experiencing one of the most rapid rates of church growth in the world.
As a result of that growth, one of the major issues facing Cuban Baptists is a vast need for more church leaders. "For many years our work has been larger than the leadership," says Pastor José Enrique Pérez, a Cuban Baptist missions leader. "We've been trying to repair the situation."
One way Cuban Baptists are trying to do that is by moving theological education closer to the local churches to equip lay people to assume major church leadership roles. At his church José Enrique coordinates a training center that makes it possible for students to receive theological education without having to leave their ministry to attend seminary. "Every church should be a center of theological training in order to prepare the thousands of leaders that we will need," he says.
Besides this emphasis, some Cuban Baptist leaders are trying to get churches to enlarge their staff to include missions ministers able to motivate the church to strategically accomplish its mission. Cuban Baptist seminary professor and pastor Daniel González Garcia leads a missions-study track at his seminary that prepares students for such a role. "We understand that nothing will happen in Cuba-speaking spiritually-without the church fulfilling its mission," Daniel says.
Cuban Baptists are also training children to become future church leaders. One church not only reaches out to children through traditional church programs but also has started nearly a dozen house churches for children. In these house churches, children learn how to lead worship and study the Bible. Their teachers share the Gospel with the children but also try to reach their parents and extended family.
"We establish a relationship with the parents and don't let it go," says Cuban Baptist children's leader Xiomar Acosta Blanco. "We follow them until they come to know God."
A focus on the family is central to the development of the church in Cuba, says Daniel. "The best training for us as pastors is our family and our extended family," he says. "The success of a pastor here will not be to deliver a great sermon to a large gathering, but rather to communicate sincerely in one small group truths that can be told in another and another."
As Cuban Baptists look toward the future, "We're not thinking as much about a city with large churches but communities saturated with (house) churches," Daniel says. "The home is where the real test of spiritual disciplines lies-of patience, self-control, forgiveness. The home is basic and simple."
___________________
Sunday, May 4 - Day Forty-Three
The rapid rate of church growth in Cuba has created a huge need for practical leadership in the churches. Pray God will raise up enough leaders to disciple the thousands of Cubans who are being won to Christ.
Day Forty-two
Saturday, May 3
Pray for the three Baptist seminaries in Cuba and their nine extension centers. Ask God to anoint the teaching of the faculty members. Pray that those they train will help the church grow even more in Cuba. Pray these students will be part of starting a church within walking distance of every person in Cuba during the next three years.
Pray for the three Baptist seminaries in Cuba and their nine extension centers. Ask God to anoint the teaching of the faculty members. Pray that those they train will help the church grow even more in Cuba. Pray these students will be part of starting a church within walking distance of every person in Cuba during the next three years.
Day Forty-one
Friday, May 2
Pray for leaders of the Baptist conventions in Cuba. Each convention faces its own unique challenges because of the exponential growth of Cuban Baptist churches during the past 15 years. Ask God to give Cuban Baptist leaders wisdom to make decisions that will allow the continued movement of God across Cuba. Pray Cuban Baptists will reach a million Cubans with the Gospel by the end of 2010.
Pray for leaders of the Baptist conventions in Cuba. Each convention faces its own unique challenges because of the exponential growth of Cuban Baptist churches during the past 15 years. Ask God to give Cuban Baptist leaders wisdom to make decisions that will allow the continued movement of God across Cuba. Pray Cuban Baptists will reach a million Cubans with the Gospel by the end of 2010.
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