Cuba
PASTOR NETWORK AND MISSIONARY TRAINING - Contact Dale Willis, Associate Pastor/Missions Pastor at Grace Community Church for information relating to this ministry and mission trips. dale@gccbartlesville.org.
Mentoring Pastors and Missionaries
The basic change was to respond to the needs and requests of our translators and the pastors we were ministering alongside. They all impressed upon us the need for long term, disciple based, mentoring style relationships. GMI has a heart for mentoring pastors and for planting Christian grace based churches. As individuals we knew the struggles of planting and growing churches. Things do not happen overnight and it is hard to stand firm in this calling. In a country that is secular and governed by a single party the needs become very obvious.
We presently have a core of 8 godly pastors who have 58 missionaries (men called by God to shepherd house churches) that form the nucleus of our ministry. These pastors have aggressive plans to expand their house church ministry.
Training Missionaries
We have come alongside a pastor in central Cuba who had a vision to provide training for Cuba missionaries that would equip them in less than a year. There were and still are struggles but the Training Center has over 170 graduates and is now entering its thirtenth year. This Training Center has been recognized for its effectiveness and now is officially a part of a Church Conference – even though it remains non-denominational. The Training Center has been given the responsibility to form a house church in every village of one central province.
Additionally, a second Training Center has been formed in another city in the same Province that has graduated over 80 new missionaries.
Self-sustaining Churches
The pastors and churches of Caribe have a deep desire to be self-sustaining. GMI has assisted in several enterprises initiated by the churches. Most notable and miraculous is a farm, 30 hectares cleared and put into cultivation and animal production. Going into its fifth year, the farm is generating funds for some students at the Training Center and some purchases of houses for churches. Other enterprises initiated by the churches include pig farming, making ice to sell to street vendors, bici-taxis, and a shoe making shop. Other opportunities await resources.
Inductive Bible Study
A final emphasis involves our partnership with an excellent and well-known inductive Bible study ministry, Precept Ministries International. GMI has a man in Caribe that is the national director for this ministry. Over 800 pastors and missionaries have been given introductory training in the inductive method. We are now focused on training leaders for home group/house church Bible study groups. This inductive study is a key component of long term relationships and accountability for the pastors and missionaries. It keeps the focus on Jesus and centers them on God’s word. CONTACT PRECEPT MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL, www.precept.org, or the Cuba National Director at leoprecepto@gmail.com to learn more.
Mentoring Pastors and Missionaries
The basic change was to respond to the needs and requests of our translators and the pastors we were ministering alongside. They all impressed upon us the need for long term, disciple based, mentoring style relationships. GMI has a heart for mentoring pastors and for planting Christian grace based churches. As individuals we knew the struggles of planting and growing churches. Things do not happen overnight and it is hard to stand firm in this calling. In a country that is secular and governed by a single party the needs become very obvious.
We presently have a core of 8 godly pastors who have 58 missionaries (men called by God to shepherd house churches) that form the nucleus of our ministry. These pastors have aggressive plans to expand their house church ministry.
Training Missionaries
We have come alongside a pastor in central Cuba who had a vision to provide training for Cuba missionaries that would equip them in less than a year. There were and still are struggles but the Training Center has over 170 graduates and is now entering its thirtenth year. This Training Center has been recognized for its effectiveness and now is officially a part of a Church Conference – even though it remains non-denominational. The Training Center has been given the responsibility to form a house church in every village of one central province.
Additionally, a second Training Center has been formed in another city in the same Province that has graduated over 80 new missionaries.
Self-sustaining Churches
The pastors and churches of Caribe have a deep desire to be self-sustaining. GMI has assisted in several enterprises initiated by the churches. Most notable and miraculous is a farm, 30 hectares cleared and put into cultivation and animal production. Going into its fifth year, the farm is generating funds for some students at the Training Center and some purchases of houses for churches. Other enterprises initiated by the churches include pig farming, making ice to sell to street vendors, bici-taxis, and a shoe making shop. Other opportunities await resources.
Inductive Bible Study
A final emphasis involves our partnership with an excellent and well-known inductive Bible study ministry, Precept Ministries International. GMI has a man in Caribe that is the national director for this ministry. Over 800 pastors and missionaries have been given introductory training in the inductive method. We are now focused on training leaders for home group/house church Bible study groups. This inductive study is a key component of long term relationships and accountability for the pastors and missionaries. It keeps the focus on Jesus and centers them on God’s word. CONTACT PRECEPT MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL, www.precept.org, or the Cuba National Director at leoprecepto@gmail.com to learn more.