Ridgell's Originals

Got back from Cuba a couple of weeks ago and it was amazing. Herald of Truth has a field office there where Tony Fernandez follows up on our radio contacts. Juan Monroy has a shortwave program and Tim Archer an AM program that cover the island. Working out of the city of Matanzas, Tony and his team have planted fourteen house churches with over 250 baptisms in the last 15 months. They find someone who has written in response to the program, or find someone who knows someone, or find a relative of one of the Christians, and study the Bible with them. When someone is converted, the church starts meeting in their house.

Tim and I visited six of these churches. They had from 12-30 people at each one, crammed in wall to wall, sitting on the floor, eager to hear God's Word. Most of them Christians less than two years. Most of the teaching is done by men from Matanzas, but new converts are expected to undergo training so they can be preaching and teaching within six months. There is one full time evangelist and he uses 1/2 his salary to pay expenses for the men traveling out to preach on Sundays. The "mother" church in Matanzas has about 350 members and they meet in Tony's "backyard" under a tin covering.

They get it.

Sarcasm warning.

Just imagine if they had staffs like we do here in the States. What if they could have youth ministers, and worship ministers, and involvement ministers? If we could just get them to really focus on a vision statement. If we could only get them to build facilities like all of our congregations have. Just imagine what they could do. Just like us, they could baptize 20, or 30, or maybe even 100 a year.

I don't want them to be like us. I was ashamed by the comparison. In fact, it would be interesting if they could come and teach us. I just don't know if we would listen.

I know it is different here. Different culture, different politics, different economy. And I know some of us do get it. But let's be honest. We are not growing like they are. We are not changing our world like they are. We are not living radical like they are. Maybe it is because for them to become a Christian really is a life changing event. It costs them. Much is expected.

And we want to build buildings, not offend anyone, and build mega churches. Which church would Jesus be more at home in....Cuba or the United States?

So... how do we "get it" in the same way they do?

God, thank you for the amazing things you are doing in Cuba. Thanks for the passion and commitment of my brothers and sisters there. Help me to keep that same kind of fire and passion here.