Colin Denlea, part of our Global Catalyst team, began working with Pastor Leriel in Cuba a couple of years ago. Colin led Catalyst Community #1 there in November 2019 before the pandemic. Since then there have been 12 new churches planted and 40 new community groups started! Cuba just opened back up a month ago and we were able to visit again to lead Catalyst Community #2.
Cuba has a church culture where leaders from one denomination hesitate to even be seen together with leaders from another organization. There is a real competitiveness and a misguided sense of denominational loyalty throughout the country. That made it an even bigger deal for us to have 4 denominations represented in the room together, catching a united vision and a desire for collaborating to grow the kingdom of God in Cuba.
Catalyst Community #2: Missional Culture
There are two key components to creating a missional movement of reproducing churches. In Catalyst Community #1 we focus on developing leaders because this is the number one hindrance to multiplying churches.
In Catalyst Community #2 we focus on developing a missional culture in our churches. This culture helps to unleash the members of our church as an evangelical army that reaches people organically through their individual spheres of influence. Evangelism shifts from being a pastor led event to a natural way of living. The role of the pastor, as explained in Ephesians 4:11-12 is to equip the saints to do the ministry of the church, so that they can fulfill their Matthew 28:18-20 calling to make disciples, and accomplish their Ephesians 2:10 purpose with the Ephesians 3:20 power of God at work in their life!
This change often requires a paradigm shift from a traditional model of church where the pastor reaches the people, to one where the pastor equips the church to reach the people. It’s a powerful transition when we all understand our roles in God’s mission for the church.
Orisvel’s Catalyst Community Story
Orisvel is a sharp, young leader. He attended our first gathering two years ago as a volunteer at his church. He attended this year as a pastor of his own church. Orisvel shared the following:
I wanted to thank God first, for allowing these things to happen for the church in Cuba to be trained to develop the mission that we’ve been called for. In my personal experience, I want to share that when they started this Catalyst Community project here two years ago I was only a minor leader. Then through the training, I started seeing how I and many of the people in my church could move from an individual, to an apprentice, then to a leader, then to a leader of leaders and since then a few have become pastors. Some people that attended two years ago, we were just members of the church, but now for the Glory of God we are leaders and we are training other leaders. We moved from apprentices to having our own apprentices. We can see a before and after, how we moved forward, and now we have the tools to develop the mission God has called us for.
Pastor Orisvel
Luis’ Catalyst Community Story
Luis leads a denomination that recently faced some serious challenges. We were not sure if he would come, and it was a big deal that he did. Luis shared a few words at the end of our time together:
When we arrived here we felt far from one another, but as time has gone on we feel close to you guys….I have found something here in these days, answers, that’s what I have found here. I have found many answers, many answers to my doubts, things that God has shown me recently, and that thing that sometimes overcomes our hearts and bodies, fear. Sometimes we fear, we want to do something, we want to start, but we say ‘I don’t think anybody’s going to listen to me, I don’t think anybody is going to back me up’. I think these people, as prophets of God, have shined a light on us, to give a word so we can start , so we can do it, and that God is going to be backing us up!
Pastor Luis
5 Year Strategic Plan Moving Forward
Each team that attends our Catalyst Community leaves with a strategic plan for how to multiply groups, leaders, and churches over the next 5 years. The exercises and teaching sessions are designed to take them on a step by step journey toward designing that plan. On the last day, each team presents their “Dream Pathway” (a.k.a. Strategic Plan) to the other groups and then we pray for each group as we commission them to fulfill their plans. The group in Cuba represented 77 churches and their dream is to be 437 churches in the next 5 years! Pray for them!
Several New Projects Coming Up
We have several new projects scheduled for the first part of this year that we need your help in funding: Nepal, Slovenia, Southern Brazil, and Pakistan. Your financial support of Taking New Ground makes this ministry possible. Partner with us as we catalyze movements of multiplying churches around the world. Thank you!
