ICM has developed a marriage seminar for our MCNetwork titled The First Team. It is designed to not only help the marriages of leaders, but also provide them with materials that they can then use to teach couples within their ministries and churches. We have seen marriages changed from this training in places such as Russia, E. Europe and Cuba. Raydel, our MCNet Coach in Cuba, shares both the need for such training as well as a report of the training they are providing for their ministry network.
Dear MCNet Team,
In the midst of a society that has a worldview formed by a mix of ex-communist atheism, European post-Christianity and an increasing Western consumerism, the evangelical church in Cuba is going through a major crisis in leadership. The constant and progressive loss of leadership of churches, seminaries and denominations caused mainly by migration out of the country, has become a harsh reality that we on the island nation must face. This constant drain of leadership is also creating a deep crisis on the Christian family.
Most of the churches that are part of our Network express concerns about issues of marriage and children and families in general. Faced with this reality our Samaritan Network (part of MCNet Intl.) has decided to give priority to this crucial and defining issue in order to see healthy Christian leadership within healthy families and ministries. Earlier this year we launched the project of “Leadership and Family” and have focused our attention on equipping our coordinators and facilitators, so that they can address this issue in our different training centers across the country.
In Havana we began the year with a renewal of wedding vows of several couples who attend house churches linked to the Network in the city. This was followed up through small groups and one-on-one training, marriage workshops, and leadership workshops. A commitment to work hard for our marriage and family can make a difference in our community and show how the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only solution for the deep crisis in the Cuban family. This begins with an intensive program of periodic training, and counseling with couples. From Havana we are expanding this training through every region of the country.
Our desire is to provide ICM’s The First Team materials for group coaching and one-on-one couple mentoring, however funds are needed so that we can provide these materials within our context. Thank you for your prayers for the marriages and families in Cuba.
Raydel, MCNet Coach
Havana,Cuba