Late Twentieth Century  1988

Madruga, Cuba

Worship in Mariano Methodist Church in Havana

In 1988, revival broke out in a small church in Madruga, Cuba. “People would begin to weep when they entered the church, ” said their pastor. More than 60 churches experienced a similar move of the Spirit. And today the Holy Spirit’s Presence is still being felt. Despite gestures of tolerance towards Christians, believers in Cuba still experience much hardship and oppression. Nevertheless, God is moving among the ten million people of Cuba, just as in the early Church.

The revival produced more than 2,400 house churches— more than all the official churches put together. Though open evangelism is still outlawed, teenagers were joining the children and adults to witness boldly in parks, beaches, and other public places, regardless of the risk.

There is a “holy and glorious restlessness” among the believers, said one pastor. “The once defensive mood and attitude of the church has turned into an offensive one, and Christians are committed to the vision of ‘Cuba Para Cristo!’— Cuba for Christ!” (Open Doors, Australian circular, September 1993, 1–2)

Cubans saw astounding revival from 1988. The Pentecostals, Baptists, independent evangelical churches, and some Methodist and Nazarene churches experienced it. One Assemblies of God church had approximately 100,000 visit it in six months, often in bus loads. One weekend they had 8,000 visitors, and on one day the four pastors (including two youth pastors) prayed with over 300 people.

In many Pentecostal churches the lame walked, the blind saw, the deaf heard, and many people’s teeth were filled. Often 2,000 to 3,000 attended meetings. In one evangelical church over 15,000 people accepted Christ in three months. A Baptist pastor reported signs and wonders occurring continuously with many former atheists and communists testifying to God’s power. So many were converted that churches could not hold them; they met in various house churches.

In 1990, an Assemblies of God pastor in Cuba with a small congregation of less than 100 people meeting once a week suddenly found he was conducting 12 services a day for 7,000 people. They started waiting in line at 2 a.m. and even broke down doors just to get into the meetings (Robinson 1992, 14).

© Geoff Waugh. Used by permission.