Cuba Conference on the Holy Spirit

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Published: Monday, 11 June 2012 10:16

My dear brother and co-laborer in Christ, Garry Morrison and I have just returned from Holguin, Cuba. Once again, we were given the blessed privilege and responsibility to teach hundreds of Baptist church planters, house church leaders, pastors and other lay leaders on the topic of “The New Covenant Promise of the Holy Spirit”. Of course, as I spent a few hundred hours studying this infinite theme of the Holy Spirit, in preparation for this conference, I quickly realized that I was only going to be able to touch the hem of the garment of this vast subject on the 3rd Person of the Trinity! I had to limit my teaching to 12 sessions, which was about 18 hours of teaching. So after much prayer and preparation, I came to the conclusion that the following particular themes would be the most needed for this particular conference.

• “The Importance Of Studying The Holy Spirit” 
• “The Deity And Personality Of The Holy Spirit”; 
• “The Miraculous Regenerating Work Of The Holy Spirit” 
• “The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit - 2 intense sessions 
• “The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit” - 4 sessions

All of the leadership among the pastors and missionaries were individually, as well as jointly, testifying that these specific themes have come to us, “by Divine appointment, for such a time as this.” Presently, there is a slight opening of the doors for others to enter into communist Cuba. As this occurs, Baptist pastors and their congregations are already realizing that many ‘winds of false doctrine’ are beginning to blow from other denominations; and those deceptive doctrines are already attempting to blow on the periphery of the Eastern Baptist Convention.

Those who give leadership over the missionaries were testifying that this is God’s perfect timing for these young men and women to be rooted and grounded in sound doctrines, concerning the Person and the Work of the precious Holy Spirit! Maranatha Baptist Church, the sight of this annual conference, was filled to overflowing with these young men and women, who have given their lives for church planting. These church planters and cell group leaders were hanging onto every word throughout each session; and many of them were writing extra notes in their workbooks, as fast as they could. Of course, by necessity, some of the sessions were polemic in nature, because we were exposing false teaching concerning the Holy Spirit; and replacing it with sound doctrine concerning His Person and His activities. But there were also sessions that were very personal in nature, as in the sessions that were taught on the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit to the body of Christ.