The speaker was from Cuba - Bishop Pereira. Methodist Bishop in Cuba for over 15 years. During that time the Methodist Church went from the verge of extinction to thriving with hundreds of new churches growing rapidly throughout Cuba. What a miracle. But, how did it happen?

Bishop Pereira tells of a woman he met shortly after becoming Bishop. Introducing herself as a Communist Official, she immediately started poking a finger in his chest and promised that within five years, his churches would disappear. Several years later, he noticed that same official in the front row of one of his churches during a worship service. This same communist official who threatened to close every church in Cuba gave her testimony about how God changed her life through the Methodist church.

In 1975 there were only a few Methodist churches in Cuba and possibly less than 500 Methodists. In 2000 there were 136 churches and just over 10,000 Methodists. In 2012 there are 361 churches and more than 30,000 Methodists. This is a miracle.

Today, people come to him and ask how to become a pastor. His answer is always the same: "Go and start a church and then we will talk about you becoming a pastor." Then Bishop Pereira smiled and said: "Here is the best part. They do it. They start a church and ask what to do next?"

Is the Communist Government in Cuba allowing that many church buildings? No! There are only a few old church buildings left and it is extremely difficult to build new churches. Bishop Pereira said, "Our churches are formed in homes, in fields or wherever Methodists can meet." Then he smiled and added, "But make no mistake. They are churches. They have Sunday school, they study the Bible, they worship with intensity and lives are being changed by Jesus Christ every day."

We saw a video of their last annual conference which is intended to be more of a meeting than worship but they were interrupted by someone who needed healing. So what did they do? They stopped the proceedings and immediately held a mass healing service.

Bishop Pereira pointed out that we are too attached to our buildings so that we miss opportunities to be the church serving the community and led by the power of the Holy Spirit. He said: "Every church in America should have people who want to be pastors who could be starting churches within churches. They do not need buildings. They need encouragement through the power of the Holy Spirit."

"If we are being the church within our community, people will do more to serve our Lord, Jesus Christ. We can invite people to our homes: Form a Bible study or a prayer group." At the end of the service, Bishop Pereira then said: "God can and will do miracles within our churches but we must do our part."

I left worship inspired by the words and the stories of Bishop Pereira but more importantly I realized our need as the church to more fully rely on God. My devotional reading, the next day included this passage from the Gospel of Mark:

Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets."

Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah." (Mark 8:27-29)

Jesus is asking us the same question: "Who do people say that I am?" We know the answer. We have been taught and still teach all the right things to say and do as followers of Jesus Christ.

But then Jesus asks: "But who do you say I am?"

Bishop Pereira would challenge us to answer with boldness and move from belief to faith to action. If we truly believe then we will have faith that Jesus will guide our churches into the future. We will then boldly act on those beliefs as guided by the Holy Spirit. "You are the Messiah!"

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
                                                            - Shannon Blair Poque