"Occupy til I come"

Ministering to our Native American people is both challenging and rewarding. What a tremendous opportunity we have to share Christ with our people. The native people are very religious people;  in fact, they are very sincere in regards to worshiping their gods extensively. They are so rooted in their native religion that it hinders them from accepting and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, who is the only true God of the universe. I can identify with the words utter by the Apostle Paul to his own people in Romans 10:1-4, he said, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel (The Navajos) is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth."  Christ came to earth born of a virgin, grew up and 30 years later He died a substitutionary death in our place on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. He is the only way of salvation. When we acknowledge our sinfulness, that we are spiritual bankrupt and we realize our need for a Savior.  We receive Him as our Lord and Savior, He redeems and reconciles us back to God, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9. 

The advantage we have of ministering to our native community is that we know our people, their language, their way of life, the food they eat and numerous attributes. Therefore, we do not have to change or learn about the culture to minister to them, like our non-native missionary brothers and sisters in Christ have done.

However, I thank and praise the Lord for the missionaries who have responded to God's calling and coming among us to present the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many have initiated frontier and foundational missionary work in the early days, as when they established churches by teaching us the true doctrine that build us up in the body of Christ. They have effectively discipled us by their example. Many native believers have become missionaries, pastors and youth workers and are now serving fulltime in the ministry. Some have ministered in foreign and even third world countries. Please pray that more will develop a sensitive heart to serve in other countries. 

My prayer is that we maintain a faithful attitude to the task that God has called us to accomplish. My desire is that we remain faithful until we go meet Him or until He comes for us. We want to heed His words, "Occupy til I come."