Southwestern Union Record

In Revelation 14:6, we see the Second Angel bearing “the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. . .” The pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church took the evangelistic mandate very seriously and to this day, men and women heed the call to spread the gospel to the four corners of the earth. But it is not only outside the confines of the North American Division that mission work occurs.

In the United States alone, there are 565 federally recognized Native American tribes. There are hundreds more who are not recognized but nevertheless have their own distinct culture. While applauding the efforts of those who leave our borders to work with people of different backgrounds in other countries, Native Ministries works to remind others that there is still mission work to be done here. Because of the high concentration of Native Americans in Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Mexico, many get the impression that these are the only states where outreach to the original inhabitants of the United States is possible. In fact, within 25 miles of every Tribal Nation, there is a Seventh-day Adventist Church.

One of the advantages in working with Native Americans is that, to a large degree, even those on the reservations are familiar with Western culture. While many still speak their ancestral language, there are few who do not speak English. However, many still hold to the culture and practices of their ancestors, so familiarization with local customs is helpful. Another challenge in working with Native peoples is their distrust of outsiders. Due to the treatment that the various tribes have received over the years from government agencies, they are often wary of those not part of their tribe. To overcome these obstacles, we must work as Jesus did. In the book Gospel Workers, Ellen White shares the secret to Jesus’ success in reaching people. “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’ If conversion is our only goal, they will discern this and our efforts will be in vain. If, however, we minister as the Savior ministered to those in His day, they may very well accept Him.”

While there are many avenues that a person can take to minister to Native peoples around them, there is one area that has proven extremely successful: the health message. The ancestors of today’s Native Americans were primarily hunters and gatherers. Physical activity was a constant in their lives and their diet was simple. Today’s Western diet has brought many health problems to everyone living in North America, but the tribes have been especially hard hit. Obesity and diabetes are rampant throughout the Native population and affect every age group. Many tribal leaders are familiar with the Adventist health message and one of Native Ministry’s primary goals is propagating this life-saving information. Generally, this has meant teaching national tribal leaders, and then the leaders share information down the different levels until it reaches the individual.

In order to minister more effectively, we need churches and individuals who will learn how to teach and share this information locally. While we desire to see people be made whole physically, our deepest desire is that they be made whole spiritually as well. Native Ministries has worked in various locations in Oklahoma. We’ve held Diabetes Prevention Camps for young people, health fairs, community cleanup and repair projects in high Native population areas, and other programs that minister to the needs of the individual tribal members. On occasion, we’ve partnered with the American Diabetes Association and helped with their events. Several churches and individuals have helped us with these projects and now we are ready to move ahead boldly. In addition to Native programs happening in Oklahoma and other conferences in our union, the Texico Conference is partnering with the Arizona, Nevada-Utah, and Rocky Mountain conferences to reach the Diné (Navajo), the largest federally-recognized tribe in the United States.

We’ve asked the Lord to “increase our territory” as Jabez did in 1 Chronicles 4:10. The tribes are more open than they have ever been in the past. The time to share the gospel is now. We see exciting things as we begin the New Year. Perhaps you would like to be a missionary without having to travel to a distant land. If Native Ministries can help you accomplish this, we encourage you to contact your local conference. The desire of the Native Ministries department is to equip you to reach people of every nation, kindred, tongue, and tribe for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.