Dear Friend of Society of Indian Missions,
Many people have come and have given their time and treasure to minister to Native communities through the auspices of the Society of Indian Mission for 73 years! Forty two years ago Kristal and I were offered the opportunity to pastor the St Francis Chapel. After 18 years of working in the Mission and 24 years of doing Missions in other parts of the world, I can tell you it’s good to be back. Our homecoming began with an invitation to serve as a boardmember and evolved into a year as interim President in 2025. In May of this year I was elected by the Board of Directors to be the President of the Society of Indian Missions.
I would like to share with you my vision (Proverbs 29:18) for this Missionary organization.
It is generally understood that organizations over the years can evolve from operating in advancement mode to operating in maintenance mode. Advancement mode is advancing into new territory, over-coming problem areas, thinking, creating and organizing paying attention to opportunities. Maintenance mode includes focusing on stability, maintaining status quo, not pushing the boundries, playing it safe. The mindset of the first is change which is totally opposite of the mindset of the second which is protect what has been! Whether this Mission is in maintenance mode or not I am not here to determine. I am however determined that the cause of Christ is to be advanced in Native communities as aggressivly as possible. We are told “…the night cometh, when no man can work”! (John 9:4)
Is the need for missionaries as real today as it was back in the day? As we sat in Board meeting this past month, we met with a number of Native Christians. Two of them practically begged us to send them a pastor for their church. This was as exciting as it was challenging! Not only were they asking for pastors, but we also have three other chapels that have no one to keep the doors open. Community people still claim these chapels as their church even though they have not had anyone to minister in them for years. Besides that, there are over 500 federally recognized Indian reservations in the US we are working on two. With these kind of opportunities we cannot devolve into maintenance mode.
Let’s grow! The problems will be multiplied but the rewards will be amazing!
The Society of Indian Missions has operated as a faith-based organization for the 73 years of its existence. It operates in response to faith in the Bible which gives us our message, our mandate, our motivation and our methods of operation. The Bible is a missionary’s book! I believe we can go forward in faith, standing on the promises of God! May God help us to advance His Kingdom according to His will revealed through Biblical principles. God still wants to save Native people. One issue though that comes up while working with Native people is the subject of culture. There is a drift among ministries to Native people to allow more of a mixture of Native culture and Christianity. I do not believe that all Native culture is bad. I do believe, there are aspects of all cultures from which we must separate from, and a Kingdom culture that we must be separated unto. It is my firm belief that promoting God’s Kingdom Culture is the best way to deal with the cultural issue. We have seen some glorious conversions in the past and we are trusting for more in the present.
It seems odd to say that trusting God and His Word is a calculated risk until we realize that not trusting God is the greater risk. The reality is to advance the Gospel among Native communities we are going to have to take faith risks!
Let’s trust God and His Word! We understand that risk will be required but the returns will be amazing!
$675,000 Dollars
After carefully going over the financial needs of the mission this is the budget number that we need to raise in this next fiscal year in order to keep moving forward. Does our budget reflect the passion to advance the Gospel as aggressivly as possible? I think it does, here is how:
- An amount of Money was budgeted to hire two new staff families.
- An amount of Money was budgeted to repair our buildings that are falling apart.
- Amounts were budgeted for mission/ missionary funding, as well as staff resources were increased to provide for staff needs.
- We are seeking to hire someone to go on the road to represent the Mission to churches, camps, youth camps and Bible schools. In traveling for the mission this past year I have come to realize that the Society of Indian Missions is not known among high school and college aged young people. This will have to change because if we are to continue, we need generational awareness. This will also create awareness of the Mission.
There are three things that we are looking for in a PR person.
- First, is to make the constituency aware of the existence of the Mission.
- Second, to keep the financial needs before the people.
- Third, to create a bond of being co-laborers together through united prayer. The opportunities for networking are seemingly endless.
Let’s invest! Sure, it’s a large investment, but the returns will be amazing!
Thank you for the opportunity to share this vision with you!
