“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19 NIV)
I returned from a Missions trip to the most northern part of the Navajo Nation. There were 17 of us from the church. We partnered with the Clear Water Project (www.theclearwaterproject.com) and some men from the I6eight ministry (i6eight.org) and in less than 17 hours we repainted the Navajo Mountain Alliance church that was built over 50 years ago, and constructed a freestanding (and their first) bathroom facility that includes public showers and a washer and dryer! Thanks to the work of the Clear Water Project, the church will have running water for the first time in its history!
Our team was warmly welcomed. The people fed us well, including Navajo Tacos! God deeply touched my heart and spirit while I was there, and I will never be the same again. It was a unique and emotionally stirring experience for me as I felt like I had left the United States and entered a third-world country hidden within the borders of the U.S. The Navajo (Dene') people live in a nation within a nation, and as with too many Native American tribes, they are often overlooked and ignored. Churches tend to focus their Missions budget on nations outside of the USA rather than within.
The Navajo Nation is the largest Native American tribe in the United States. It consists of just under 400,000 enrolled members, with the largest land area retained in the United States, covering over 27,425 square miles in portions of northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico. The area of the reservation is greater than that of the states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont combined. The land is a remote and desolate desert region, but its beauty is remarkable.
The Navajo people have continuously lived on the land of their ancestors, and their culture has been uniquely preserved. Many Tribal Elders still speak in their beautiful native language. The Sunday morning message was given in both English and the Navajo language.
Most homes and churches do not have electricity, telephones, or running water, so they use outhouses. Roads remain unpaved, and population centers are clusters of sparse housing around schools, hospitals, and trading posts. Many Navajos remain impoverished and unemployed. Navajo families often struggle to afford essential maintenance and repairs on their homes. The current annual median income is less than $20,000 per household, yet the Navajo people have strong family (Clan) bonds and a rich cultural and spiritual heritage. Their daily life is primarily based on small-scale farming and ranching.
One in every 2,500 children in the Navajo population inherits Severe Combined ImmunoDeficiency (SCID). This genetic disorder is 40 times greater than the general population of the USA and results in births of children with virtually no immune system and is a significant cause of illness and death among Navajo children.
The Covid-19 pandemic brutally struck the Navajo Nation in March 2020. It quickly spread among the people causing the nation to have the third highest infection rate in the USA. By February 2022, there were over 50,000 confirmed cases with 1,600+ deaths from the virus. Great fear spread across the land, and church congregations have been decimated. Covid is clearly a curse that the enemy is using to hinder the spread of the Gospel.
Navajo young people have become more westernized over the years, thanks (?) in part to the internet. Yet, a dramatic interest has begun in returning to their native roots and traditions, including religious beliefs. There has never been a greater time to spread the Gospel message of the saving and transforming power of Jesus than now.
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14 ESV)
I am sharing this message to challenge the reader, and their congregation, to partner with a church on a reservation that is reaching their tribe for Jesus. Native Americans were the first residents here for thousands of years and have been the brutal recipients of genuine racism, hatred, and bigotry. As a result, too many Native Americans view Christianity as "the white man's religion" and shun the church because they view the people there as sellouts to their heritage and traditions. This poses significant challenges for churches and Pastors to spread the Good News to every tribe, tongue, and nation.
By coming alongside a Native American church that is serving their tribal community, you will provide much-needed encouragement to the Believers there and share the love of God through acts of service, which can have an exponential effect to help draw more Native American people into the body of Christ.
Please pray for Dan and Leroy, the Pastors of Navajo Mountain Alliance Church. They both had retired after decades of church service, but God called them back to pastor this church together. Also, pray against the enemy and his minions as they use fear in the attempt to thwart the Great News of Jesus Christ across the Navajo Nation.
“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:4 ESV)
