Cultural Issues Statement

As a partner with Center for Indian Ministries, we align with their adopted Cultural issues Statement:

  • We value the dynamic moral beliefs held by our Native people, as well as the diversity of languages and tribal histories that give us our identities as Native Americans. We affirm that there are many good traditional values within our Native cultures, which enhance the lives of both Christians and non-Christians, such as love and respect for elders, family, language, arts, crafts, and hospitality. Our Native worldviews, however, include beliefs that are clearly inconsistent with biblical revelation. Therefore, as Christians:

    1. We acknowledge the supreme and absolute authority of the Scripture, which is the divine revelation of God to man. (II Tim. 3:16)

    2. We honor the triune God as the Creator who is above any created thing and worship only Him. (Gen. 1:1, 26; John 1:1-3)

    3. We believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as the basis of our salvation; we cannot add anything to that work to improve our relationship with God. (Eph. 1:19-21; Gal. 2:16)

    4. When we walk in the Spirit we will not be a stumbling block to our Christian brethren in other cultures, or hinder our witness within our own culture through the practice of and participation in unbiblical cultural activities that grieve the heart of God. (Gal. 5:16, Eph. 5:11-12, I Cor. 8:9, II Cor. 6:14-18, Rom. 15:2, Gal. 5:1)

    5. We encourage the spiritual unity of the Body of Christ based on Scripture and love for all the brethren across cultural and tribal boundaries. (Eph. 4:2-3)

    We acknowledge that some of our cultural concepts have religious connotations that are different from one tribe to another. A Native Christian who obeys God’s Word and follows the leading of the Holy Spirit, and who is accountable to the elders of the local church, will discern through prayer what is good and evil in his Native culture.

    The evil should be renounced and forsaken, such as the current issue of bringing ceremonial drums, smudging, and ceremonial dancing into the worship of the Christian church. When these elements of idolatry are blended with true Christian worship, this is syncretism.

    Even non-Christian traditional Native religious leaders believe syncretism is a desecration of their religious practices because in many tribes they pray to the ceremonial drums, use smudging as a medium for spiritual cleansing, and use ceremonial dancing to connect with the spirit world. A true disciple of Christ should avoid any form of idolatry and syncretism because such is forbidden in Scripture. (Ex. 20:3-5, I Thess. 1:9, Acts 26:18, Rom. 6:21-22, Eph. 6:10-17, Col. 1:13, I Peter 5:8-9)

    This statement was originally published by Christian Hope Indian Eskimo Fellowship (CHIEF). Used by permission. For more information about CHIEF or to request a copy of the statement in brochure form, visit www.chief.org or call (602) 482-0828.

    1. God

      We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

    2. The Bible

      We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

    3. The Human Condition

      We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.

    4. Jesus Christ

      We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel's promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

    5. The Work of Christ

      We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

    6. The Holy Spirit

      We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

    7. The Church

      We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.

    8. Christian Living

      We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

    9. Christ’s Return

      We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

    10. Response and Eternal Destiny

      We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.