This event, co-sponsored by Wiconi International, which exists to see indigenous people come to faith and life in Jesus Christ and to fulfill their God-given place in the body of Christ worldwide, explored indigenous ministry among First Nations people and the unique voice with which pre-modern people groups can speak into a post-modern culture for the sake of Christ.
The conference featured President of Wiconi International, Richard Twiss, whose heart is one of openness to God’s Spirit in regards to using indigenous cultural forms, filled with Christ-centered meaning, to reach Native people and Anglos alike for Christ. Such an approach to indigenous cultural forms has largely been lacking in Native outreach in North America. Just as in Biblical times where people were oppressed beneath the weight of non-biblical tradition, so too, First Nations people have often been oppressed by the syncretistic imposition of Western culture on the Gospel – all in the name of Christ! This is not an isolated affair. Other people groups worldwide have experienced similar forms of oppression.
As the saying goes, we now live in a global village where the world lives at our doorstep. This conference asked how the church ought to respond to the huge challenges brought about as our churches become more ethnically and culturally diverse. Today’s church leaders were exhorted to rise to the challenge and pray, think and work through these issues together with an eye toward cultural sensitivity, biblical integrity, genuine unity and our future hope in Christ.
Along with Richard Twiss and Paul Metzger, the conference included Terry LeBlanc from the Mi’kmaq Nation, Ray Aldred from the Cree Nation and Cheryl Barnetson from the Carrier Nation. They helped us tackle the following themes: a theology of culture, biblical worldview, dangers of syncretism and relativism, cultural sensitivity, indigenous hymnody/ praise & worship, the emerging indigenous world missions movement, changing paradigms in Native ministry and the impact of a First Nations worldview in a postmodern culture.