Photo credit: Dennis Nett/The Post-Standard

The Wesleyan Chapel Among the Onondagas, in Syracuse, NY, was destroyed by fire on Sunday, July 5 at about 8:30 a.m. A United Methodist Church nearby also sustained fire damage.

Two teens from the Onondaga Nation were arrested and charged with robbery and arson. The Wesleyan Chapel building was deemed a total loss and part of it was bulldozed later in the day.

Please pray for Pastor Sandy Sinesi and the congregation, as well as the alleged arsonists and their families.

In the coming days we’ll have more information on how individuals and churches can help.

Here are links to local TV and newspaper coverage of the fire:

July 13, 2009: “Onondaga Nation church members keep worshipping after fire” – Post-Standard.

July 10, 2009: “Services relocate after arson ruins Wesleyan Chapel on Onondaga Nation” – Post-Standard.

July 5, 2009: “Two Onondaga Nation teens charged with setting fire to two churches” – Post-Standard.

Larry Marshall remains hospitalized in critical care at Rapid City Regional Hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries in a well drilling accident.  He is awaiting transfer to a hospital in Denver for further treatment.  You can stay informed of his progress by visiting his Caring Bridge website.

Please pray for Candice LaFontaine, a Native ministry leader at Hayward Wesleyan Church in Hayward, WI.  Her husband John died on Easter weekend from a brain tumor.  She recently gave birth to twin girls.  One of the girls was admitted to the hospital last night and had surgery on her esophagus today.

This is the third article in a series featuring my notes from Native ministry leaders who spoke at The Gathering of The Nations 2009 on May 16, 2009 in Crystal Lake, IL. This week, we hear from Rev. Huron Claus, the executive director of CHIEF (Christian Hope Indian Eskimo Fellowship), located in Phoenix, AZ. - Rich Avery

Rev. Huron Claus - CHIEF

In the Native church, the greatest need is leadership development.  We need leaders that will last.

Just like the apostle Paul illustrated in 2 Timothy 4:6-7, we need men and women of God who have fought the good fight, finished the course and kept the faith.

But before we can equip godly leaders, we need to make disciples.  Luke 14:25-35 describes the hallmarks of a true disciple:

1. Total Love – Jesus is calling men and women to have total love and devotion to Him.  Before family, before our own lives…we give it all to God.
2. Total Sacrifice – we count the cost.
3. Total Surrender – give it all to the Lord.

But before we can make disciples, we need to develop redemptive relationships.  Barnabas illustrates this in Acts chapter 9.  He does three things for Saul, who becomes the Apostle Paul:

1. Barnabas took hold of Paul.  We need to build a relationship with Native people.  Then communicate the intimacy we’ve experienced… express what God has been doing in your life.
2. He brings Paul into fellowship with the body of Christ.  We need to connect Natives into relationships and into the fellowship of the body of Christ.
3. He describes what God did in Saul’s life…God revealed Himself to Paul on the road.  One of the greatest needs in Native communities is to help people understand their spiritual identity in Christ.

If Native people can truly grasp who they are in Christ, and understand what God wants to do in them and through them, their lives are truly changed.  They’re on the way to becoming true disciples…and eventually, godly leaders.