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.