Mohician worship

Well, it is official. Week #1 of Engage DTS has come to a close!

This week we had Donna Jordan speaking on "Hearing the Voice of God."
It's been an intense week. We've had students recognizing Jesus as Lord of their lives, hearing/recognizing the voice of the Lord for the first time, and a time of repentance at the cross to confess any sin that would try to hinder our walk with the Lord any longer. Like I said; it's been intense and it's been fast.

My highlight of the week was having a surprise worship-turned-ministry session with Jonathan Maracle. He's a Mohawk Indian who has been using his unique music style to remind Native American's of their heritage and that as God's creations, they can use their traditions and music to glorify and worship the Lord.

As a Canadian, I grew up hearing about the Natives and the ways they have been mistreated. It broke my heart, and left me curious about all their traditions and  fascinated with what I did learn (thank you Mum!). So it was a really special experience for me to be able to praise God through Native worship music.
I also learned so much more about the specific ways that the Natives have been mistreated. It truly broke my heart to hear the reality of the effects of their mistreatment. But through this brokenness, God has begun to speak to me about the importance of recognizing myself and everyone around me as the precious creation He has made them to be.

"White man's religion" (sadly, Christianity) has way too often, been used as a means for control and manipulation over honest and trusting people. In regards to the Native Americans; we told them that to serve God; they would no longer be Natives and would have to forego their identity as Natives and their traditions in order to worship God.

But the reality is, that God made each of us, both as individuals and people groups, unique and in His image. So to ask one person or group to conform to look like "us," is really idolizing ourselves and saying that "we" are the one true representation of God and are the only ones capable of pleasing Him through our worship.

Thankfully, God doesn't allow our arrogance to last too long. I believe that He is stirring up the nations, people groups and individuals to once again recognize that they are made in Christs image, and as His beautiful creations, each one of their expressions of worship are dear to the Father.

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!" - Revelation 7:9-10

Much love,
Becca

P.S. Please be praying for Jonathan Maracle and his group "Broken Walls" as they are on the forefront of bringing this revelation to Native tribes all around the world, through their fusion of Native-style worship music.