In this final episode in this special interview series with Dr. Vern Charette, Craig and Vern continue their vibrant discussion on the authority and sufficiency of Scripture and how those realities affect theology and doctrine.  To arrive at what is the real truth Scripture speaks of involves an important process of interpretation called hermeneutics.  While affirming that there are many ways to interpret biblical text, and from that, arrive at different conclusions and convictions, both Craig and Vern stand committed to the historically proven hermeneutic that helps the Bible student arrive at the original intent God was intending to convey to the reader and what He wanted them to take away from the passage.  All this ties directly into the materials which they will be presenting at the upcoming International Indigenous Faith Training Conference scheduled for August 10-13 at Oak Hills Christian College in Bemidji, MN.  Craig and LaDonna and Dr. Charette extend to you a special invitation to attend and learn some fascinating insights on how to live biblically healthy Indigenous Faith lives in the context of any Indigenous culture or community.  Time is running short on the registration window, so please, if you are considering attending, sign up as soon as possible to reserve your spot!  Until then, please sit back, listen, and enjoy the dialogue between these two men who are committed to the timeless truths of God's Holy Word.  It continues to be fascinating dialogue that while going deep into some important theological woods, is presented in a way that everyone will enjoy the journey!  May these podcast episodes whet your appetite for more, which will be in abundance at the conference to come!  Thanks for spending time with us today!  See you soon!

In this second episode in the special Dr. Vern Charette series, Craig and Vern continue their discussion on their spiritual journeys and where their studies of God's Word have taken them in establishing important theological positions that have shaped their lives and ministries.  After a strong endorsement and encouragement from Vern on what he has read and heard through Craig and LaDonna's teaching on issues like Indigenous Faith, Vern continues to explain how good theology can only be arrived at from a high view of Scripture.  You will be able to see and hear how their dialogue, while spontaneous and not rehearsed, flowed so easily because of being on the same page and of the same heart and convictions.  It could almost be said each one was greatly encouraged and refreshed by the other, because so many colleagues and friends in ministry have shifted from positions coming from a desire to know the original intent of what biblical passages were meant to say to more current trends that, as Vern describes, ignores the sufficiency of Scripture to speak to the issues of the day.  Want to experience the fastest 30 minutes of your day?   Then join  Craig and Vern as they continue their inspiring visit on this week's edition of Indigenous Faith!  Welcome aboard!

In this special edition of Indigenous Faith, Craig and LaDonna Smith welcome Dr. Vern Charette, Ph.D to the program.  In anticipation of their upcoming International Indigenous Faith Training Conference for Indigenous Christian Leaders and Those Who Work Among Them, Craig and Vern begin a wonderful dialogue of two hearts that are in sync, both tribally and theologically.  Vern's tribal roots are the same as Craig's roots, on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota.  While their educational and ministry routes have been different they both have arrived at theological convictions that are based on a high view of Scripture and a heart's desire to see Indigenous people live biblically healthy lives in the context of their cultures and communities.  Dr. Charette will be joining Craig and LaDonna in presenting the teaching and preaching content at this strategic training event on the campus of Oak Hills Christian College in Bemidji, MN on August 10-13, 2022.  To learn more and to register online for this exciting event, go to tribalrescue.com.  Vern and the Smiths will also be joined on the platform musically by a wonderful Native couple, Randy and Evangeline Jackson, as they lead worship and offer up special music that has won the hearts of Native and non-Native people throughout North America.  Be sure to listen to all three parts of this wonderful visit between to hearts that beat in sync with the Word of God as Craig and Dr. Vern Charette put the cookies on the bottom shelf for everyone to access and enjoy!  Thanks for joining Craig and LaDonna once again on this edition of Indigenous Faith! 

In today's episode, Craig and LaDonna Smith bring to a conclusion their four part series on the Doctrine of Holiness.  If you've been with them throughout this series, I'm sure you've been amazed at what the Bible has to say about the holiness of God and God's call to His followers to be holy as well.  Holiness is the embodiment of all that God is and does.  But us?  Holiness is not something that comes automatically or easy, in that it always, in this life, will have an enemy who pushes up against us in any attempts we make at living holy lives.  But God, in His graciousness understands, and chooses to give us power to do so through His indwelling Spirit.  Holiness is crucial to living a biblically healthy Indigenous Faith without compromise.  As this series comes to an end, Craig helps us understand how the Redeeming of Culture philosophy of teaching that is being promoted today by some in evangelical Native ministry pushes up against biblical truth in a number of ways that only leads to confusion and compromise.  The Smith's prayer is that their listeners will understand how important holiness is to understanding how to live lives pleasing to the Lord in this present evil age.   And as was said at the very beginning, the holy living God is calling us to live out is all based upon His holiness, enabled by His empowering Spirit and based on His timeless Word!  Remember, without holiness, no one can see the Lord!

As Craig and LaDonna Smith continue their important journey into the Doctrine of Holiness, they continue to unpack for us all that the holiness of God enables Him to do on our behalf.  Without God's holiness, which sits at the grand center of the gospel, there would be no such things as the moral law of God, nor any divine anger with sin, a final defeat of Satan, and no hope of a new heaven and earth where holiness will rule and reign.  All important truths for sure.  Also, the holiness of God provides us great comfort but also brings great rebuke because of our own unholiness and 'undoneness.'  As you can see, this isn't some small item, this Doctrine of Holiness.  And it's important for us to understand every facet of this truth if we are to live out an Indigenous Faith that is pleasing to God.  So let's once again come to the banquet table of the Lord as laid out in His Holy Word as the Smiths continue to present this timely teaching about God's holiness and His call to us to live holy lives as well.

In this second installment of the Smith's teaching series on the Doctrine of Holiness, Craig and LaDonna introduce us to some wonderful insights from contemporary and historical Christian leaders who have themselves experienced the reality of holiness in their own lives.  These insights are presented not to replace biblical truth, but to support it in some very powerful ways.  Just as we sit under the instruction of our local pastors and teachers, we can and must learn from the truths that have been experienced by godly leaders who are call by God's Word to teach others also.  You'll be blessed to hear how holiness has impacted these leaders, and benefit from the unique ways they put into words what the Spirit of God is teaching them from the Word of God.  All this to help us become grounded in our faith in Christ and learn how to live godly and holy lives in this troubled world.  So Craig and LaDonna invite you to join them in this continued look into one of the most critical theological concepts that will help build a strong Indigenous Faith.  The Doctrine of Holiness is once again the focus of their timely series.  

Today, Craig and LaDonna Smith return to their series on The Who, What, and Why of Scripture.  This series focuses on one of the most important doctrines in all of Scripture, the doctrine of Holiness.  Because, as the Scriptures teaches, without holiness, you cannot see the Lord!  As they introduce this important concept, the Smiths uncover two different yet interdependent aspects of holiness, and you can't have one without the other.  Another key component you will learn about is the doctrine of Separation, which is such an integral part of the larger picture of holiness.  You'll be reminded that separation does not mean living in a cave somewhere isolated from the world,  because we are called to be salt and light to a lost and unsaved world.  Many in our families, our friendships, and so many  in our communities are still lost, without hope, and without God in this world, and Jesus is coming back soon!  We don't have much time left to win people to Christ.  So we must engage the culture, engage the community, and represent Christ well.  But how will a lost world be drawn to a Savior we say can make such a difference in our lives if we are not living lives that demonstrate the transformational work that only Christ can provide?  No, separation is not isolation from the world, but separation from the way the world acts and lives!  We are to let our lights so shine that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven!  And this doctrine of Separation is critical to getting that right!  Craig and LaDonna invite you to come to the table of the Lord today and feast with them in this and in upcoming episodes as they address this crucial and important doctrine that will help build a strong and lasting Indigenous Faith.  So, once again, welcome aboard!

In the first two parts of this series, Craig opened wide his heart in a message he preached in early May titled Establishing a Biblically Healthy Indigenous Faith, at the Billy Graham sponsored First Peoples Christian Leaders Conference in Rapid City, SD.  If you haven’t heard the first two parts of this message, we’d strongly encourage you to do so before listening to this third and final part.  That way, the whole of the message will come through loud and clear.   In the first two episodes, Craig discussed the redemptive role every Indigenous people group has been given by God to be His mouthpieces at strategic times in human history.  History itself affirms the reality that God had done just that through many Indigenous people groups already.  Could it be that soon, the same thing will happen here in North America as well?  That’s been the prayer of Craig and LaDonna Smith in their over forty years they've been serving the Lord among their people.  It’s crucially important to not just win Indigenous people to Christ, but to disciple them to spiritual maturity wherever and whenever our people respond by faith to Christ.  And there are some unique challenges to doing so because not a lot of time and attention has been given to address the strong animism and spiritism of our old ways that still permeate our cultures today.  In today’s wrap up, Craig shares the amazing story of a former Navajo medicine man, Pete Greyeyes and the salvation, healing, and deliverance he and his wife, Rena, found when they gave their lives to Christ.  Pete's story illustrates the unique challenges the Smiths Indigenous Faith materials addresses to help Indigenous believers in Christ know how to address these powerful issues in their lives and cultures.  In fact, much of the Indigenous Faith materials the Smiths have developed has come from both the Scriptures, and sitting at the feet of mentors like Pete Greyeyes and other first generation believers in Christ who came out of dark animism and who spoke with great authority and experience embedded in their past spiritistic lives and vocations.  These are important days, and we must not delay in teaching and equipping Indigenous believers in knowing how to follow Christ without compromise in all these issues.  It's a mantle that Craig and LaDonna Smith have committed to carry as long as the Lord gives them breath!

In today's episode,  Craig presents part two of the foundational message he presented recently at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association sponsored First Peoples Christian Leader’s Conference in Rapid City, SD.   While Scripture affirms Indigenous people are to play a redemptive role in proclaiming the gospel to the specific locations God has placed them in, sometimes history wants to argue just the opposite.  How can North American Indigenous people play any kind of redemptive role in these last days when it’s been our people who have been historically the resistant ones to the gospel message itself?  It’s tough questions like these that Craig desires to respond to from the pages of God’s Word.  In this second installment of his recorded message titled, Establishing a Biblically Healthy Indigenous Faith, Craig starts delving into how the Body of Christ needs to respond today to increase, and not decrease, its efforts in reaching and discipling Indigenous people here in North America with greater intentionality and efforts that are birthed and bathed in prayer and total dependance on the power of the Holy Spirit.  Come to today's message with an open heart and mind to the principles found in God's Word, and in the application of those truths to today's North American Indigenous experience!

Coming off our special episode featuring Will Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association sponsored First Peoples Christian Leader's Conference in Rapid City, SD.,  Craig and LaDonna take us into that conference in a three part series that presents Craig's message on discipling Native Americans he titled, Establishing a Biblically Healthy Indigenous Faith.  In session one, Craig shares the Smiths personal story that has brought them through great trials and suffering in order to share this message at this unique event.  Craig reminds the audience of Will's grandfather, Dr. Billy Graham's visionary statement made back in 1975 about Native America being a sleeping giant for Christ, and if and when that giant awakens, could be the leaders of sharing the gospel in North America and beyond should God grant a last days revival.  Dr. Graham's statement, Craig shared, is rooted deeply in the Scriptures.  Specifically in Acts 17:26-27.  Along with that biblical foundation, Craig shares a personal story on his visit to the Otavala Indians of Ecuador some years back.  This tribe, which had been historically resistant to the gospel, all of a sudden experienced what only can be described as a move of God's Spirit that led thousands of Otavala Indians to come to Christ and hundreds of C&MA churches established among them.  When one sees firsthand such a miraculous move of God among another tribal people, it gives great hope to see the Lord do the same among North America's Indigenous people.  But its not just about reaching tribal people for Christ, they must become committed followers of Christ and the only way to make that happen is good thorough discipleship equipping of each believer.  This is where Craig begins to address the missing link in the discipleship materials available to the church today.  None of which address the key issues of dealing with past animism among tribal people.  And that's why Craig and LaDonna have developed their Indigenous Faith materials to help fill that gap.  The next two sessions are crucial to understanding how a biblically healthy life is possible for former animists and spiritists who are sold out to Christ.  Session One whets your whistle while episodes 2 & 3 brings the firehose!  Stay tuned, dear friend, and don't miss a single episode of this important foundational teaching.  You'll be glad you experienced all three episodes of Establishing a Biblically Healthy Indigenous Faith!