The American church is incomplete when it overlooks the gifts and perspectives of its country’s native people. This CT webinar brings together a dynamic panel of indigenous Christian leaders to reflect on the blessings and challenges of navigating their Native American identity. What are key concerns for ministry leaders serving indigenous communities, and how should Christians respond to trends such as land acknowledgments or to recent headlines about the traumatic legacy of Native boarding schools?
Join us as we explore the history and spiritual issues shaping Native American communities today.
Our Panelists
Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley
Randy is an author, activist, farmer, public intellectual and wisdom keeper who addresses a variety of issues concerning American culture. He currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture at George Fox University/Portland Seminary and co-sustainer of Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice. He was raised near Detroit, Michigan, and is a Cherokee descendent recognized by the United Keetoowah Band. His books include Shalom and the Community of Creation, Living in Color, Decolonizing Evangelicalism, The Harmony Tree, and two forthcoming soon, Becoming Rooted and Indigenous Theology and the Western Worldview.
Siouxsan Robinson
Siouxsan (Blackfoot and Lakota) is president of The Red Road, a ministry that exists to empower Native people and raise awareness about the history and current condition of Native American communities. Born on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota and raised on the Stand Off Reserve in Alberta, Canada, Siouxsan understands the challenges of growing up in a traditional Native culture while living in a contemporary world. She has a degree in psychology and a minor in political science and criminal justice from Middle Tennessee State University. She and her husband, Charles, have seven children and reside in Franklin, Tennessee.
Anna Ross
Anna is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe in North Dakota. She is a community leader with experience in community development and facilitating cross-community collaborations. Anna has a degree in American Indian Studies as well as Indigenous Nations Studies and is currently an instructor and advisor for the Ogimaawiwin Leadership & Management Program at Turtle Mountain Community College. Having worked in both urban and tribal Native communities, Anna recently returned to her home reservation with her husband, Roger, to plant Turtle Mountain Epiphany Covenant Church with the Evangelical Covenant denomination.
Terry M. Wildman
Terry (Ojibwe and Yaqui) is the lead translator and project manager of the First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament. He serves as the director of spiritual growth and leadership development for Native InterVarsity. He is also the founder of Rain Ministries and previously served as a pastor and worship leader. He and his wife, Darlene, live in Arizona.
Renee Begay
Renee is national director of Nations, a campus ministry of Cru that seeks to honor and restore Native American life and culture with Jesus Christ at the center. Renee is from the Zuni tribe in Zuni, New Mexico. She and her husband, Donnie (who also serves with Nations), have three daughters.
