It's Columbus Day. (Well, actually Monday is the day off for most people, but October 12 is actually the day Chris first laid eyes on land in the western hemisphere, an island he dubbed San Salvador.) For some it's a day to celebrate their European (particularly Italian) heritage. For others it's a day to mourn the loss and persecution of native cultures in North America. How should the people of Christ think about this holiday?

Mark Buchanan, pastor of New Life Community Church in Duncan, British Columbia, and a contributing editor of Leadership, wrote a stirring article about his church's ministry with native peoples and the complexity of history. I highly encourage you to read this award-winning article.

The Tswassen people live in the south end of Greater Vancouver, close to the upscale community named after them. They've been on this land, though much more of it, for thousands of years. Back in the day, they had free run of forest and ocean. They hunted and fished, carved their wooden ...