THE BIG PICTURE

THE BIG PICTURE
By Ron Hutchcraft
http://oew.hutchcraft.com/on-eagles-wings/about/the-big-picture
For over 500 years, missionaries have tried to take the Gospel to Native Americans and the result has been that only 5% have become believers. Over half of all Native people are under the age of 25. Youth are the "missing gap" in Native ministry. According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), at least half of the reservation population lives below the poverty line. In 1995 more than 20% of Native American reservation households had annual incomes below $5,000, compared with 6% for the overall U.S. population.
People living on reservations have the highest rates of unemployment in the United States—up to 70% or more on some reservations. At the time of the 2000 census, 39% of the Native American population was under 20 years of age, compared with 29% of the nation’s total population. The average life expectancy of Native Americans is 44—30 less years than other Americans. Tragically, two of the causes for that short life expectancy is the suicide rate and violence.
The On Eagles’ Wings Story
On Eagles' Wings has a seventeen-year history of reaching Native youth for Jesus Christ with peer to peer evangelism that goes to the heart of lost Native youth. With sports, Christian music, and personal stories of hope, many Native young people on reservations and reserves throughout North America are given the opportunity to make personal decisions for Jesus Christ. Young Native leaders are trained and equipped at the annual Warrior Leadership Summit and placed on teams for OEW outreaches yielding the outcome of many Native American and First Nations Canadian young people beginning a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Evangelism – Our Present
Two On Eagles' Wings teams conduct outreaches across North America during the Summer of Hope—one U.S. team and one Canada team. There is now greater interaction with local leaders on the reservations and reserves, and they receive a planning manual to help them prepare for the arrival of an OEW team. The Christians in that area begin a local prayer movement praying for God to move among the coming OEW outreaches. Local ministry leaders are provided with many tools to help them disciple new believers who come to Christ at an OEW outreach and build a local youth ministry. There is a worldwide team of intercessors who pray for OEW on a regular basis and provide encouragement for the teams. New resources are continuously provided for Native ministry leaders.
Evangelism – Our Future
On Eagles' Wings is growing to more than just two teams during the summer. There also is a Spring Break team and our newly established Rapid Response teams who respond throughout the year to emergency crisis situations such as the school shootings in 2005 on the Red Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota. This now means not just a Summer of Hope, but Seasons of Hope for On Eagles’ Wings teams. There is extensive planning involved in these annual evangelism outreaches. Team members have now become team leaders for these outreaches. There is a strong commitment to continue outreaches in Canada as well as in the U.S. and ultimately to the indigenous people of the world. It is critical for the Great Commission to be fulfilled in this way.
Discipleship – Warrior Leadership Summit
The Warrior Leadership Summit (WLS) Discipleship Conference is designed to support Native and First Nations youth ministries. Its annual growth is encouraging as well as the growing partnerships with schools and colleges. There is a strong commitment to the continued growth of the conference. In the future, there is the possibility of regional WLS events across North America to feed into the main WLS annual conference. Partnerships are needed to plan these regional WLS events.
Leadership Development
On Eagles' Wings teams have an internal leadership development process we call "Big Brothers and Big Sisters." Veteran team members are assigned younger and newer team members to mentor and disciple. There is a toll-free crisis hotline as well as ongoing spiritual care and nurturing available. Relationships are developed and spiritual growth is encouraged with the Winter Break Retreat. Scholarships are made available for Christian higher education for Native American and First Nations young people. Some Native American and First Nations young people serve as an intern or even on staff for OEW.
Leadership development is available for the local leaders on reservations and reserves across North America. Planning and follow-up manuals and other resources are available to these local leaders. The Native American Leadership Institute (NALI) is also a strong asset to these ministry leaders.
Maximizing our Partnerships
The On Eagles' Wings' “Full Circle” impact reaches one life at a time. It starts with partners in evangelism across North America bringing lost Native youth to Christ. Native leaders from reservations and reserves request a visit by an OEW team, allowing for a great harvest of souls. Then, these local leaders follow up with new Christians using tools and resources provided by OEW. Further discipleship and encouragement is provided through the annual Warrior Leadership Summit.
Encouragement is given to Native youth to serve on an OEW team as they develop a heart to rescue others. Native youth are trained, equipped, and given continual care, which often begins to clarify that it’s more than just a “Summer of Hope,” but what could be the beginning of a lifetime of service. OEW team members qualify for Christian Higher Education Scholarships, and many sense God’s call to full-time Christian service.
Partnerships allow for new relationships to begin between team members, local leaders, OEW leaders, and Christian schools, colleges, and seminaries. The end result brings the next generation of pastors, church planters, youth workers, and even international missionaries from Native North America!