Reconciliation, Justice and Worship

In the books of Amos and Isaiah, God judges his people for not taking seriously his commands to live justly. He tells them that because they are not living justly he despises their feasts, he hates their festivals, and their music is like noise to him.  Also, in the book of Matthew, Jesus teaches his followers that if they are at the altar ready to give their gift to the LORD and remember that a brother has something against them, they are to leave their gift at the altar, go and first be reconciled. Then they may return and give their gift.

Throughout Scripture, God uses many gifts to call his people back to him including healing, truth, prophesy, exhortation, and preaching. But it does not appear that worship is one of those gifts. In these teachings, God seems to be telling his people that worship (specifically celebration, praise and adoration) are gifts to be enjoyed only when they are living justly and in a right relationship with each other.

This is a profound teaching. Many Christians, myself included, consider worship to be a birthright of following Jesus.  But that does not appear to be the case scripturally.  For in the Old Testament God tells his people not to worship because they are not living justly. In the New Testament, Jesus tells his followers to not give their gifts to God until after they are reconciled with their brother.  From these passages it appears that worship is not a birthright but a privilege.

These passages should cause us to think about Christian worship (celebration, praise and adoration) and the role of worship leaders in a much different light.

Why we worship:
One constant in many churches throughout the Unites States is the offering of praise, adoration, and monetary gifts up to God.  When we gather as Christians, we sing our praises to God and offer him our money, regardless of the topic of the sermon, the situation of our communities, or the political realities of our nation. We justify the ever-present practice of worship for two reasons:

• First, God is good. Period. He is worthy of praise. Period. Scripture even tells us that if we do not praise Him, then the rocks will cry out praises to him. 
• Second, no one is good. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It is only because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross that anyone can stand before the Creator at all.

It is because of these 2 truths that we justify our ‘right’ to praise, adore, and worship God.  God deserves the praise and our ability to praise is a grace given to us through Jesus’ death on the cross. 

So if worship, from broken vessels, is allowed through grace, then would it not be appropriate for the church to occasionally abstain (or fast) from worship in an effort to remind ourselves that it is not a right, but a privilege?

Worship Leaders:
A worship leader typically has a gift for playing music or singing - someone who can lead the body into the presence of the LORD. But in light of the scriptures in Amos, Isaiah, and Matthew, should not a true worship leader also have a deep understanding of God’s heart for justice and reconciliation? And should they not also lead the body to refrain from worship when it becomes clear that they are not being obedient in these areas? True worship leaders should be wise and discerning artists who understand God’s heart as well as have a good feel for the integrity of their local congregation.


In December 2009, the US Congress buried an “apology to the native peoples of the United States” on page 45 of the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 3326). This apology was never read, publicized or announced by either Congress or the White House. I personally spent much of 2012 traveling throughout the nation, speaking and writing about this apology. While I received tremendous support from individuals at the grass roots level, most political, academic and church leaders with whom I spoke were unable, or unwilling, to publicly engage with this issue. 

This experience led me to believe me that much of our nation, as well as many in the church, are not yet ready to apologize for our unjust history, or to reconcile the relationships that have been broken and marginalized as a result of that injustice. But God wants to heal these wounds and mend these relationships.   I believe there is a misunderstanding in the church of how the practices of justice and reconciliation are intimately linked to our worship of God.

I am interested in building a coalition of Christian people, leaders, churches, and denominations who will call for a national day of fasting from worship in our churches.  The purpose of this fast will be to train, teach and raise awareness in the Church that the issues of reconciliation and justice need to be a part of the DNA of the church. I am not convinced that this fast needs to be directly tied to a specific community or act of injustice but rather to function as a call to a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be children of the living God.

If we were to view the church service as a conversation with God, His words to us being found in the reading of Scripture and the preaching of the pastor, then our response would be our praise, adoration, celebration, giving, and confession. Given that analogy, one idea for how this fast could look is that the service would include the components where God speaks to us (reading of scripture, preaching of the Word), but our response would be silence followed by obedience. Much like when a young child has been caught red-handed in severe disobedience, the following exchange with their parents is not a conversation. It is a lecture. Then the only response that is appropriate and expected is for the child to go out in silence and be obedient.

I have observed that many of us in the church have a misunderstanding of the role of worship in the Body of Christ. It is my hope that if we begin to take action to correct that, then our hearts will be softened and obedience will follow. I do not see this fast as an event, but instead as the start of the practice of a new spiritual discipline. For if we regularly are blessed through worship because of grace, then will we not also benefit by occasionally abstaining from worship to remind ourselves that our ability to worship is indeed a grace?

I welcome your thoughts and feedback on this proposal. Please feel free to leave your comments below or email them to me at:
mcharles@wirelesshogan.com

A Prayer for the Church

A few months ago a friend and colleague of mine asked me to help him with a prayer for a new hymnal he was editing. In this hymnal, titled "Lift Up Your Hearts," he wanted to include a prayer reflecting the theme of immigration as well as indigenous peoples. He was also hoping that this prayer would help those who prayed it to feel more fully a part of the all "from every nation, tribe, people and language" who are gathered around the throne of the lamb (Revelations 7:9).

The hymnal was published last week and included the prayer I worked on. I share it with you and ask you to pray that as the Bride of Christ we will learn to walk more fully in beauty with our fellow man and God.

A Prayer of Indigenous Peoples, Refugees, Immigrants, and Pilgrims

Triune God
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
We come before you as many parts of a single body. 
You have called us together.
From different cultures, languages, customs, and histories. . .
Some of us indigenous - peoples of the land.
Some of us refugees, immigrants, pilgrims - people on the move.
Some of us hosts, some of us guests, some of us both hosts and guests
All of us searching for an eternal place where we can belong.

Creator, forgive us.
The earth is yours and everything that is in it.
But we forget...
In our arrogance we think we own it.
In our greed we think we can steal it.
In our ignorance we worship it.
In our thoughtlessness we destroy it.
We forget that you created it to bring praise and joy to you,
and you gave it as a gift,
for us to steward,
for us to enjoy,
for us to see more clearly your beauty and your majesty.

Jesus, save us.
We wait for your kingdom.
We long for your throne.
We hunger for your reconciliation,
for that day where people, from every tribe and every tongue
will gather around you and sing your praises.

Holy Spirit, teach us.
Help us to remember
that the body is made up of many parts.
Each one unique and every one necessary..
Teach us to embrace the discomfort that comes from our diversity
and to celebrate the fact that we are unified, not through our sameness,
but through the blood of our LORD and savior, Jesus Christ.

Triune God.  We love you. 
Your creation is beautiful. 
Your salvation is merciful.
And your wisdom is beyond compare.

We pray this all in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

(This prayer is found on page 270 of the hymnal "Lift Up Your Hearts"; published and copyright by Faith Alive, 2013)

A Prayer of Indigenous Peoples

Yesterday morning I sat in my home here on the Navajo Reservation and watched a live webcast of the "Evangelical Immigration Table". I felt impotent, tired, angry and frustrated. For on my screen Christians were rallying around and celebrating the introduction of a bi-partisan immigration reform bill that was being introduced by the "Gang of 8" Senators.  I felt this way because for nearly a decade I have been talking, writing, speaking and praying about the importance of intentionally including the voices of indigenous peoples in the process to "comprehensively and justly" reform immigration law. I have walked the halls of Congress and hand delivered letters to Senators and Representatives, I have spoken on the boards of churches and Christian organizations, I have built relationships with national Christian, academic and political leaders, I have written blogs, published articles, spoken at conferences and presented seminars, all asking, imploring, our nation to intentionally reach out to, and include the voices of Native peoples in the dialogue on immigration reform.

But to no avail.  Because on Wednesday, April 17, 2013, without ever consulting members of the Native community, the Gang of 8 introduced their plan to comprehensively reform our nation's immigration laws. And I watched on a live webcast, as my non-native friends, my partner organizations, the leaders of the church, even our politicians celebrated this milestone and congratulated themselves.

And this was not the first time I have felt this way. Numerous times in the last 15 months as I worked tirelessly to draw attention to the US Apology to Native Peoples that was buried in the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, I would feel these emotions. It was the same drill as with Immigration Reform. I spoke, wrote, published, blogged, walked the halls of Congress, spoke with national leaders, attended conference and led seminars, doing everything I could to invite our nations, our leaders and the church to own this apology. But most everyone I spoke with couldn’t be bothered enough to take action.

I don't understand it. Am I mute? Can I not be seen? Are my writings illegible? How can so many people listen to my words and express appreciation for them to my face, but then when they are brought by God to an audience with power or presented by Him with an opportunity for action, forget those words and remember their appreciation no longer? 

I don't know what to do next. I have prayed, I have spoken, I have written, I have reached out. 

And I am tired.                     

                   

I guess my only alternative is to go back to the drawing board and once again get down on my knees.  So if you read this, and agree with these words, I ask you to pray with me this prayer that I modeled after Moses' prayer for the Israelites when he was with God on top of Mount Sinai (Exodus 32: 10-14).

I have titled it "A Prayer of Indigenous Peoples"

Our Father who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name.

Father, over 500 years ago a sailor got lost at sea. And in your name he claimed to have "discovered" a land that was already inhabited. He was followed by hundreds, then thousands and soon millions of other "un-documented" immigrants.

In your name these immigrants committed acts of genocide against our native peoples.
In your name they stole our land.
In your name they signed and then broke treaties.
In your name they took our children from our homes and violently forced them to assimilate to their culture.
In your name they counted us as less than human.
And in your name they marginalized those of us who were left to the fringes of their society.

Father, a little over 3 years ago, in your name, the ancestors of these immigrants attempted to apologize for their history.
But in your name, they vaguely worded their apology so they could not be held accountable for their actions.
And in your name they buried their apology in a Defense Department appropriations bill and never spoke of it publically.

And Father, today, in your name they are rallying around and celebrating a proposed bill to 'comprehensively' reform immigration law. But they have never acknowledged, nor reconciled, the original immigration injustices of this nation. Nor have they seriously consulted or included the voices of the indigenous peoples of this land in the writing of this bill.

For as Native peoples, we are all but invisible to them.

So Father, for nothing other than the glory of your name, I ask you to act. 

For the glory of your name I ask you to compel this nation of immigrants to acknowledge and face their unjust history.
For the glory of your name I ask you to bring a conversation for reconciliation the forefront of our national consciousness.
For the glory of your name I ask you to demonstrate to my country that without being reconciled with, and getting input from, indigenous peoples this “nation of immigrants” lacks the authority to comprehensively reform immigration law, as well as the ability to rule these lands justly.
For the glory of your name, I ask you to raise up indigenous peoples and allow us to once again be the hosts of this land. To share our families, our stories and, our connection to this land with our guests.

Father, if you fail to act.
If you allow the United States and your church to play both sides of this coin.
If you allow them to commit acts of injustice in your name.
If you allow them to bury their apology for these injustices in your name.
If you allow them to celebrate their blindness and to rule without integrity in your name.

Then many native peoples in the US, and other indigenous peoples throughout the world, will see your inaction and conclude as true the lie which we have been told for 5 centuries...

...that you truly are the "White man's God."

Father, I am not asking you to judge our nation, nor am I seeking your vengeance upon our guests.
Instead, I am pleading for your healing.
Heal my people.
Heal our guests.
Heal our land.

Our Father who art in Heaven
Hollowed by thy name.
May thy kingdom come,
May thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.

Richard Twiss: Turtle Island lost a host

It was just over two weeks ago that I received the email I had been dreading. On Wednesday, February 6, while in Washington DC for the National Prayer Breakfast, Richard Twiss suffered a major heart attack. He remained in a hospital in the DC area for several days as friends and family rushed to his side. But on Saturday, February 9, 2013, at the age of 58, Taoyate Obnajin (He Stands with his People) crossed over to meet the Creator.  He is survived by his wife Katherine and his four sons Andrew, Philip, Ian and Daniel.

If you ever had the privilege of meeting Richard Twiss, chances are he invited you somewhere. Richard was an incredible host. I remember last summer I attended a symposium for the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies (NAIITS), of which Richard was a board member. No sooner had I walked through the door when I was greeted by Richard and asked if I would like to join their drum circle up front to start the next session.  I felt extremely honored by this invitation and gladly accepted. I am not a trained theologian nor am I a prolific Pow Wow drummer, but this small gesture immediately made me feel at home and communicated that I was welcome there and was given a voice should I have something to contribute.

Richard was involved in many conversations. As a follower of Jesus, President and co-founder of Wiconi International as well as an accomplished author he was a highly sought after speaker and a true bridge builder between Native and non-Native communities.

In the complex and controversial dialogue of contextualizing Christian worship for Native American cultures, Richard Twiss allowed himself to become a lightening rod so that boarding school survivors and assimilated Native American Christians could have the freedom to put on their regalia, pick up their drums, and ask the question "What does it mean to be Native American and follow Jesus?"

Richard's unique ministry gave many Native people the opportunity to experience that Jesus is not just the "White man's God" but he came for all people from every language and every culture.

There are many challenges facing Native Americans today in the United States.  Unemployment, broken families, alcoholism, diabetes, violence, poor education, and the list goes on and on. But after living with my people, on the Navajo reservation for the past decade I have come to the conclusion that the biggest challenge facing Native Americans is the reversal of our roles in this land these past few centuries.

Turtle Island (ie. North America) is our home and we are indigenous to these lands. We can tell you stories about why this mountain is here or why that river flows there. Our Creation stories take place in this land, and for centuries we did not see ourselves as its owners, but rather as its hosts.

That role began to change about 500 years ago when a European explorer named Christopher Columbus got lost at sea. He was met by our ancestors, but then promptly returned to his home claiming to have 'discovered' a new land, minimizing the fact that it was already inhabited by millions. He was soon followed by wave after wave of pilgrims, refugees and immigrants, who flocked here, fueled by a Doctrine of Discovery and driven by a presumptive sense of manifest destiny. The result of this history was that the indigenous peoples of North America were either killed, assimilated, or marginalized.  Those who survived were stripped of their role as host and instead made to feel like unwanted guests in someone else's home.

But there is a remnant, a precious few, who do not believe, or live into, this lie. They are not driven by anger, resentment, or even bitterness but by an understanding that as Native peoples, we are the hosts of this land. And they conduct themselves as such. Richard Twiss was one of these people.

Throughout his life Richard joined, participated in, initiated, and invited people to many conversations. He traveled around our nation and the world investing freely in relationships with people and leaders from various ethnic communities, churches, denominations, academic institutions, and governmental agencies. In every instance that I observed, he brought an increased awareness of Native peoples and invited our “nation of immigrants” to take further steps into an understanding of, and relationship with, their indigenous hosts.

Saturday, February 9 was a sad day for me personally. I lost a friend, a colleague, and a brother that day. But it was also a sad day for our nation because with the passing of Richard Twiss, Turtle Island lost a leader. Richard was not an elected official, nor was he the head of a huge institution. But he was a true host of this land: building bridges, starting conversations, increasing understanding, and inviting nearly everyone he met into something new. He conducted himself in such a manner that many who met him, walked away from the interaction feeling a little more at home.

It is my hope, that as Native peoples, we can follow Richard’s example and re-embrace our roles as the host people of Turtle Island.

A public ‘Celebration of Life’ service commemorating Richard Twiss will be held on Sunday, March 10; further details will be published on the Wiconi International website.  http://www.wiconi.com

This article was first published on the Native News Network under the title "Richard Twiss Allowed Himself to be a Lightning Rod" on February 18, 2013.

Proposing a 28th Ammendment allowing Congress to REDUCE thier compensation immediately.

A few thoughts on the upcoming sequester being imposed on our country by the 113th Congress:

The impending sequester does NOT reduce congressional pay because the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits Congress from varying it's own compensation until the seating of the next Congress. 

"No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened."

Unfortunately this amendment is preventing the 113th Congress from leading by example in experiencing the pain of the sequester which they are imposing on the rest of the country. Therefore I propose created a FB page proposing a 28th Amendment to the US Constitution that would allow Congress to REDUCE their compensation immediately.

"Any law REDUCING the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall take effect immediately."

Please visit and LIKE this page if you support such an amendment.  Maybe it will gain enough steam to get their attention.  Let's give our leaders an opportunity to demonstrate some integrity.

http://www.facebook.com/USamendment28

Richard Twiss: A life of Conversations

On Saturday, February 9, 2013, surrounded by family and friends, Richard Twiss (Taoyate Obnajin - He Stands with his People) passed away after suffering a major heart attack 3 days earlier while he was in Washington DC to attend the National Prayer Breakfast. Richard was the president and founder of Wiconi Ministries based in Vancouver, Washington. He was 58 years old and is survived by his wife Katherine and his sons Andrew, Philip, Ian and Daniel. 

I wish I could have been there with him, and his family, during those last few days and hours. But unfortunately I was 2,000 miles away at my home on the Navajo Reservation. I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Richard for the past 10 years. Most recently he and I served on the Board of Directors for the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) together.

I first met Richard in 2002 in Hilo, Hawaii, at the third meeting of the World Christian Gathering on Indigenous Peoples (WCGIP), a group for which he was a founding member. I was a new pastor of a small church called the Christian Indian Center which was serving the Native American community in Denver CO.  Richard had recently published his first book, "One Church, Many tribes" and was quickly becoming a national, even global advocate for indigenous peoples in the complex and often controversial dialog of contextualizing Christian worship for Native American cultures.

Richard allowed himself to become a lightening rod so that boarding school survivors and assimilated Native American Christians could have the freedom to put on their regalia, pick up their drums, and ask the question "What does it mean to be Native American and follow Jesus?"

Richard's unique ministry gave many Native people the opportunity to experience that Jesus is not just the "White man's God" but that he came for all people from every language and every culture.

 One of the challenges of being Native American and living in the US is the intense marginalization that our communities feel. It has been my experience, as a Navajo living on our reservation, that by and large there are two primary groups of non-native people who reach out to Native communities. Those who come to give us charity and those who come to take our picture. It is only a very small group that actually comes to build relationships.

But relationships are what are so desperately needed. When I was first called to pastor that small church in Denver, God gave me a deep desire to understand his heart for racial reconciliation. This desire was so strong that I started a small group Bible study to survey both the Old and New Testaments so we could see and understand God's call for racial reconciliation.  Here is the definition we came up with:

"In obedience to God, racial reconciliation is a commitment to building cross cultural relationships of forgiveness, repentance, love and hope that result in 'walking in beauty' with our fellow man and God."

My friend Richard Twiss embodied that definition. Over the past 10 years I sat with Richard in many conversations across a large variety of contexts. And it never ceased to amaze me how many people, both native and non-native, not only knew Richard, but also felt a close personal connection and bond with him. And it wasn't because Richard glossed over issues or avoided controversial topics. No.  He had a unique gift to relate with people but also to challenge them to view and experience the world through a new and different lens.

I have seen Richard introduce himself in a number of different ways, "Dr. Richard Twiss", "a common man", "smarty pants Indian",  "Taoyate Obnajin (He Stands with his People)" and just plain "Richard Twiss".  Richard was willing to do whatever it took to relate with people, to sit with them, and to join their conversations.  And for every conversation he entered, he brought with him an awareness of native peoples; our cultures, our needs, our contributions and our world views.

Especially in evangelical circles, Richard Twiss was a bridge builder. Investing in relationships with people like Peter Wagner and Chuck Pierce. Networking with organizations such as the Christian Community Development Association, Sojourners, Intervarsity and Campus Crusade. Sitting with theologians from countless seminaries and denominations. And introducing everyone to his Native American community.

Richard's passing was extremely sudden and incredibly heartbreaking. I am sure I am not the only one who wishes they could have had just one more conversation with him.  But there is still so much work left to be done. God used Richard to start many conversations, but they cannot end with his passing.  Reconciliation is not an event. It is not a task to check off of a list. Reconciliation has a clear starting point, but no definitive ending. For reconciliation begins with a conversation and ends with a relationship restored.

So please join me in honoring the incredible work of our friend and our brother Richard Twiss by continuing the many conversations which he started and restoring the relationships which have been broken within our country and the Church.

This article was first published in Charisma News on February 13, 2013.