ORLANDO (BP) – The Fellowship of Native American Christians – FoNAC – “enlarges their tent” by partnering with like-minded groups that want to reach the Native American and First Nations people of North America with the Gospel of God’s unconditional love.
Executive Director Gary Hawkins addressed this Monday, June 8, during his report presented at the Fellowship’s annual meeting, which took place in conjunction with the 2026 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando. Hawkins referenced Isaiah 54:2.
“These past months have been a time of explaining, expanding and a growing anticipation for the future of Native ministry in North America,” Hawkins told the group crowded into a single room at the Orange County Convention Center. They had gathered to learn more about FoNAC’s activities across the continent.
This last year, as they have in previous years, he and other FoNAC leaders have been sharing the spiritual needs of indigenous people, Hawkins said.
“It’s not enough to point out the darkness,” the executive director said. “We have to shine the light of the Gospel of God’s love, grace and mercy lighting paths to healing, restoration and deliverance from spiritual forces that war against the souls of our people.”
FoNAC now is networking with ministries and is anticipating its fifth regional conference “Better Together” – theme based on Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – Sept. 18-19 in Gallup, N.M., featuring local Indigenous New Mexico speakers.
“Because of the great spans of space in the great Southwest, churches and Christians sometimes feel very isolated from other fellow believers,” Hawkins said. “We have plans to recognize three of God’s faith servants who faithfully served among the Navajo Nation and the Taos Pueblo for very many years serving as ambassadors of the Native People in New Mexico and across America.”
FoNAC’s network includes:
- Harvesters Ministries, which originated in South Africa and now has a global outreach in its indigenous-pastor-training ministries.
- SIL Global, an arm of Wycliffe Bible Translators – a faith-based organization focusing on linguistic research, language documentation and literacy education. It is working with FoNAC to recapture indigenous languages. “More than 65 percent of Native speakers have lost their mother tongue,” Hawkins said. “Without it, eventually there’s a loss of cultural identity and historical memory.”
- Ethnos Canada, a non-profit that helps local churches mobilize, equip and coordinate missionaries specifically focusing on First Nations People. FoNAC has a good working relationship, when called upon, to assist in ministry resources for indigenous people.
- Burnt Swamp Baptist Association in North Carolina, led by Steve Strickland. The 72 churches in the association of predominately Native American churches are frequent missions and financial partners with FoNAC since both have the same vision: to be on mission with God in reaching indigenous people with the Gospel.
Randy Copeland of School to the Nations has developed indigenous versions of The Hope Video for unreached and under-reached people. The Hope Video – see thehopeproject.com – is an 80-minute dramatic motion picture overview of the story of God’s promise for all people as revealed in the Bible.
Last year as a FoNAC partner the video was overlaid with scenes and commentary from the Northern Plains tribes. That version of the video is now available.
This year Copeland, with FoNAC’s help, has shifted focus to Southwestern tribes: Apache, Hopi, Pueblo and Navajo spokespeople are to be featured. Next year: Alaska.
Among its activities, FoNAC leaders share the Natives’ spiritual needs, encourage better understanding of Native worldview, network with like-minded ministries, churches and individuals to discover persons of peace to help partners develop sources to equip Natives with discipleship tools untainted by syncretism.
The SBC’s International Mission Board (IMB) is in the early stages of partnering with FoNAC to see how resources can be adapted to fit an indigenous context.
“We network to waste no time trying to re-invent the wheel,” Hawkins said. “We seek ways to get the wheels rolling on the Gospel vehicle.
“FoNAC realizes we are attempting a God-sized task,” the executive director continued. “As the apostle Paul stated, ‘for a great and effective door has opened for me, and there are many adversaries.’”
Hawkins requested prayers and partners to continue and expand on God’s kingdom work among the indigenous people of North America.
Several guests spoke at FoNAC’s annual meeting, including Jeff Clark, global rural researcher at the IMB, and Brian Upshaw from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
FoNAC has no outstanding debts, reported President Jordan Kanuho.As of April 30, donations of $35,850.68 have come in to support the work of the ministry this year. Members approved next year’s budget of $86,279.68.
There was no other business. Kanuho is a Pawnee/Navajo who also serves as vice president of the Pawnee Nation and pastor of Belvin Baptist Church in Okmulgee, Okla.
The three other board members include Steve Strickland of the Lumbee tribe and director of missions for the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association in Pembroke, N.C.; Warren “Junior” Pratt, former head chief of the Pawnee Nation, is a missionary and evangelist who lives in Pawnee, Okla.; and Josh Leadingfox, Pawnee/Otoe-Missouria and pastor of Immokalee First Seminole Baptist Church, located on the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Immokalee Reservation in southwest Florida.
To close out FoNAC’s 2026 annual meeting, Native singer/drummer Junior Pratt led the Tribe of Judah dressed in Native regalia in several dances. They were later seen performing in the exhibit hall and in the West Concourse of the Orange County Convention Center.
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