Converge International Ministries has established the First Peoples Initiative to reach Indigenous people in North America with the gospel. Initiatives are significant, cross-cultural endeavors that target a geographic area, a people group, a religious background or a large urban center. Each initiative includes local gospel endeavors called projects that contribute to the larger gospel initiative.
THE PLACE
The First Peoples Initiative focuses on creating gospel movements among First Peoples throughout all of North America. Approximately 5.2 million First Peoples live in the United States, and approximately 2 million tribal people live in Canada. The majority of enrolled tribal members in the United States live off of Indian reservations, with a large number living in metropolitan or urban contexts. First Nations people in Canada also live both on reserves and in a variety of contexts off reserves.
The People
In many Native tribes throughout the United States, 4% or less of the people follow Jesus. Many social problems plague First Peoples on this continent. The suicide rate among young Native Americans is 2.5 times higher than the national average. First Peoples in North America also suffer from high rates of financial poverty, alcohol and drug addiction and broken families. Many Indigenous leaders and scholars refer to the term “historical trauma” to note the high presence of trauma among tribal people in North America. Yet, within these people lies significant gospel potential.
THE IMPACT
Many tribal people in the United States and Canada view Jesus as the “white man’s God” and have a distorted image of Jesus. They have yet to recognize that, like them, he came from a tribe ― the tribe of Judah. First Peoples Initiative is passionate about leading the indigenous peoples of North America to meet, know and follow Jesus.
