I just uploaded a few pictures from the days spent at training in New Mexico…hopefully they will give you a glimpse of what we experienced (click Browse My Photos on the left).
One thing that I really appreciated while I was down there was participating in some Native-style worship. The directors of the Brethren In Christ (BIC) mission also pastor the First Nations Gathering, a small group of believers that meets in the gym on the mission base each Sunday afternoon. We had the honor of attending that service and it was wonderful. We sat in a circle around a drum that had been purchased and dedicated to the glory and worship of Jesus. We worshipped Him and felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as the drummers played and sang truth straight from God’s Word. Duane (the pastor and director of the BIC mission) shared a reminder that I needed to hear: “The devil is not a creator, he is a corruptor.” God created the drum (and every other musical instrument) for the purpose of worshipping Him and He wants us to use every instrument for His praise (Psalm 150). And that is exactly what we did. Every instrument that we had–drum, tamborines, shakers, voices–was being used to worship Jesus Christ.
Praise and worship song at First Nations Gathering service
