Vouch. Unity in The Body

Intro and My Story

My name is Shane Adams and my wife is here, Treva. This is our first year as part of the Native American Fellowship of the Assemblies of God. Chief Brent had been inviting me, but I didn’t know if I was enough blood quantum. How much is enough? His response was so powerful. He said, “Blood quantum was a tool used to divide our people. We get to decide who our people are and Shane you are a member of your tribe and you worked for that tribe.” I said, “Would you receive me?” He said, “Yes.” I asked, “Do you see me?” He said, “I see you.” It was a powerful moment.

When he invited me to help advise him and be a connector between Chi Alpha and the Fellowship, I asked a lot of questions, including what I would be doing and if there was room to explore it. He said, “A lot of people talk about getting everyone on the same page. I just want to get everyone around the same fire.” That was so powerful a statement. I heard so much Good to Great talk and corporate business models in ministry and it was so refreshing to hear him talk like that. Are you thankful for your Chief tonight? He came to visit us in Oklahoma a few weeks ago. He’s just a great guy. Are you thankful for King Jesus tonight?

My heritage:

So Treva and I are both Cherokee. Our families settled in Oklahoma at the end of the Trail of Tears around Vian and Webbers Falls off the Arkansas river.

Cherokee Nation:

I actually got to work for the Cherokee Nation for a couple of years while we were dating. I did data entry, inventory, and traveled to sites for food delivery with our food distribution department all over Northeastern Oklahoma. I was definitely the fairest of my department and when I would get too annoying, one of my coworkers, an older man, would say, “Hastee yonay” which means, “Quit it, white man.” He taught me some Cherokee and I am now fluent in several sentences. Ha ha!

I loved it there, though. I loved my coworkers and most of them were not huge Jesus fans. But I would vouch for Him. My hope was that they would think, “I’ve been around some Christians, but Shane is different.” or “I’ve been hurt by some people who said they followed Jesus, but Shane really seems legit.” Smoke breaks/Bible breaks.

In some ways, evangelism is simply vouching for Jesus.. the invisible Creator who offers us forgiveness and eternal life NOW through His holy shed blood on the cross is vouched for by His friends. Our friends take longer and more careful looks when we vouch for Jesus.

Ever need someone to vouch for you?

Can’t Buy Me Love

You may remember an 80s film called Can’t Buy Me Love where the main character believed that if he could get a singular popular girl to fake date him it would put him on a trajectory to become popular himself. He simply needed someone to vouch for him. And it worked!

Rejected at Vian

Rejected by most of my classmates, I tried to find identity in simply being funny or being weird. I eventually learned what a sense of humor was, but it was after the damage was done. However, I found a new found connection in the band! All of a sudden, I got a whole new group of people to connect with, in multiple grades, that mostly did not know my past. It was a new start. Before long, I was walking with some cool kids and even went out with a senior as a freshman! I thought I was really something! Because some seniors vouched for me!

Identity in Christ & His Body

But my greatest clout was when I found my identity in Jesus and a connection in the Body of Christ! I found my identity in Jesus and in His Body!

When I was unpopular at my school, I was a valued member of the Body of Christ at my youth group. They vouched for me to the others.

Gary Vouches for XA

By the end of high school, one of my older Christian friends, told me that if I was going to college, I should check out Chi Alpha, the campus ministry to which I’ve worked with since 1993. Because of his vouching for Chi Alpha, I went over by myself at the University of Arkansas and knocked on the door of the Chi Alpha house and got super involved there. Somebody vouched for this campus ministry of Chi Alpha. I would not have known what this ministry was if it had not been for him.

Kelly Vouches for Former Drug Addicts

My cousin, Kelly leading drug addicts to Christ and the Church judging them before they left the building. He would hire them and vouch for them. He would give them dignity and respect when others would just dismiss them. He vouched for them.

Craig Smallwood Vouches for Tongues

One of our students, after receiving the baptism in the Spirit. He was valued member of the crew team at Northeastern University. He overheard one of his teammates making fun of people who speak in tongues. Craig said, “Well I do that.” He was so respected that the person said, “Then it must be real.”

Most of you don’t know me. But the Chief vouched for me and that’s why you’re listening to me right now. Someone vouched for Jesus to you and that’s why you love Jesus now.

Scripture is full of people vouching for Jesus and for the Body of Christ.

Scripture:

Acts 9.26 Barnabas Vouches for Paul

Remember when Saul the murderer became Paul the missionary? When Saul the persecutor became Paul the persecuted?

God confirms Himself to Paul, confirms Paul’s ministry through Paul, but how does God confirm Paul’s ministry to the Church?

Let’s read...

Acts 9:26-31 “And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” (ESV)

God confirms to the Church’s leadership the ministry of Paul through Barnabas. How many of you would be in ministry today, if someone hadn’t vouched for you? Credentialing is mostly referrals and a little education. It is about connections and vouching.

Grandma Arline:

One of my first supporters.

1st Youth Pastorate: Uncle Robert:

I was a no name, no credentials. Just had been trained in E.E. and loved Jesus!

My first itineration: Brother Newborn

I was endorsed by the national office, but I needed the district to vouch for me. Unfortunately, there was a 2 year waiting list in Oklahoma where I was living. I wasn’t allowed to itinerate or call churches unless I was in relationship with them. When they would ask the missionaries to stand, I wasn’t allowed to. But our superintendent at the time, Brother Newborn, would sometimes ask me to share what I was up to. He vouched for me. It made a big difference and opened doors!

Can you imagine what this did for the Church? What if they remained skeptical? What if they had not sent him off? What if they stayed away, cause he was sketchy? What encouragement Paul might not have had. He was a full part of the Church and endorsed by the brothers at Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!

How many of you know that unity is important to God? Part of unity is vouching. It is saying that we are of the same family. It is affirming each other’s identity in Christ and their worth as a brother or sister in the Body of Christ.

Let’s read...

Ps 133 Oily Beard of Aaron.

Psalm 133 ESV

A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

I love the end. There the Lord has commanded the blessing. Where is the blessing? Unity.

Barnabas Vouches for Mark

The Epistle to the Galatians (6 The Consultation at Jerusalem (2:1–10))

That a breach took place between Paul and Barnabas is attested by Acts 15:36–40 and implied by Gal. 2:13 and its aftermath (see on 2:14); but the implication of 1 Cor. 9:6 and Col. 4:10 is that the breach was not long lasting.

Paul Vouches for Mark Col 4:10

Colossians 4:10 ESV

Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),

2 Timothy 4:10–11 ESV

For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.

Mark is very useful to me for ministry.

Paul vouches for lots of people in his letters

examples:

Jesus says Unity is what will show the world that He is Legit.

John 17:21 ESV

that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Our Unity vouches for the validity of Jesus!

Jesus says our unity shows the world His union with father. When we are one the world will know that Jesus is who He says He is.

You and I are part of a big movement. We can choose to be skeptical of one another or we can believe the best. We can assume the worst or believe the best. Now we can be proved wrong while believing the best, but if we assume the worst we will most likely have to eat crow. Let’s believe the best about each other. And I’m not just talking about the NAF, or the A/G, but about the Body of Christ.

We represent different tribes and nations. We represent different ways of worshipping, dress, culture, preaching, ministry, etc. We may have different political beliefs, customs, and preferences, but we have a common identity! We are all brothers and sisters in Christ.

The world needs to see us vouching for Jesus as One!.

The world needs to see us vouching for the body of Christ as one! There are some things being done in the name of Jesus that are not of God. I’m not talking about that. I’m not talking about the rainbow churches, the woke churches, the do whatever you want churches. I’m talking about the Body of Christ. I’m not talking about the wolves in sheep’s clothing. Good grief! The wolves aren’t even trying to look like sheep anymore.

I’m talking about the Body of Christ working together. There’s never been an easier time to connect, collaborate, and release ministry than now!!! Our best days are ahead of us!!!

I’m thankful that Chief Maracle believes in and supports Chi Alpha and believes in and supports myself.

I don’t know what your experience has been with campus ministries, missionaries that have come and gone amongst your people, but we want to send more.

Will you vouch for Jesus? For the Holy Spirit?

Will you vouch for Chi Alpha?

Can we join together in this cause for Jesus and our children?

I wanna tell you about what we are planning in partnership between XA and NAF

XA and the NAF

I want to talk to you about some things that are happening and what Chi Alpha offers you and what you may be able to offer us.

What XA Offers

Deep discipleship.

We’re going to talk more about this at the luncheon on Friday. Chi Alpha is not content with filling rooms with students. We want to see hearts filled with Jesus! If you send us your students, they will find deep commitment to Jesus, deep commitment to each other, and an incredible diversity of ethnicities. My experience in 27 years of campus ministry has always been an open door for all ethnicities and your students are sure to find their place at home amongst us.

TWMS 2025: Missions Opportunities/Promoting Native Missions!!!

XA Alumni Association

Lastly, for those students you might be sending our way, they are part of something greater than a local campus fellowship. They are part of Chi Alpha nation and because of that they Will have greater connections and more options than ever before.

Internships:

Chi Alpha is serious about the great commission and about Luke 10:2 in raising up and praying for workers to go out into the harvest field. That’s why we have been significantly increasing our internships throughout the nation. When I first got involved in Chi Alpha there were 17 internships. Now there are 70! At one time there were only 200 campus missionaries, now we are seeing 200 raised up and released every year! We have over 1700 staff now! This includes some native American campus missionaries and we want to see more of them. And we realize that there are challenges for some ethnicities to raise full missionary budgets and that’s why we created the

XA Diversity Minority Mobilization Fund

Which all Chi Alpha staff are encouraged to give to out of their own ministry budgets to help fund minority missionaries and raise training and work budget funds for missionary associates who struggle to raise work funds.

Shades of Understanding:

We’ve started a podcast called Shades of Understanding to shed light on minority missionaries like Lance McLeod, native Sioux staff in Michigan who’s experienced challenges in raising his budget as a native American.

Our Native XA Missionaries deeply desire to see more native students, more outreach to natives, and more native staff coming up. They are eager and welcoming. I spoke with one of our native Chi Alpha missionaries who wants to reach out to the reservation near his campus. He wants to learn how best to do that. He just joined the fellowship this week!

We need you and you need us and together we will see great things and the kingdom of God. Let’s vouch for Jesus vouch for each other so that the world may know Jesus and his kingdom may grow.

Altar:

I want to ask you to consider the state of your soul right now. Everyone is going to get a chance to get prayed over tonight for whatever you need. If you need a touch in your body, mind, soul, spirit, finances, whatever. but first let me ask you...

Does your life vouch for Jesus?

Let’s gather around the same fire!