What does a New Testament Society Look Like?

SAINTS
Southeastern
American Indian
New Testament Societies
The New Testament Church is often cited as the model for how believers ought to worship.
And it certainly is exciting!
Luke, a greek doctor who was taking care of his roman patient, [you remember his patient, the apostle Paul?]  well, Luke took a pen in hand and wrote what was going on in his lifetime.
Luke tells the story that the apostles told.

That is what Acts 2 describes-- they went around telling stories.

Luke picks up the story in Acts where he left off and tells us how those early story tellers went from a group of frightened folks hiding behind locked doors came a powerful force that changed their world.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit's blessing on what was the jewish feast of Pentecost changed those cowards forever.
They became public speakers immediately telling the good news.

But that is not all that the flames of fire, the rushing wind, and the miracle of the people hearing the good news in their own languages did.

The outpouring of the Spirit produced not just momentary enthusiasm but four continuing commitments:
to learn, to care, to fellowship and to worship.

"The apostles' teaching probably included an account of Jesus' life and ministry, his ethical and practical teachings, warnings about persecution and false teaching, and of course, explanations" of how Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies.

"But at its center was the gospel message. And so today, to devote oneself to the apostles' teaching means evangelism as well as edification (4:2; 5:42; 15:35).
The apostles' fellowship and breaking of bread was a sharing of possessions to meet needs and of lives in common meals (2:44-46). What an inviting way of life for our day, when "loneliness drives people into one place, but that does not mean that they are together, really" (Ogilvie 1983:74)."

As they went out, they began to realize that they should not impose their jewish culture on the greeks and other nationalities that were hearing this good news.

James, the 1/2 brother of Jesus, (Son of Mary and of Joseph) gave a stirring speech that welcomed non jewish believers and explained that there was no requirement that any of them become jewish or give up their cultures.  Luke records it in Acts chapter 15.

We realize that we have been set free to worship within our culture. 

and we will devote ourselves to telling the stories that the apostles told!
We will tell the story of the Creator's Son and what he did, what he is doing, and what he will do!
We will tell these stories while we worship and we will share food together.

A society is "is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations" and we meet together persistently to praise and worship creator in our own language; to tell the stories of the faith that Luke and others recorded; and to tell our own stories as we help one another to live as we have been called to live.

We southeastern American Indians meet in local societies so that we can live up to four continuing commitments:
to learn (Story Circles),
to care (living in community),
to fellowship (prayer circles & Potlucks),
and to worship (in our language)

As the Cherokee New Testament puts it:
[* to read this, you will need to install the Cherokee Font to your pc]
ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎤᎵᏂᎩᏗᏳ ᏚᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎮ ᎨᏥᏅᏏᏛ ᏓᎾᏕᏲᎲᏍᎬᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᎾᎵᎪᏒᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎦᏚ ᎠᏂᎬᎭᎷᏯᏍᎬᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎠᎾᏓᏙᎵᏍᏗᏍᎬᎢ.

ᏂᏚᎩᏨᏂᏒᏃ ᏌᏉ ᎢᎦᎦᏛ ᎠᏁᏙᎮ ᎤᏛᏅ-ᏗᎦᎳᏫᎢᏍᏗᏱ, ᎠᎴ ᎦᏚ ᎠᏂᎬᎭᎷᏯᏍᎨ ᏓᏓᏁᎳᏗᏒᎢ, ᏓᎾᎵᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎨ ᎠᎾᎵᎮᎵᎨ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏠᎾᏍᏗ ᏄᏓᏑᏴᎾ ᎨᏎ ᏧᏂᎾᏫᏱ, ᎠᏂᎸᏉᏗᏍᎨ ᎤᏂᎳᏅᎯ, ᎠᎴ ᎾᏂᎥ ᏴᏫ ᎬᏫᏂᎨᏳᎯᏳ ᎨᏎᎢ. ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯᏃ ᏂᏚᎩᏨᏂᏒ ᎤᎾᎵᎪᏒ ᏕᎠᎵᎪᏗᏍᎨ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎨᏥᏍᏕᎸᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ

American Indian New Testament Societies

SAINTS
Southeastern
American Indian
New Testament Societies

We believe that we believe our drums, music styles, dance and art forms do NOT have any less value in the Kingdom than do English hymns, German organs, Welsh choruses, Spanish guitars, Irish ballads, Italian frescoes, Italian pianos, Jewish tambourines, Roman architecture, Grecian Stained Glass, Norwegian clogging, and French ballets!
We are a group of folks descended from the nations (aka tribes) of the southeast who follow the teachings of the one known as Jesus -- but we worship and fellowship and nurture one another in culturally relevant and meaningful ways.

You can meet up with us on facebook.

We are the Southeastern American Indian New Testament Societies.
We call our gatherings societies, because we know the importance of the fellowship of believers in community with one another.
American Indian because we are descendants from the original inhabitants of this land.
New Testament because we follow the teachings of Creator's son, also known as Jesus.
Southeastern because we are comprised mainly of those nations that came from what is now known as the southeastern portion of the United States.

Southeastern Nations included the well known Cherokee, but also many other tribes such as:

Yuchi
Muscogee (aka Creek)
Catawba
Chickasaw
Shawnee
Seminole
Chickasaw
Lumbee
and others- (list is too long for here)

what we believe...
briefly...
“In essentials unity, in nonessentials diversity, in all things love.”
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Our Vision:
To pursue a life of peace and wholeness, inviting others in our journey to walk in meaningful relationship with Creator, community, other ethnic groups, and creation - in the Spirit of Jesus.
Our Aspirations:
To assist Southeastern American Indian descended peoples to live in a good way with their Creator, family and others that results in wholeness and health in every sphere of human activity.
To network with Southeastern American Indian and non-Southeastern American Indian leaders and organizations to develop respectful approaches to living out a biblical faith that honors and incorporates the cultural expressions of Southeastern American Indian peoples.
To see Southeastern American Indian traditions and worldview values embraced as a vital influence in shaping Christendom and other religious traditions of those working in our Southeastern American Indian communities. To revisit these cultural expressions and interpret them using the "keys to the kingdom" and missiological model of D. Richardson, Adoniram Judson, Sadhu Sundar Singh and many others who discovered how Eternity has been placed in the hearts of all peoople.
To serve out side our Southeastern American Indian Communities as a bridge builder and consulting resource for developing genuine community, unity, consciousness of social justice, creation stewardship and mutuality among diverse peoples.

Our Intentions:
To develop Southeastern American Indian educational models, materials, national seminars and learning centers to provide Southeastern American Indian people with a biblically informed, yet thoroughly Southeastern American Indian worldview framework; ultimately this will empower people and communities to rise above neo-colonial oppression, internally and externally, to raise up future generations of strong healthy leaders.
To organize and lead Southeastern American Indian Dance and Performing Arts Team(s), to share the beauty of our cultures, tribal/national and personal stories to build bridges of peace and understanding in the global community.
To encourage, promote, and facilitate the producing of Creator-honoring music, the promotion of the faithful practice of Southeastern American Indian traditional ceremonies that strengthens people, families and communities and emphasize the need for spiritual faithfulness to our Creator and Father Above as Life-giver and Waymaker.

Our Spiritual Values:
We believe that Creator exists within the context of community; God-the-Father, God-the-the Son, and God-the-Holy Spirit. God is Author, Creator, and Sustainer of all human and non-human creation.
We believe the Biblical story is God's self-revelation to humankind and that it is for all peoples and all languages everywhere as the sacred writings of Creator.
We believe that humankind was created in the image of God, but because of pride and rebellion, rejected the Creator’s path of beauty, wandering in darkness and alienation from God. Jesus performed the "once and for all ceremony" through His death on a cross, and resurrection from the dead. By this He defeated the power of death and made a way for all tribes and nations to return to a loving relationship within the community of Heaven.
We believe in one God-

We Believe that God is a Trinity being- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures, given by plenary inspiration, contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living.
We believe that man and this world was created GOOD- but that both the world and man have fallen. We believe that humans are born with a fallen nature, and is, therefore, inclined to evil, and that continually. Therefore it is necessary that we be transformed.
We believe that those who reject the offering of God are allowed to do so and that their decision is respected and that the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost.
We believe that the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race; and that whoever repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is justified and regenerated and saved from the dominion of sin and that their faith will result in visible fruit.
We believe that believers are to be Holy, subsequent to regeneration they are to be sanctified and set apart for service, and that holiness is a gift of grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that also will be evidenced by noticeable fruit and gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit and that the greatest gift is love.
We believe in the Bible doctrine of divine healing and urge our people to seek to offer the prayer of faith for the healing of the sick. We also believe God heals through the means of medical science.
We believe that the Holy Spirit bears witness to the new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers.
We believe that our Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place.
We believe that worship can be culturally relevant and that differing cultural expressions are valid.
We worship our Creator and the son, Jesus the anointed one but we worship, fellowship and nurture one another as Southeastern Nations have always done- through our culture and language.
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notable scripture texts include Ecclesiastes 3:11; Acts 15; Acts 15:17-20; Acts 17:26-27; 1 Corinthians 7:17-24;