USA (MNN) — Spring is full of graduation day ceremonies and open houses in the United States.
Every new grad, whether finishing college or high school, is closing one chapter and starting a new one. However, the story looks slightly different at the On Eagles’ Wings Leadership Center.
Hutchcraft Ministries’ Ron Hutchcraft says, “Graduation Day is ‘launch day’ here, and we call this a launching pad for leaders.”
This year’s graduates completed 245 hours of coursework in a nine-month gap year program. “They represent 10 major tribes in North America, everything from Apache to Lakota, Sioux, Mohawk, Ojibwe, Hopi, and others,” Hutchcraft says.
“They have just completed a very intensive year of discipling and equipping for ministry and living for Christ in difficult circumstances.”
From new believer to leader
Graduation is the latest step in a longer journey. “This launch day is a celebration of a journey that begins for Native American young people in something we call the Warrior Leadership Summit,” Hutchcraft says.
“It is a Native discipleship conference, although I will say that often a quarter to one-third of the young people who attend there begin a relationship with Christ.”
Following the conference, an On Eagles’ Wings team will bring the Gospel to several Native American communities during the Summer of Hope.
(Photo courtesy of On Eagles’ Wings via Facebook)
“This team is usually made up of about 30 to 40 young Native Americans, maybe 20 tribes represented. When they go to the reservation, they see young people coming to Christ. That has usually never happened before on that reservation in anybody’s memory,” Hutchcraft says.
“When the messengers are young, Native, and their message begins with their hope story, it’s very hard to argue with the Jesus that they will tell you has become their hope.”
The Summer of Hope leads to a new class of students at the On Eagles’ Wings Leadership Center.
“Out of those team members come young men and women who aspire to be leaders for their people and to be strengthened in their faith. They are considered to be students here at the Leadership Center,” Hutchcraft says.
A new season
According to recent studies, many college alumnae work in fields unrelated to their major. Will the same be true for these Gospel grads?
“This has Great Commission implications because every one of them is now planning on ministry life,” Hutchcraft says.
“They will be messengers and models of hope planted in a Native community, in a Native ministry.”
Follow the On Eagles’ Wings page on Facebook for more updates.
“We appreciate the prayers of Mission Network News listeners for these young men and women. They are God’s warriors and the enemy’s target,” Hutchcraft says.
“Every warrior in Christ’s army is another proof of His power to save and His victory over death and hell.”
Header and story images courtesy of On Eagles’ Wings.
