Missions on the BC Coast
Missions on the BC Coast
By Catherine Buschhaus
September 2009
As I follow an ethnobotany specialization at UBC, I have taken three courses dealing with the relations between settler society and First Nations through history to current times. I have heard much disrespect of the churches’ involvement with indigenous people in BC in the past, yet there is silence about the current relationship beyond mentioning the letters of formal apology to residential school survivors. A growing conviction rose for me to find out the situation of the Christian church on the coast, particularly amongst indigenous people. Are there Christian churches amongst these people? Are there any missions currently reaching out to these communities? What struggles face missionaries and indigenous Christians on the coast? The academic voices I heard made me question whether Christians should even do missions. So I also began to struggle with questions that would greatly impact the way I live out my faith. Should Christians do missions? If so, can this be done in a way that uplifts instead of decreases the dignity of the people? My exploration of these issues began with opening my reading repertoire beyond the assigned academic papers to related Biblical passages and to Christian authors and speakers. Through the sponsorship of the Pacific Centre of Discipleship Association (Vancouver, BC), I continued my exploration with a short-term mission on the coast. I also met with long-term missionaries on the coast whose lives and conversation inspired me. While I may not have solid answers for the questions above, every book, lecture, and interaction with missionaries and First Nations alike has led to a greater awareness of the church’s situation in remote, coastal BC.
The question of whether or not Christians, and more specifically myself, should even engage in missions I needed to answer with the Word. November 30th, 2007, I wrote, “How do I reconcile my feelings that I should be more open [and] share my faith more and my fear of being pushy and coming across as superior or exclusive...” I knew the answer could radically change what I strive for, and where I devote my time, energy, and finances, and thus needed to clearly be God’s answer. It should not be a surprise when my Christian beliefs are unpopular; Christ told us to expect this (Matthew 24:9). However, this does not diminish the truth of the command to share the gospel (Matthew 28) and my need to be obedient. This is the work He has given Christians to do (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Only love for Christ and a desire to please Him through obedience kept me from rejecting the clearly commanded Christian responsibility to share the gospel. This loving obedience is more important than making choices out of fear to please people on earth. As in Luke 9:26, when I stand before Him on the day of judgement, I do not want Him to be ashamed of me because I was ashamed of Him. Deep encouragement comes from the fact that it is God’s work by His power (Romans 1:16-17, Acts 2:41).
One of the issues I grappled with regarding First Nations missions was this: what is the responsibility of a missionary to a people whose culture and society has already been severely damaged? December 11th, 2007, I entered in my journal, “God, the abuse that the First Nations people have suffered makes me mad! Reading the stories of girls who have been raped makes me sick!” I also read about the breakdown of family structure due to the removal of children to residential schools and how the grief and pain cycles onward into each subsequent generation. I wonder how often missionaries harm people by destroying culture and society. Yet, I did not know what a missionary should do. Dr. Frank Anderson, who works by invitation with the Fort Babine First Nation, suggested that missionaries can encourage parts of culture that are not contrary to the gospel. There are many such cultural aspects in the indigenous nations in BC, for example language, respect of elders, and traditional medications. However, a missionary cannot support that which is contrary to the gospel, as Paul admonishes Timothy to not tolerate the teaching of false doctrine in the church of Ephesus (1 Timothy 1). Some things, such as calling on spirits other than the Holy Spirit, are not compatible with the change brought by Christ. This is a challenge indigenous Christians and missionaries will face in cultures where many practices are strongly linked with native spirituality. In a recording of a Regent College lecture, First Nations Culture and Christianity, Dr. John Stackhouse comments that this struggle to decide what cultural practices to bring into the church is not new. Pagan European ancestors converting to Christianity had the same struggle before us, and the results were not always successful. This is a good reminder to live with humility, instead of prideful superiority.
Bruce Olson, a missionary to Columbia, is particularly inspiring to me in the area of missions and culture. At Missions Fest 2008, in Vancouver, he spoke of how Western missionaries do not need to bring “Westernism” to other people. Rather we need to shed our culture and prejudices, to live with people and learn from them. We must not assert in arrogance that we have all the solutions, nor crush and make dependant, but rather must build an autonomous people with restored dignity. As Craig Smith writes in “Whiteman’s Gospel,” “compassion must not lead to condescension. Having a heart for people is biblical, keeping them as perpetual receivers is not.” In his autobiography, “Bruchko” (previously titled, “For this cross I’ll kill you”), he writes:
They will not be helped very much unless they find purpose in life through Jesus Christ. Without him whatever development takes place will always be twisted or corrupted. It will embitter those who try to hold it together, and those who don’t care about it will be ruined by apathy and alienation. But with Jesus there can be real change. Not just physical change. Not just change by and by. Real change, now, with visible power. He is the source of all change.
We need to only bring Christ. Bruce Olson’s prayer was that Jesus would take him out of the way and speak to the Motilones in their own language, that Jesus would become a Motilone. Craig Smith believes that the gospel of Christ meeting people where they are at has not happened for native people. “Instead,” he says, “redemption has been viewed as horizontal so that becoming Christian means being Americanized.”
Another question I wondered about concerned the struggles currently faced First Nations people who are already Christian. It must be extremely difficult to persevere in the faith when there is open condemnation of the influence of the church on indigenous cultures. Dr. John Stackhouse addresses the issue of authenticity, saying it is possible to be an authentic Christian native because God was here before the settlers arrived (see also Romans 1:19-20). There are other struggles facing indigenous Christians. In October 2008, Marcus Huff, Director of the BC Mission Boat, in personal conversation said that there is a leadership vacuum in some coastal communities. The residential schools and subsequent programs to “fix” the residential school damage have created low self-esteem in many people. Some of the churches in indigenous communities struggle to find people to fill positions such as leading worship. Thus other Christians can be an encouragement to indigenous Christians by building confidence, and equipping, instead of stepping in to do it all.
In my personal experience of missions on the coast, I have been very encouraged by the example of the Christians at Coastal Missions, one of the long-term boat missions on the coast. These people are in a relationship of love with God, and out of this flows unity and love within their team which then overflows to everyone they meet. In order to share Christ with those who do not believe, we must first love Him, and love our brothers. I believe the most effective way to show Christ to those watching is by our actions telling the truth of love. As the apostle John writes, “let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (I John 3:18). This is the key to missions that uplift individuals, restoring value and dignity, and it is something I experienced in my short-term missions on the coast.
In the First Nations community of Gilford, I have a young friend. The first summer I was there, we blew bubbles from the dock, drew the Christmas story with sidewalk chalk on the planks, told stories, and French-braided hair. This year when I went back, she had been standing on the dock all day waiting for us to arrive. We fished from the dock, jumped in the water, wiener roasted, and French-braided hair again. Before we left I met her father, a man with a life that has been broken by abuse, alcohol, and drugs. Yet, he recognizes that God’s hand has been on his life, and he is being restored to his faith and family. Standing inside the mildewing beach cabin where he has started carving again, I felt privileged hearing his story and witnessing God’s healing work. And I realized that the most important things my team and I could offer this father and daughter were a listening ear with a compassionate heart and a love spoken through our presence and desire to be friends.
British Columbia is a very unique mission field. The church faces many challenges arising from a history that has tarnished our reputation and trust, while new Christians face isolation in their communities. Political issues such as residential school settlements and controversial land claims could threaten the unity of cross-cultural churches. However, Christians must not be discouraged by worldly affairs, for our calling is to be obedient to Christ who has supremacy. “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it,” (Psalm 24:1) including every tree, fish, watershed, First Nation and non-indigenous person on the coast. He is the one preparing the soil, my work and the work of all missionaries on the coast is only spreading the seeds he has given us (Luke 8). Thus, my prayer is that through His power, the church would emerge with unity, love and humility on the coast, as example and encouragement to the worldwide church.
Works Cited
Olson, B. (1978). Bruchko. Carol Stream, IL: Creation House.
Smith, C. (1997). Whiteman's gospel: a Native American examines the Christian church and its ministry among Native Americans. Winnepeg, MB: Indian Life Books.
Stackhouse, J. (2001). First Nations Culture and Christianity [sound recording]. Vancouver, BC: Regent College Publishing.
The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1989). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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