“Lord, Pour Out Your Spirit on Us” 

By Rev. Milford Oxendine, Jr., Pastor, Cordova United Methodist Church, Cordova
 
Is a better day coming for Lumbee Native Americans in North Carolina?  Being an optimist, I believe that God’s words, “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh” (v.28), will become a reality in the last days.

As a boy growing up in a triracial community in Robeson County, I recall how my people were treated.  Many of my elders were farmers.  They depended upon a white-owned hardware store to provide farming materials to assist in their work.  Many would get their supplies on credit.  At the end of the farming season, they went to the local hardware store to settle their accounts.  Most of the time, the Indian farmers did not make enough money to pay for their supplies.  As a result, many of them lost their farms.  This created a type of bondage as they were forced to work off their credit as tenant farmers.   The Indian families became like slaves living on land they once owned.

In the book of Joel, the Israelites are living in bondage in Babylonia.  They once owned land, but now the Babylonians have conquered and captured the Israelites and put them in bondage.  They are allowed to work and to make their own money, yet, they are in captivity.

Joel, the prophet, speaks and reminds the Israelites that God will pour out God’s spirit on all flesh.  The barren land, eaten by the locust, will receive rain, and the fields will produce wheat again.  This blessing will be given in the form of dreams and visions seen by old and young, sons and daughters, and servants and handmaids.  All of this will take place in the Last Days (vs. 30-32).

“I will pour out my spirit on all flesh” are encouraging words.  These prophetic words speak of God sending help for my people, Native Americans in North Carolina.  Help is a word meaning “aid,” “save,” and “relieve.”  Using these definitions, I believe my people need help in four areas.

First, North Carolina Indians have health problems.  Many of them are dying of cancer and heart attacks.  These diseases are killing both young and old.  There is an epidemic of sexually transmitted disease among our youth and young adults.  Drugs are a major problem among many of our people, too.

Second, ever since I was a child, my parents reminded me that education was the key to success.  In our culture today, however, I find that many of our children are not being told that education is a priority in their lives. When I was in grammar and high school during the days of segregation, I had Indian teachers.  Now during the days of integration with all races, our Indian children are still at the bottom of the totem pole in education.  Even though our children have an opportunity to excel, many choose to be lazy and are not pushed by their parents to give their best efforts at all times. 

Third, in the Indian world, land is called “Mother Earth.”  For us the land is sacred, as we acknowledge that God is everywhere.   One of the most basic Indian values is “Respect for Nature.”  We know that the land (soil) must not be poisoned by many harmful things.  To neglect to honor and to give respect to the land will cause the earth to rebel against us.  It will become barren and lifeless. 

Fourth, our Indian communities need to hear from our prophets.  They need to receive dreams and visions for our people.  Then, they need to share both with our people and with others. 

These four areas in which North Carolina’s Native American communities need help can be addressed politically, socially, or economically. More importantly, they can also be improved through the involvement of our churches and in the act of worship.  In our worship services, four elements are vital: praying, witnessing, singing, and preaching. Each element is dependant upon the others.  Failure of any one means that the vision to help our people will not become a reality as we face the Last Days.

Prayer is a personal conversation with the Great Spirit.  When an Indian prays, he or she depends upon the Holy Spirit in order to speak the words that will bring hope and healing to our broken world.  We seek comfort and peace of mind through prayers that will relieve the hurts and pains of living in a White man’s world. In many Lumbee congregations, an Altar Prayer is usually prayed before the sermon.  The majority of the members will come to the front of the church, kneel down, and pray out loud.  As the Holy Spirit descends upon the people, it’s like a stick of dynamite is lit and then explodes. God’s Spirit is felt by everyone.  Members will cry, shout, and wail.  The experience is alive with God’s Spirit.  During the moments of gathering around the altar for prayer, some members will give testimonies of what God has done in their lives.  Some will share a miracle that might have taken place in their own lives or that of a loved one. After the Altar Prayer and testimonies, one person may begin singing a heartfelt song.  As the spirit is felt, the congregation will join in singing.  Joy and peace will settle upon their hearts.

When these three elements are completed, the minister will read the Scriptures and talk about what God has placed on his or her heart. Then, a sermon will be preached.  While preaching the sermon, the members will usually say “Amen,” “Preach brother/sister, preach,” etc.  These words encourage, provide, and invite God’s Spirit to speak the words the congregation needs to hear.  Thus, the preacher becomes a prophet. I believe he or she can also be a prophet for our people by encouraging our families to make education a priority for all our children and youth.  He or she must also challenge our young people to become more health conscious.  Finally, the Native pastor must continue to remind our farmers about the sacred nature of Mother Earth and encourage them to protect and respect our natural world.

It is of utmost importance that we in Indian congregations share our worship encounters with the Anglo community.  When our people come together in worship, we look forward to hearing God’s words, “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh.”  We look forward to seeing the visions and hearing of the dreams of young and old, our elders and our sons and daughters.  Finally, we look forward to the Last Days of entering into God’s Kingdom.  

Lord, come and pour out your Spirit on our flesh.