Six simultaneous evangelistic events, titled “Message from the Metal Man,” occurred across the Navajo Nation in a collaborative effort by three different conferences and It Is Written. Arizona Conference Native American Ministries Director Dale Wolcott reported, “Each of the six meetings was small, but altogether the Lord brought close to 50 community guests out each evening.”
Despite the size of the gatherings, 17 people made the decision to be baptized, and follow-up studies and study groups are still being conducted at the locations.
It is Written’s Curt Dolinsky recruited and coordinated the evangelistic teams, which included two Arizona Conference pastors. Jonathan Chitwood, who pastors the Window Rock church, was the key speaker in his own church, while Phoenix Camelback church Pastor Mark Sulger was the speaker at the Chinle church. The 10-session “Metal Man” series featured images and messages linked to Daniel 2.
The meetings represented a unique collaboration since the Navajo Nation geographically spans four different conferences and three unions. Three of the meetings were held in Arizona Conference churches in Page, Chinle, and Window Rock. The other three meetings included one held at the Waterflow church (New Mexico) in the Rocky Mountain Conference—part of the Mid-America Union—and two held at the Crownpoint (New Mexico) and Gallup (New Mexico) churches in the Texico Conference—part of the Southwestern Union.
Before the meetings took place, a “Walk Across the Navajo Nation” to promote the prophecy revival began in Chinle on July 24 and ended 240 miles later at Waterflow on Sept. 9. It featured a 10-foot banner carried by walkers, who gave out fliers as they traversed the nation. In addition, a 30-foot-tall inflatable Daniel 2 statue was set up at strategic locations along the route to gain additional attention.
At the Page church, a full-scale free clinic took place just prior to the series. Several attendees from that clinic are now attending the church and a weekly Bible study. The Page church is uniquely situated, as it sits on the edge of the Navajo Nation but also just up the hill from Lake Powell, which brings in tourists from around the world.
Wolcott said, “In a Zoom meeting debrief following the evangelistic outreach, the leadership at all six sites agreed that they need to do something like this again next year.”
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By Jeff Rogers
