Today, Worship Pastor Jason French (Eastern Band of Cherokee) and the Smiths unpackage the truths found in Psalms 148, which is God's Universal Call to Worship for all of creation. How do inanimate objects worship God is one of the questions Pastor Craig asked Jason. His insight to this and other questions on how things in the heavenly realm and all things on earth praise their Creator is incredibly helpful to help build lasting faith for all people. All of mankind is summoned by God to worship Him, but it must be done in His way is the clear teaching of God's Word. The two original sons that were a part of the Adam and Eve family learned about the fact that God does not welcome all kinds of worship. Cain offered to God some of the fruits of the soil he was tending while his brother Abel offered the fat portions from the firstborn of his flock. God accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's offering, resulting in Cain murdering his brother out of jealousy and rage. Why? Because the shedding of blood of a sacrificial animal was a type of the sacrifice Jesus would make on Calvary's cross centuries later to pay the sin debt of each one of us. To learn from God's Word what is acceptable worship and what is not is important to building a biblically healthy Indigenous Faith. As we go from here in this series, the Smiths and Jason French talk about the challenges facing Indigenous people in North America through syncretism and for the larger Western Culture churches, the challenges found by making worship more man focused through entertainment vs. God focused through reverent and meaningful worship. All cultures are affected by sin's curse and can lead us astray very easily, even in the issue of worship. Please, dear friend, take the time to go through the whole series with us. As Pastor Craig says, This is one of the most consequential series we will ever do on the Indigenous Faith broadcast. So please stay with us in the weeks to come for the complete visit with our Cherokee brother, Jason French! You won't be sorry!

In today's episode, Cherokee pastor Jason French continues to share his backstory which contributes so much to his becoming established as one of Native North America's leading worship pastors in both Native and modern America settings. Having served for several years with internationally known pastor John Piper as his worship leader, that experience and his academic pursuits in seminary settings has given Jason extensive experience in the whole topic of worship. But as it says in 2 Samuel 24:24, I will not offer sacrifices to the Lord that cost me nothing. And Pastor Jason continues to offer sacrifices of praise that have come at a huge price. His young wife, Anjel has suffered numerous bouts of cancer, including stage four battles that have brought such challenges to this young family. But worshipping God because of His ultimate worth and for His ultimate glory has seen them through every dark and deep challenge. This should cause each and every one of us to sit up and take notice of all he has to share about the value and worth of God and how worship is required for each of us. We're mining gold from the depths of this man's heart and experiences, and we're the better for it! We know you will be as well. So call a friend, family member, or someone who needs to hear how you can beat the suffering and pain in your life by becoming a true worshipper of the Lord! Jason has, and you and I can too! Let's dig a bit deeper into this well of powerful truths from our Cherokee brother and friend, Jason French!

Today Craig and LaDonna Smith begin a follow up series that stays on the theme of the one he just finished about God's Universal Call to Worship. The Smiths are joined by their friend and ministry colleague, Pastor Jason French from the Eastern Band of Cherokee in Oklahoma. Jason is one of America's leading Native worship leaders and helps the Smiths go deeper into what constitutes God honoring and biblically based worship. It's been one of the most powerful sessions the Smiths have recorded with a guest and it's a series that will really help Indigenous believers honor the Lord with their worship that isn't reserved just for a Sunday morning in Church, but every day, all day long. And it's all due, as Jason says, to the worth and glory of God whose praise shall continually be in my mouth (Psalms 34:1).

Make sure you've listened to Craig's three part message on God's Universal call to Worship out of Psalms 148 before you go deeper with the Smiths and Pastor French into what the Bible teaches about worship. You'll be stronger in the Lord for doing so! See you next week as well...

In today's third and final episode on Craig Smith's teaching from Psalms 148, he concludes his review of the fourteen verses that constitute God's Universal Call to Worship. He then expands on several other passages that also are God breathed to remind us of how we are to worship Him in ways pleasing to His Holy name. He wraps up in the final book of the Bible, Revelation, which circles back to what the Psalmist wrote in Psalms 148...a call of all things to praise God throughout eternity. What a great way to finish this inspiring look into mankind's ultimate role, that of being worshippers of the One who created us. In doing so, we build a strong and lasting Indigenous Faith that will keep us in the center of God's will and purposes. Craig and LaDonna Smith pray that God will use this series to draw you as faithful listeners closer to the God we serve!

In today's episode of Indigenous Faith, Pastor Smith continues to unpackage Psalms 148 in this timely message on God's Universal Call to Worship. This comprehensive yet short Psalm leaves no ground, or space in the sky, unturned as the Lord calls all of His creation to worship and praise the One who made them. There isn't a part of Creation that is exempt from this command to worship God. While some may call that an arrogant edict from on High, only the Creator of all things has the holy ability to call us all to His throne, His way, for His purposes. Do you want to protest that order? You could enhance your case if you first created air that you could breath in order to lodge that protest. Want to stomp your feet on the ground instead? Then create your own ground to stomp on and your objection would merit a closer look. But none of us can do that, can we? As the title of a play performed by an African American troupe says, My arms are too short to box with God! And there you have it! Worship of God by all God has made is a beautiful thing and fulfills the ultimate purpose for which God has placed us on planet earth! Surrender to His sovereignty and do it, my friend. You'll be the better for it and your Creator will be praised and blessed by it!

Today, The Indigenous Faith broadcast looks to Craig Smith as he opens God's Word to Psalms 148 in a message he's titled, God's Universal Call to Worship. This series looks at all levels of creation as they all, in their unique ways, worship the One who created them. All the way from the starry host in the vast universe, to the great sea creatures under the waters that surround the globe, God's handiwork is on display as a symphony of praise, adoration, and worship of the God of the Bible. Craig shares some timely quotes from Dr. A.W. Tozer about worship losing its way when it begins to look more like the culture around us than the Christ within us. Craig also addresses the two cultures relevant to Indigenous people of this great land, that of the dominate society and that of our tribal, Indigenous people. Worship's biggest challenge in modern culture is it becoming entertainment and in the Indigenous culture when it syncretizes with the old traditional religions, practices, traditions, and sacred objects. Ultimately, the goal is to help biblically healthy Indigenous followers of Christ worship the Lord in His way, and not ours. Principles that will help build a lasting faith are presented clearly on the table of today's biblical buffet. Join Pastor Smith as he opens God's word for a timely message for us today.

In today's third and final episode in Craig and LaDonna's visit with Kahse Merseth, she continues to share her experiences, as a young Native American serving the Lord in the country of South Korea. During this time, her father's health deteriorated to the point where his life would soon be ending, which led Kahse to return home so she could spend time with her dad before his passing and then after, to be there to help her mother transition to life without her husband. She shares her journey back to the academic world, as she earned her Masters degree in Counseling and Psychology. It was about fifteen years after her fiancé's passing that the Lord brought a man into her life whom she fell in love with and they married and began life together. Looking back over the three episodes, we see that Kahse loved the Lord enough to trust Him during her darkest days, and with faith and patience in the Lord's leading, see the fulfillment of her dreams by meeting and marrying Dustin Merseth. All along the way, she stayed true to the Lord, and demonstrated the life of a Victorious Indigenous Person! The reason the Smiths include these interesting interviews is to show that you, too, friend, can live a victorious life in Christ despite the circumstances of your life. We trust you've been encouraged by the story of this amazing woman of God and challenged to walk in biblical obedience to Christ in your life. That's what this Indigenous Faith broadcast is all about. Until next week, we pray the Lord will be honored in your life, dear friend. See you then!

In part two of this three part VIP interview with Kahse Atkinson Merseth, Kahse opens the door to the deepest part of her soul as she shares the story of her fiancé, James, who was brutally murdered in a home invasion in one of America's inner-city communities just months before they were to be married. As painful that part of her story is, it isn't the end of the story, but a new beginning of deepened faith and trust in the Lord. You'll hear how God used this painful part of her life's story to help others who grieve and are lost and without hope in this world. Kahse shares about her joining and traveling with a team the Smith's help lead on extended Summer of Hope tours into Indigenous communities throughout North America. Night after night, she would take center court, with a microphone in her hand, and share with hundreds of Indigenous youth, parents, and grandparents about the hope she found in her faith in Christ to help her get through the pain and sorrow. From her testimony, God drew many Indigenous people to faith in Christ and the Hope that Kahse had found in the Lord. Beyond that, you'll see how God used this faith filled widow to extend her impact for the gospel internationally, as an Indigenous missionary to South Korea! Imagine, moving from being considered part of a mission field, to now a part of a mission force, this young woman of God has seen her life impact so many people for Christ. Truly inspiring, and helpful to us all to know how to find a strong and lasting Indigenous Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! How about you, dear friend? Do you know and trust the Lord enough with your life to surrender to His salvation and live an empowered and productive life for Christ, be it in your home community, or even to the uttermost parts of the earth? Well, here's one of your Native sisters who has seen just that in her life. And if God can do it in and through Kahse Atkinson Merseth, Craig and LaDonna knows He can do it in and through you as well! Be blessed by this second installment of the VIP Interview with Kahse Atkinson Merseth on the Indigenous Faith broadcast.