Ep. 83 / Broken Walls: An Indigenous Testimony with Jonathan Maracle

A Mohawk musician is invited to sing “Amazing Grace” at a major gathering of faith leaders in 1995, and he says no, only because a brand-new song floods his heart and mind and changes the trajectory of his life. That song was “Broken Walls,” and that musician is, Jonathan Maracle, our guest. In this episode we follow the full arc of Jonathan's story, from growing up in Akwesasne as a kid who “didn’t fit,” to carrying the generational weight of residential school trauma, to walking away from church and chasing the rock and roll dream in California, to now thirty years of faithful contextual ministry amongst Indigenous people. Jonathan doesn’t tell a polished story of faith, he talks about addiction, broken relationships, cultural shame, thoughts of suicide, self-hatred, and a phone call from his father that changed everything. From there Jonathan talks about his return to Christianity, but the pain of being told that his Mohawk heritage, language and drum are “not of God.” He explains how that message lands among First Nations, how it hinders a proper Indigenous-Christian identity, and how the Holy Spirit is raising up a new generation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous followers of Jesus alike! We also explore practical steps toward truth and reconciliation, including the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, and why education matters if churches want to walk in right-relationship with their Indigenous brothers and sisters. If you'd like to learn more about Jonathan Maracle and his ministry through Broken Walls you can go to their website, follow him on social media, and listen to their music on all streaming platforms. And please don't forget to share this episode and join the conversation on YouTube! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360