MISSION
Lutheran Indian Ministries shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Native American people, encouraging them to proclaim Christ’s Kingdom to their own and to others.
VISION
LIM envisions the day when all nations walk together in the light of Christ—receiving forgiveness, proclaiming the Gospel, recognizing self-worth in God, and celebrating unique cultural heritages fulfilled in Christ.
CORE BELIEF
“Love is an action, not an emotion.” LIM builds trust with Native communities through authentic relationships rooted in listening, learning, and culturally sensitive acts of love.
“There before me was a great multitude no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and the Lamb, crying out, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
PARTNERS IN HEALING & HOPE
We seek to partner with individuals, churches and other ministries who share our heart for sharing Christ with our Native American and Alaska Native brothers and sisters.
WE ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED
Cultural Understanding
We are led by Native people who know the trauma, history, and customs firsthand. We recognize tribal diversity, honoring local protocols and working by invitation only, with cultural guides to ensure respect for tribal customs.
Trauma-Informed Ministry
We use tools like Healing the Wounds of Trauma to address deep-rooted historical wounds, such as those from boarding schools, abuse, and loss of identity.
We connect God’s Word with immediate emotional and spiritual needs, creating healing environments where people feel safe to be vulnerable and open.
Indigenous Leadership Development
We equip Native believers to share the Gospel in their own language and culture, encouraging sustainable, community-led spiritual growth.
Relational, Not Transactional
We build long-term relationships, not short-term mission trips. Our work is about empowerment rather than dependency. We stay humble—sleeping on floors, eating local food, adjusting to remote travel challenges—because connection matters more than comfort.
Authentic Storytelling
We collect and share testimonies of transformation, helping others see that healing and restoration are possible—even when life feels broken.
Ministry Through Action
Counseling and Healing Groups, Bible Studies and Campus Ministry (e.g., Haskell Indian Nations University’s “Haskell Light”), Training & Equipping Facilitators, Behavior Support and Community Connection
LIMHOPE.org
Healing the Wounds of Trauma
The Trauma Healing Institute (THI), founded by the American Bible Society, helps people heal from trauma through Bible-based, facilitator-led groups. Using Healing the Wounds of Trauma, available in 150+ languages, THI has trained 20,000 facilitators and reached 250,000 people in 100+ countries, addressing pain from war, loss, and disasters.
Lutheran Indian Ministries has adapted the Trauma Healing Institute's approach specifically for Native American and Alaska Native communities. What makes our implementation uniquely different and qualified to help these communities includes:
-
LIM has adapted the trauma healing materials to be culturally relevant to Native American and Alaska Native populations, recognizing the unique historical and ongoing traumas these communities face.
-
Their approach emphasizes training Native people to become trauma healing facilitators within their own communities, creating sustainable healing networks built on trusted relationships.
-
LIM specifically addresses the historical and intergenerational trauma experienced by Native communities, including boarding school experiences, land displacement, and cultural suppression.
-
They integrate traditional Native perspectives on healing with Christian faith practices, respecting indigenous ways of understanding wellness while offering biblical insights.
-
Rather than imposing outside solutions, LIM's model works within existing community structures and values.
-
LIM has established ongoing relationships with Native communities, demonstrating commitment beyond short-term interventions.
The Lutheran Indian Ministries' adaptation recognizes that trauma healing in Native communities requires addressing both personal wounds and collective historical traumas while honoring cultural identity and spiritual practices.
Our approach is distinguished by our respect for Native autonomy and wisdom in the healing process.
Healing the Wounds of Trauma isn't just a program—it's a movement of God through Native hearts, restoring what was broken and awakening what was silenced.
-
Roberta (Kitigruak) had a transformative experience with Lutheran Indian Ministries' healing groups, which she first attended before working there.
Initially hesitant and self-sufficient, she found freedom from lifelong hurts through the 16-hour program centered on biblical teachings about suffering, heart wounds, grief, forgiveness,
and hope.
She emphasizes how the Holy Spirit "does the heavy lifting" in these groups, which create a safe, non-judgmental community where participants learn at their own pace.
The experience was so profound that despite feeling unqualified, she became a facilitator to help others find the same healing.
She values how the program combines scripture (approximately 390 verses) with practical exercises in a communal setting, teaching participants not only to heal themselves but also to support others, ultimately strengthening entire communities.
“I wish I could have done the Healing the Wounds of Trauma decades ago... but we experience freedom when the time is right, and the beauty of being able to go to a healing group—the time was right for me.”
Lighting the Way at Haskell: A Campus Ministry Rooted in Culture and Christ
Founded in 1884 as a boarding school during a time of forced assimilation, Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, has transformed into a symbol of resilience and cultural pride.
Today, it serves as a federally funded university for Native American and Alaska Native students from over 100 tribes across the U.S. Just steps from the dorms, Lutheran Indian Ministries shines a light through its Haskell Light campus ministry—offering meals, Bible studies, and mentorship in a welcoming, culturally affirming environment.
Led by Haskell alum Pola Farve, this ministry understands the weight of Haskell’s history and meets students where they are—emotionally, spiritually, and culturally. For many, it’s the first time they hear the Gospel in a way that honors their identity, not erases it. This relationship is more than support—it’s restoration. It breaks down historic barriers, heals past wounds, and equips the next generation of Native leaders to carry the hope of Christ back into their communities with authenticity and strength.
A Heart Opened by God’s Word
Leo Grass, a Keetowah Cherokee and Western Shoshone student from Reno, Nevada, is walking a new path—one guided by faith.
While attending Haskell Indian Nations University, Leo found his way to Haskell LIGHT, the campus ministry of Lutheran Indian Ministries. There he met Pola Farve (Punchegun), the ministry’s director and a graduate of Haskell herself. Pola leads with compassion, cultural understanding, and a deep love for students—offering a place where they can ask questions, share meals, and experience God’s love without pressure.
One day, Leo asked Pola for a Bible. It was the first one he had ever owned. Touched by the moment, he shared it on social media.
That gift marked a turning point.
Leo began reading—and hasn’t stopped. He’s now nearly finished reading the entire Bible, and through it, he encountered Jesus. Today, Leo is a follower of Christ.
Haskell LIGHT is more than a ministry—it’s a community where faith is shared with gentleness and respect for Native heritage.
Leo’s journey is just one of many stories that show how God is moving—one student, one Bible, one relationship at a time.
Join Us in Ministering to Native Communities
You can play a vital role in sharing the Gospel with Native American and Alaska Native communities. Here’s how you can partner with us:
Give generously. Your partnership in mission is a blessing.
Join an online trauma healing workshop.
In places like Shaqtoolik, Alaska, we’ve seen churches become safe havens of prayer and support.
Imagine what your church could do!