INTRODUCING NATIVE EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP OF CANADA, INC. (NEFC)

Past

The birth of the Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Inc. (NEFC) came about as a result of missionary endeavour to Native peoples in the 1950’s. As Native men were won to Christ they were given Bible school training and encouraged to take Christian leadership. Native believers grew in their faith and soon saw the spiritual need among their own people. This need was not only in one reserve but also across the Dominion of Canada.

In 1957 the vision of a fellowship of Native Christians across Canada began was born. Two years later Native leaders met to organize their new fellowship of churches. This humble beginning in central Canada paved the way toward an organizational framework that would later be adopted in 1959 at a meeting of Indian leaders at Island Lake, Manitoba. The Lord’s leading was evidenced as the Indian Christians from remote areas were united in their desire to organize a Native Evangelical Fellowship of Indian Christians across Canada.

In 1968, the Native Christian group wrote By-laws and a Constitution that was then known as the Native Evangelical Church. In 1969, at the General Conference in Winnipeg, the members of the Native Evangelical Church revised the name to its present “Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.” The same year the NEFC under its new name applied for a Charter from the Federal government of Canada. This was granted in 1971 and gives the Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Inc., the recognition as a religious body which is able to operate anywhere in Canada.

In spite of great obstacles God drew many hundreds of Native peoples to Himself over the next few decades. The Lord rewarded the faith of these early pastors and Christian workers.

Many believers organized themselves into uniquely Native local fellowships. NEFC grew through annual conferences, Christian workers retreats and family camps. Much of our growth can also be attributed to the assistance of non-Native missionaries.     

NEFC PURPOSE

NEFC exists for the purpose of bringing lost souls to Christ,
discipling them, and gathering them into local fellowships

Present

After many years of spreading the gospel and establishing churches, NEFC aspires to minister the gospel in every Native reserve, community and city across Canada. The founders have passed the baton to the second and third generation leadership who continue to uphold strong doctrine and the values and vision of the original board.

The NEFC office provides a two-fold function. As a mission agency, we presently serve ten missionary couples and two single missionaries from Quebec to British Columbia. As a fellowship of Native churches NEFC provides encouragement and counsel for its leadership and fellowships. We serve as a link among the various NEFC churches as well as a link from the churches to the Christian community at large.

NEFC continues to focus on proclaiming in word and deed the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that as the gospel is applied to people’s hearts, true life change results. The only hope for our people is faith in God through relationship with Jesus Christ.

We give God praise for the wide-reaching impact of the last fifty years of evangelical mission work across Canada. We thank Him for the working of His Spirit in the midst of a spiritual searching for truth and reality. Many more today are finding true hope and life in Jesus Christ. A growing number of Native leaders are effectively helping our people apply the gospel of Jesus Christ to the broken hearted and wounded lives.

Future

In this age of Native identity search, self-determination and spirituality resurgence we believe God has given us unprecedented opportunity to offer hope through Jesus Christ. Therefore we as Aboriginal National Church leadership are pioneering new structures to communicate Jesus “through an Aboriginal lens.” We want to empower ourselves and our workers to more effectively reach the exploding Aboriginal population for Christ.

The Apostle Paul’s model of planting churches provides a
 pattern that has worked among Native peoples for many
years. Since the latter 1940’s, missionaries and Native
pastors have ministered at every phase of the cycle.

In the coming years we envision a stronger movement of healthy Native churches across Canada, nurturing our people to become people of strength. We envision a stronger movement of emerging Christian Native leaders who are gifted and trained for the work of the ministry—here and around the world. We envision strategic ministry partnerships to emerge between Native and non-Native ministries for the advancement of God’s kingdom. We believe the renewal of interest in spirituality will result in many more people finding the true path to the Creator and His Son, Jesus. We are trusting God for a mighty river of healing and reconciliation to flow among our people, bringing a message of hope and transformation through Jesus Christ.