USA (MNN) — Paper chains symbolized the real bondage of young Native participants at the Warrior Leadership Summit conference: sins, addictions, pain. Throughout the week, young people tore off the chains and left them at the cross, symbolizing the bondages that were broken off their lives.
Zephaniah 3:17 was the banner verse for this summer of rescue: "The Lord your God is with you; He is mighty to save."
Jesus Christ broke the chains of 630 young Native lives–the largest WLS attendance in On Eagles' Wings history. One-fourth of these young people gave their lives to Jesus Christ, and at least a third stayed behind another night to abandon the sins and addictions that enslaved them. Many young people proclaimed, "I will obey God…I will be a rescuer…I want to shake the gates of hell!" after Doug Hutchcraft's message on being a rescuer for your people. 76 nations were represented at the conference–also a record number.
A branch of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, On Eagles' Wings hosts the Warrior Leadership Summit to "equip and empower Native American and First Nations young people to make a difference for Jesus Christ". Young people have returned to their communities, helping others find freedom in Christ. Psalm 107:14 was personified at the conference: "He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains."