Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 ESV). After the resurrection of Jesus, those who believed in him were often identified as followers of "the way" (Acts 9:1-2; 18:24-25; 19:9&23; 22:4; 24:14&22). The "Jesus Way" is affirming, believing, and trusting that Jesus is the way... the source of salvation, the redeemer of souls, the manifestation of divine grace. We embrace this historical reference because it points to the identity, message, and mission of Jesus.
Why not just say "Christian?"
We do. In fact, the primary contributors to this site refer to themselves as "Christian." However, we also recognize that for many indigenous people the term "Christian" has sadly become associated with the wicked domination, destruction, ongoing struggle, and continuing legacy of the European colonization of America. The painful impact of this is so pervasive that the historical truth and essential message of faith in Jesus is often overshadowed and unknown. Some non-Christians are so put off by the history of conquest, slavery, and even genocide that was cloaked in the misappropriation of Christianity, they want nothing to do with what they see, historically, as a religion of racial and cultural bias and domination. The Gospel of Jesus Christ should not be maligned because of the misdeeds of those who wrongfully call "Christian" those behaviors, values, and perspectives which are antithetical to true biblical Christianity. We want people to know about Jesus Christ and come to believe in Jesus Christ.
Contributing to the misunderstanding and miseducation is the popularized non-historical view of Jesus. Many indigenous and non-indigenous people are unaware that: Jesus was not a white European, but was a brown Palestinian Hebrew; he was not a member of the elite ruling class, but was a poor tribal man living in a land colonized by a foreign power; his church did not originate in Europe, but in the Middle East; his message was not one of colonial domination, but of spiritual transformation. Inaccurate presumptions sometimes hinder the spread of the true message of salvation in Jesus, causing some to wonder how a tribal person could ever be a Christian. We are determined to share the truth of The Way, which brings salvation, healing, and wholeness.
