Good morning, we had a quick trip to Oklahoma for Hannah’s wedding and all went well. She is married to Sam and they are now living in Virginia Beach. They have settled into their apartment and Sam is stationed at Norfolk Naval Hospital. He is training to be a corman. We were really tired after the trip, is a long way to go for only a few days, but we wouldn’t have missed it.

We are preparing for all of our children to be here in July for our yearly family reunion. Yes they are all staying at our house will be 16 in all. Can hardly wait to see them. We only see them about once a year so the kids have all grown inches.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support of our ministry, we appreciate it and feel your prayers. God has blessed us with a multitude of friends across the United States.

Thanks again!

Steve and Chris

The summer has passed very quickly and we are enjoying the opportunities that the fall brings for ministry opportunities. Since our last report to you, I have been involved with trying to establish our Bible Institute ministry. We previously reported to you the devised curriculum. I was able to share that, as well, with several other missionaries for their input. All the responses were positive. I especially prized the input of Dr. Leonard Rascher in Oklahoma, when I was teaching there last fall. He confirmed we were on the right track and showed me a similar curriculum he had devised.,

This past June, I was able to begin the training in the discipleship quadrant with a course in the “Confirmation of the Gospel,” where for several weeks we studied the gospel that Jesus and the early church preached. There were six permanent students and several were in and out for each session. Pastor Tim Tsoodle of Carlisle Community (Indian Baptist) Church in Albuquerque has consented to be my sponsor for these opening classes.,

In July, we took vacation in the east at my son’s home in New Jersey. I drove so that I could make contact with donors on the way home. I contacted several of our supporters in Pennsylvania and was able to attend our denomination’s annual conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. As Grace Brethren, most of our support comes from GB churches. This took most of July to complete.,

Because the summer was slow, I spent time in August and early September developing classes for the Institute. I now have classes prepared for The Story of the Bible, The Kerygma: the gospel of the early church, The Kingdom of God in Scripture, and Spiritual Leadership. Presently, I am completing a new four week course on the Enemies of the Christian Life: Suffering, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. I will begin teaching this class this third week of September.,

In addition to the studies necessary for class preparation, I have taken training in the Logos Bible Computer Software this summer. This very sophisticated program is allowing me to undertake my studies in a much easier and quicker mode, allowing me to complete my class preparation in less time.,

My future vision is to enhance the already fine work being done by CHIEF with a depth of teaching that will build up leaders for the native churches. There is such a desperate need. Additionally, I hope to write some commentaries that are especially suited for our native leaders and will help them become even better teachers of God’s word. As many do, I have always operated under the assumption that no real growth in Christianity takes place outside the teaching of the Word, for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.,

We were very pleased to have visitors  and supporting friends drop by this year. Dan and Miriam Pacheco from our home church at Winona Lake (on the right) and long time friends George and Chris Gentry from Seal Beach GBC.,

 Dr. Steve Galegor is the Southwest trainer for CHIEF’s “School without Walls.” Steve is a graduate of Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. He holds a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Ministries degree, with major studies in intercultural ministries. Steve is an ordained elder in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches and has ministered among Native Americans for over twenty years.

Steve was born in Missouri, while his dad was finishing college. After college they moved to Ardmore, then Oklahoma City, where Steve grew up. Chris was born and raised in Oklahoma City. Chris has relatives and in-laws who are Native Americans. Oklahoma has the largest population of Native Americans in the US, but like most Americans, the Galegors grew up oblivious to their needs. After Grace Seminary, Steve worked for Grace Brethren Home Missions, where he had some responsibility with Grace Brethren Navajo Mission. On a visit with Chris to the mission, they felt their call to service with Native Americans. After raising support, they joined the mission staff in 1989 where their daughter Shanda became one of the few white graduates of Grace Christian Indian School. In 1991, Steve became the director of the ministry and labored in church planting and Bible training among the churches in New Mexico and Arizona, while being the superintendent of Grace Christian Indian School. In 1999, the ministry headquarters were moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, because of the movement of Native Americans to urban centers and to concentrate more on church planting. In 2007, Steve and Chris joined the ministry of Christian Hope Indian Eskimo Ministry (C.H.I.E.F., Inc.) to be more involved with leadership development among Native American leaders.

A special greetings from Steve and Chris Galegor
run time 3:16

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Recently, I, Steve, participated in CHIEF’s Native Christian Leadership Forum in Phoenix. These meetings are monthly to benefit Native pastors, lay leaders, Native students, missionaries, and board members of Native ministries in that area. The meetings are held at Phoenix Seminary. I team taught with my friend and fellow teacher, Rev. Ben Yazzie. We spoke on administration of the local church. Many of these pastors and leaders have not had the benefit of training in these areas. I have a special interest in teaching these leaders how to prepare messages that are scriptural and can help in the deepening of the individual and church. Ben is especially good at teaching the nuts and bolts of running a church. 

Native Bible Institute is a way of addressing the critical need for leaders among the Native American churches. The few churches who have leaders often fail to grow because the leaders are overworked. NBI hopes to give these leaders the encouragement and training they need, as well as, raise up new leaders to stand with them. 

Through NBI, we are hoping to develop an ordered learning cycle, where classes build upon one another, so as to add depth to the educational and practical training of those who desire to be leaders. 

Since leaders come from the ranks of mature, believing disciples, the foundational cycle is for developing disciples out of any who desire the training. This is intended, however, to create a pool out of which leaders will arise for the Native Christian churches. 

Last report we asked for your prayers for the Native Bible Institute. We had a kick-off in late May with our President, Huron Claus. Huron and I addressed several church leaders about the opportunity of some solid Bible teaching at NBI. 

On June 15th, we began with 8 students. We began with the first course in the Discipleship series, “Confirming the Gospel: the Gospel of the early church.” From passages like Acts 10:34-43, the class compared the gospel we often preach today to the one Peter and Paul preached in apostolic times. The early Church’s gospel was full of Scripture, expanding upon the prophecies of the Old Testament, and centering upon the death, and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This will be the first in the series which will emphasize the foundations of the Christian faith. The classes are intended to build upon each other in the manner of a catechism. This should give each student a good grounding in the essentials of leadership in their churches. I am writing these courses myself  and testing them as I go. Feedback is essential from the students, but many have not taken this kind of course before. There is much interest, but not so much commitment. Pray! 

Prayer Requests: 

• For summer travel and church contacts sharing the ministry of  CHIEF.

• Recruitment and prep for the Fall classes of Native Bible Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• School Without Walls session scheduled in the Fall among the Choctaw Nation in Southeast Oklahoma.

Great fellowship with Col. John Schumacher, US Army chaplain and his wife, Martha

Lunch with Tom and Alfreda Claus, Founder of CHIEF

Chris and I vacationed at the CHIEF headquarters in Phoenix, where we enjoyed the hospitality of the visitor’s bungalow. 

Once again, thank you for your friendship and support in our ministry in CHIEF. Words can’t express enough the blessing that you are to Chris and I. Feel free to respond to us anytime by sending us your reply!