After the Smiths finished their series on the church in Sardis, they break from their study in Revelation on Christ's words to the seven churches in Asia Minor to present a message Craig preached in late May, 2026 at their home church on the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota. This message, Christ our Coming King is in two parts and continues their teaching on end time prophecy. Drawing from Daniel and other Old Testament prophetic passages, Craig reminds his church family that we can believe the prophetic Scriptures, even if it comes out of the Old Testament because all it foretold of Christ's first coming has been verified and confirmed by history. And if it's confirmed truth for the first coming, we can be assured that it's confirmed truth for the second coming! The message also speaks about one of the many prophecies pieces of the end times, which is often misunderstood or not understood by many of God's people today. And that has to do with the Antichrist and issue of the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel in the Old Testament and Matthew in the New Testament. Clarifying truth is what Craig and LaDonna seek to provide you, as faithful listeners to the Indigenous Faith broadcast. With that in mind, they trust today and next week's preaching message will be a blessing, encouragement, and an enlightening event!

In today's third and final session on the church in Sardis, Craig and LaDonna complete their illustrations of Christ's words in Revelation as being for all time and for all churches around the world. Those illustrations had to do with Pastor Tony Evans and the Christianity Today magazine, and Christ's words about Sardis portraying itself as being alive by yet in the eyes of Christ, they were dead. In order to understand how Pastor Evans and the magazine relate to that, you have to go to last week's installment of Indigenous Faith to get the whole story. From there, the Smiths review all the remaining verses containing Christ's words to Sardis, including Revelation 3:2-6. With the help of Dr. J Vernon McGee's commentary, he not only clarifies how churches that are alive (at least in their minds), can actually be dead. He does a great service to us all by clarifying why Christ's words about blotting names out of the Book of Life does not mean true believers can lose their salvation. Craig reminds us about the Indigenous Faith video series that is another tool to help listeners go deeper into the truths presented by Craig and his close friend and fellow Ojibwe ministry colleague, Dr. Vern Charette. This series is available on the tribalrescue.com website as well. And this series on Sardis ends with an accapella song by the Smiths appropriately titled, Beautiful Land. A great reminder of what this whole series on The King is Coming is all about! Thanks for joining the Smiths today as they celebrate the soon return of Jesus Christ to earth! Right here on Indigenous Faith!

In this, our second episode on Christ's words to the church in Sardis, Craig and LaDonna finish up their review of the thirty-three things the Holy Spirit does according to Scripture. It's quite a comprehensive review, isn't it! From there, the Smith's finish their comments on the Holy Spirit as He lives within the believer. They then turn their attention to the indicting words of Christ to Sardis, where He says that though they have a reputation for being alive, in reality, they are a dead church. With the help of well known radio preacher of a generation ago, Dr. J. Vernon McGee's strong commentary on this passage, the veil is lifted off of Sardis and the reason they were considered dead by Christ becomes obvious. And today's episode finishes off with a more contemporary review of how presenting one's self, or one's church, or one's organization may make it look alive, Christ's words to Sardis become much more relevant to our modern times. How does a quote from Dr. Tony Evans Bible Commentary and a subsequent article on him in Christianity Today magazine bring to life these sad realities? Well, you'll just have to listen to today's installment of Indigenous Faith to find out. As always, Craig and LaDonna welcome you to today's study on Christ's words to the church in Sardis.