Empowering Indigenous Christ-Followers…

By Dr. Jason Koppen (President)

“IBC doesn’t just train students but future graduates!” This statement was the main focus of a staff meeting this past summer as we processed the need to take the long-term approach of equipping existing students to become life-long Christ-followers. Indigenous Bible College’s vision of seeing Native America cease to be a mission field and become part of the mission force means we need many more graduates leading healthy churches and ministries.

This newsletter is almost exclusively focused on graduates. IBC loves its graduates and we know that our ministry partners (prayer, volunteer, and financial) love IBC graduates too. Most colleges view their graduates primarily as a source of funding. At IBC, not only are our graduates often unable to financially support the school, but they are often in need of unique ongoing personal support from the school in the form of mentoring, training, networking, or soul care. For several years now we have wrestled with the need to be able to support all of our graduates in whatever way they need for as long as they need it.

After years of seeking the Lord about the need to be able to do more for our graduates we are now taking major steps to walk more fully alongside them in a variety of ways. I am excited to share that veteran missionary and IBC graduate, Roger Scarbro, is joining the IBC staff full time as part of our graduate support team. Roger and his wife Kathy live in Gallup, NM and have been involved in Native ministry for over 30 years, recently among the Zuni people. Roger is widely respected as a wise mentor for young Native leaders and has taught at IBC for several years as an adjunct faculty member. He will now be supporting graduates as a major part of his ministry. Roger writes,

“My heart has always been to disciple Native American youth and young adults to be leaders in their own culture. I have found that I can more effectively disciple young adults from many tribes as part of the team at IBC than discipling them one-on-one on my own.”

Roger will be working alongside IBC’s Indigenous Leadership Coach, Scott Tafoya, to offer ongoing support for IBC graduates in the mission field. With their help, IBC will now be able to serve as a sending agency for graduates who need our ongoing partnership to reach and disciple their people. The first of these “IBC sent graduates” is Will Axtell, who has served on staff the past three years and is now returning home to Spokane. For numerous reasons IBC is best positioned to provide the ongoing support that Will needs for effectiveness in his future ministry. Keep reading to learn more about IBC graduates serving their people, and the ways we are coming alongside them to support their work.