With a pledge of $6
1930

On October 5, Navajo Indian Evangelization Movement (NIEM) was founded. Berlyn and Edith Stokely’s desire to bring the gospel to the families of their students from Sherman Indian Institute in California became a reality. In 1938, a land-site lease was granted at Hardrock, Arizona.

Native Bible Conference
1942

The first Native Bible Conference was held at Hardrock, and 98 Dineh (Navajo) adults participated. About this time the first camp for little sheep herders was held in Flagstaff near the present site of Ameritribes’ El Nathan Christian Camp, and 25 boys and girls attended.

In 1944, NIEM was incorporated and changed its name to Navajo Gospel Mission (NGM). Navajo Bible Academy opened at Hardrock in 1945 with 18 elementary grade students.

Outreach by Dineh (Navajo)
1961

Dineh (Navajo) pastor, Bruce Yazzie (pictured in center), held meetings with Tule River Indians in California, and 15 accepted the Lord.

Two other Dineh (Navajo) evangelists traveled to Idaho to minister to Dineh (Navajo) working in the sugar beet fields.

In the early 30’s Dineh (Navajo) conducted a preaching tour by horseback across their own large reservation, and in 1956, Dineh (Navajo) pastors began broadcasting the gospel by radio to those same areas.

Preparing Others
1979

NGM hosted its first cross-cultural Missionary Candidate School, and by 1982 there were 40 who attended, some from as far away as Sweden.

In 1993, a six-week Mexico Candidate School was held for staff who would work with the Tarahumara.

To Mexico and Beyond
1985

A church was started among the Tarahumara in La Valle, Mexico.

In 1989 missionaries were placed among Klamath River Indians of California, the Shoshone in Nevada, and the Salish/Kootenai in Montana. Pueblo work in New Mexico began in 1992.

Life Water/Water of Life
1989

The first hand-dug wells were completed in the Tarahumara villages of La Valle and Quechi. Life Water, a well-drilling project on the Dineh (Navajo) Reservation, had been started about six years earlier.

In addition to clean water projects, health care, job training, and literacy programs were also initiated in Mexico through servant evangelism.

Involving The Church
1991

NGM developed partnerships with sending churches through Perspectives since the 1980’s, and in 1988 started an Adopt-A-People program. In 1997, NGM changed its name to Ameritribes to reflect its broader ministry.

New Languages
2000

Dedication of the revised Dineh (Navajo) Bible was held in June of 2000.

The Southern Mexico Tepehuans received the Genesis Project Luke video in their own language that same year and Ameritribes was instrumental in showing it in the villages.

In 2001, a linguist joined Ameritribes to begin Bible translation for the Nahuat Tribe.