Indigenous Christians from around Australia have been inspired and challenged by the collective witness of their brothers and sisters at the second ever Grasstree Gathering in Brisbane.

Grasstree Gathering is a national, non-denominational conference which brings together Christian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders across Australia (you can learn more about it here). Held for the first time last year, it’s aimed at empowering the next generation of Christian Indigenous leaders.

At this year’s gathering, elders Uncle Ray Minniecon, Uncle Graham Paulson, Uncle Graham Mundine and Aunty Jean were all given the chance to share about walking with Jesus in an ongoing battle for reconciliation and recognition in Australia and the church during Grasstree.

Co-organiser Brooke Prentis from Ipswich in Queensland says having extended time for the elders to share their stories was key to making the conference memorable.

“This was the best thing for Indigenous empowerment that you could ever have, and I think that’s because it came from our own leaders. We’ve still got a lot to learn from them and that’s one of the key things about our culture, respect for elders, and something we don’t want to lose.”

Jonathan Lindsay-Tjapaltjarri Hermawan

Indigenous leaders from across Australia come to Grasstree to be re-energised for mission, and to remember they’re not alone in their work. Jonathan Lindsay-Tjapaltjarri Hermawan runs an Aboriginal ministry in Alice Springs and 2013 was his second Grasstree Gathering. He says it’s played a vital role in spurring him and other leaders on in their mission to reach the Indigenous population of Australia.

“There’s an authenticity in shared identity that gives us this solidarity and collegiality and just a stronger sense of working for a common goal and Grasstree is a mechanism to enable that to keep going.”

“The big vision is that Aboriginal people as a nation will each have a real and authentic and transformational experience with God’s spirit that reaches them through the cultural skin that they live in, making them authentic and free believers in Jesus Christ. That’s the goal,” he said.

At the end of the conference, organiser Brooke asked attendees to stand up if they wanted another Grasstree Gathering. Everyone in the room stood up, indicating the important role the conference is playing in building up Indigenous Christians.

“I think it’s just that we’re continuing to gain momentum. What that week has done in terms of empowering us is more than what has happened for each of us in our individual journeys.”

“Grasstree is about working out that you’re not alone. You can feel very isolated and very alone whether it’s within your community as the only Christian person or the only Aboriginal person within your church and knowing that there are all these other mob across the country, and there’s Facebook and there’s texting and we can all talk to each other, makes a big difference.”

A big part of the challenge coming away from Grasstree is finding ways to heal relationships between the Indigenous population and Christian church, a relationship which has been damaged by mistreatment, abuse and paternalistic approaches to mission and welfare. But Jonathan says it’s possible to build those bridges in the power of the Spirit.

“Our issues can only be conquered by the love of Jesus, but we have to know that Jesus himself was not a white man dressed up in robes trying to preach to us his western culture. In fact, the Jesus that we love is the Jesus of our people, the Jesus of the world, the Jesus of the Kingdom of God.”

Featured image: From Grasstree Gathering 2012.