{"id":18247,"date":"2026-08-01T10:12:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T17:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/?p=18247"},"modified":"2026-08-01T10:19:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T17:19:49","slug":"shoshone-join-arapaho-in-telling-church-to-stop-preaching-against-tribal-beliefs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/2026\/08\/01\/shoshone-join-arapaho-in-telling-church-to-stop-preaching-against-tribal-beliefs\/","title":{"rendered":"Shoshone Join Arapaho In Telling Church To Stop Preaching Against Tribal Beliefs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What’s funny about this (I was trying to ignore this article), is that it’s really two pagan religions fighting each other. As a female pastor goes against God and scripture pointing directly to disobedience, and as John MacArthur would say, if you have a female pastor, you have neither a pastor nor a church. However, God is a jealous God, and He doesn’t tolerate his glory going to another, so under no circumstances can pagan idol worship coexist with Godly reverence and worship. And being part Cherokee and Choctaw, you could say I have some standing to comment. And I actually read the article as we’ll be driving through the reservation later this summer to go to the Wyoming Dinosaur Museum<\/a>, so I wanted to know what was going on as I usually wear a Christian t-shirt, though I never have problems as I’m 6’2″ and 200 lbs, monitoring my surroundings… If you know you know. And Jason below looks pretty shady, so is this just another church business hustle? Adding a little controversy to get more tithes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/cowboystatedaily.com\/2026\/07\/31\/shoshone-join-arapaho-in-telling-church-to-stop-preaching-against-tribal-beliefs\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
Eastern Shoshone leaders on Friday voiced agreement with the Northern Arapaho Business Council in telling a church to stop preaching against tribal beliefs. Outsiders can\u2019t hold \u201crecurring ministries\u201d on the reservation without approval, the tribe says.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

By Clair McFarland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Foundations
(Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eastern Shoshone Tribal leaders on Friday voiced agreement with a directive of the Northern Arapaho Business Council that outsiders can\u2019t conduct \u201crecurring ministries\u201d on the reservation without authorization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eastern Shoshone Tribe\u2019s statement follows more than three weeks of bitter controversy over a pastor who condemned some Sundance rituals<\/u><\/a> as idolatry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foundations For Nations Pastor Sarah Lucas delivered that message July 5 in the church, which sits on private land within the Wind River Indian Reservation\u2019s exterior boundaries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She had preached that \u201ca pipe cannot hear your prayers\u201d and \u201cwe know that Jesus is enough,\u201d to a congregation containing several Northern Arapaho tribal members \u2014 and as the tribe finished its Sundance ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foundations for Nations sits on the more Arapaho-concentrated side of the two-tribe Wind River Indian Reservation. Numerous Arapaho tribal members erupted into fury at the message, saying Lucas had condemned and misunderstood their traditional ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Friday, the Eastern Shoshone Tribe\u2019s Facebook page published an unsigned letter under the tribe\u2019s letterhead, voicing solidarity with its neighbor tribe<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Eastern Shoshone Tribe has both the responsibility and the authority to protect the health, welfare, cultural identity, governmental integrity, and traditional ways of life of the Eastern Shoshone people,\u201d says the letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTherefore, the Eastern Shoshone Tribe calls on the Foundation for Nations church and any affiliated representatives to immediately stop all efforts directed at persuading Native children and families to reject traditional practices,” it adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The letter urges the church to \u201cengage in governmental consultation and authorization directly with the Eastern Shoshone Business Council (ESBC) before continuing or expanding any recurring ministry activities, especially where it concerns tribal member children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It says the tribe is adopting a co-existing policy requiring outside organizations seeking to conduct recurring ministries, charitable services, outreach programs, or other organized activities on lands under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe to consult with and seek government authorization from the tribe first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is It Legal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s unclear if that move is lawful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 subjects tribal governments to First Amendment restraints, to protect people\u2019s religious and speech rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Supreme Court has not found an inherent right of tribes to regulate non-Indians on private lands within reservations, but it\u2019s made two exceptions to that rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those are: When the nonmembers enter consensual relationships with the tribe or its members; or when the non-Indians\u2019 conduct threatens the tribe\u2019s political integrity, economic security or health and welfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is a profound abuse of trust for any outside institution to be welcomed onto the Reservation, endear itself to our community, and then use that access to insult, diminish, or erase the people who offered that welcome,\u201d the letter says. \u201cHospitality must not be repaid with contempt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“No organization should enter tribal communities under the appearance of service or fellowship while working to culturally cleanse tribal members of their ceremonies, teachings, or spiritual identity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucas told Cowboy State Daily in a past interview that she is sorry the message came off as an attack, but not sorry for preaching from the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The letter says the Eastern Shoshone Tribe \u201crespects the individual constitutional rights of all people to practice their faith\u201d but finds troubling the \u201cuse of religious expression as a cover for targeted efforts to undermine coexisting beliefs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucas did not return a request for comment by publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile \u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, controversy between Arapaho members and Foundations for Nations continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A protest outside the church Sunday grew from about a dozen tribal members to more than 20 during the service. U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs vehicles sat, lights on, on roadsides at both ends of the protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alice Thomas organized the protest, and told Cowboy State Daily that she had called BIA for standby and informed the Fremont County Sheriff of the protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas said her issue isn\u2019t with the whole church, it\u2019s with Lucas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m personally protesting Sarah Lucas, and for the blatant disrespect that she had for our people, and our traditions,\u201d said Thomas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas said she\u2019s also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and hasn\u2019t been told \u201cby any of the higher-ups\u201d that the tribal traditions clash with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the church that day, Lucas gave an anecdote that would later spark more consternation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were in prayer Friday night as a team,\u201d began Lucas, according to the church\u2019s YouTube video of the service<\/u><\/a>. \u201cSomebody had said in that prayer meeting \u2014 and I\u2019m not saying this to boast in any kind of way about who I am \u2014 the Lord had said to one of the people: \u2018For God so loved the reservation, that they sent Sarah.\u2019 And that spoke to my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucas went on to say that she loves the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The comment appears to be a reprise of the famous Gospel verse John 3:16, which says, \u201cFor God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Blasphemy’<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Darci Quiver, Thomas\u2019 sister, delivered a strongly-worded critique of Lucas\u2019 anecdote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSarah has No Respect for God or herself,\u201d said Quiver in a Friday message to Cowboy State Daily. \u201cBlasphemy comes to mind. Her opinion of herself is high as if she sits at Gods (sic) side. Even if she didn\u2019t say it she repeated it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“She\u2019s boasting because she loves the attention. Mocking her own faith. Sarah doesn\u2019t speak for God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding the Shoshone Tribe\u2019s letter and Quiver\u2019s criticism, Lucas declined Friday to comment to Cowboy State Daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucas had declined to allow Cowboy State Daily to enter the church to report on the service Sunday, citing the advice of her attorney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She told congregants that Andrew Wommack Ministries was in the church filming that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Northern Arapaho Tribe, the flat pipe is associated with the Creator, and some sun dance rituals center on the pipe and treat it as a sacred object.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cowboy State Daily has received conflicting statements from tribal members on whether they pray to the pipe, or through it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another Battle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Eastern Shoshone Business Council that was regularly elected is in a court battle to retain authority, as the Shoshone General Council \u2014 a democratic gathering of adult tribal members \u2014 voted in January to oust them and replace them with Wade LeBeau and other new governors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeBeau confirmed Friday to Cowboy State Daily that the legal battle between the council he leads and the one he calls the \u201cousted\u201d is ongoing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also said the \u201cousted\u201d are beyond their authority by taking legislative action as an executive branch, and is in violation of a court order commanding them not to act as the ESBC during the ongoing challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The panel\u2019s spokeswoman did not respond by publication to an email request for responses to those statements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the order itself, LeBeau said, \u201cIt\u2019s against constitutional law. They\u2019re violating the constitutional rights of these people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeBeau theorized that the Northern Arapaho tribal leaders urged the Shoshone panel to enter the controversy so that the Arapaho have more legal grounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eastern Shoshone Tribe won the Wind River region via treaty in 1868<\/u><\/a>. LeBeau has long said the Arapaho don\u2019t have treaty rights to the region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What’s funny about this (I was trying to ignore this article), is that it’s really two pagan religions fighting each other. As a female pastor goes against God and scripture pointing directly to disobedience, and as John MacArthur would say, if you have a female pastor, you have neither a pastor nor a church. However, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wyoming"],"blocksy_meta":[],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Jason","author_link":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/author\/jturning\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18247","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18247"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18247\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18251,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18247\/revisions\/18251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}