This, then, is the story of Bill Jackson. With Shirley, he continues to serve the Lord in every way he finds possible. In 1992, Bill authored a booklet entitled Scripture and Traditional Religion. As a Cree person he writes from within the culture. As a born again believer, he writes from the perspective of God’s Word. The goal of his writing is stated on the cover of the booklet. It is simply this: That all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father (John 5:23). 

        In 1993, Bill wrote another booklet. This one is called A More Sure Word. It discusses issues relating to the authority of the Bible over such rivals as Tradition, Psychological Experience (Near Death experiences, Premonitions, Dreams) and related subjects. Both of these booklets have been well received and well used by many engaged in Gospel outreach to Native people. Native Christians have also found them useful in helping them think through and defend biblical responses to traditional and syncretistic beliefs and practices. The dictionary defines syncretism as “a combination of varying and often op­posed beliefs, principles, or practices, especially those of various religions.” When Bill writes about the merging of traditional Native spirituality with Christian truth, he quotes God’s Word in 2 Corinthians 6:17, and 18. Come out from among them and be separate.., and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you. The believer’s fellowship and worship is centred on the Lord Jesus Christ. Since Christ now lives in the believer, it is wrong for the believer to take the old life and the practices of the old religion arid mix them with the new life. Bill insists that both Scripture and experience teach that there is no common ground between the two. 

        In early 1996, Bill produced yet another booklet. This one, entitled God and the First Nations, is a message to First Nations people, urging them to look into what God says about the nations and to see their place in God’s plan. 

        At the time of writing, Bill and Shirley continue to live and work for the Lord in and from Whitefish Lake, Alberta. Their children have all left home now and are pursuing their adult lives in different cities across Canada and the United States. Some have followed their parents’ vocational path and are serving the Lord in direct Christian service. All have left the family home equipped with the knowledge of the Gospel—and with memories of parents who, though acutely aware of their shortcomings, always attempted to practice the holiness, joy and integrity of their life in Christ. 

        From their base at Whitefish Lake, Bill and Shirley travel to Native fellowship groups throughout Canada, teaching the Bible. The Cree are widespread in Canada. They occupy reserve land in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. There are also Cree sharing a reservation with other tribes in Montana. This means that Bill, using the Cree language, can usually communicate in the Native tongue in many regions. Should he have opportunity to minister to other language groups, he gladly does so. For this he uses English or an interpreter in the few places where such a service is still required. In recent years such places have been Baker Lake, NUNAVUT, and POV, QUEBEC, among the Inuit. In the past, he himself had served as an interpreter for others, a role which started when he was a Bible School student. 

        “It’s true we’ve had to slow down a bit in the last few years,” Shirley concedes. “Bill has had some heart trouble, high blood pressure and a few other physical ailments.” 

        Still the invitations come, and still, Bill and Shirley respond. Invitations to speak at conferences, camp meetings, and far-flung congregations merge with Bill’s responsibilities as pastor of the Metis church at Kikino to keep him and

Shirley busy for their Lord. Indigenous leadership chores add to the load. Bill still serves with Northern Canada Evangelical Mission and, from time to time, takes part in NCEM’s T.V. program, Tribal Trails. He also teaches in a program for missionary candidates. In the fall of the year, he teaches at Key-Way-Tin Bible Institute. As long as his health permits, Bill will serve the Lord wherever and whenever he can. 

        “In 1993, I was invited to hold a series of meetings at Eden Valley Reserve in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.” Bill smiles as he recounts the story. “The first night, about fifteen people came to the meeting. The second night, nobody came. Nobody! That was a first for me. The third night, the litfle church was full. I spoke, both Shirley and I counseled, and during the day we helped the missionaries distribute literature through door-to-door visiting.” 

        “Some people talk about the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ as if it were only the white man’s religion,” Bill maintains. “I read that ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16). As a Cree person, I am part of the world God loves. I was included in the ‘whoever.’ Anybody who thinks this is a white man’s religion is forgetting that it came to the ‘white man’ from a Middle Eastern society. It’s Jewish as far as culture and background are concerned. The Bible is really above all cultures. It is God’s truth revealed to all people for all ages.” 

        Bill finds no greater reward in ministry than when he sees other Native people become believers, too. “I am concerned that the social and material condition of my people continues to improve, he admits. “But my main concern is that Native people will come to the Lord Jesus Christ the way He said. Being forgiven, knowing that we are going to heaven when we die, having power to live right on earth—these are the most important things. After all, as Jesus said, ‘What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?’ (Mark 8:36). There’s nothing more important than being saved.”

        The very heartthrob of Bill Jackson’s ministry has been to see Native people saved. His prayer is that Christ will always be the center of his life and ministry, not only ‘as long as the rivers run,’ but right up to the day when faith becomes sight. When through death or when Jesus comes again, Bill Jackson, converted Cree Indian, will leave this earth to join the great host of people who, through the blood of God’s everlasting promise in Christ, have been saved out of every nation and kindred and people and tribe.