Hammonds holds revival for Hopi Indians

     The Hopi Indian reservation is home to four different communities within a forty square mile area in Arizona. Lacking the common amenities of a structured community, the land is barren of Starbucks and Food Lion, and no golden arches are visible on the horizon. On the reservation, at least 28% of the people lack electricity while 40% do not have phone lines. Many of the Indians there live a quiet, primitive life, untouched by the jostle of modern society.
     While attending a Baptist State Convention seminar in Oklahoma, Reverend Jimmy Hammonds, a religion student at Campbell University, was invited to preach and hold a revival for the Hopi Indians in Arizona. Of American Indian heritage himself, Hammonds seized the rare opportunity with enthusiasm.
    The purpose of Hammonds’ trip, September 12-15, was to conduct a three-night revival among the Native Americans. During the process, Hammonds, who is also pastor of Bethel Hill Baptist Church in Lumberton, NC, lived the life of a Hopi Indian. From frequent visits with the Indians, Hammonds says he gained greater insight into their life and customs.
     Spiritually, an overwhelming 95% of the Hopi population adheres to the strict traditional religion passed down by the centuries from their ancestors. The conventional Baptist religion starkly contrasts that of the Hopi Indians, who believe that they themselves are responsible for creation.
     “Preaching the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, was an honor,” Hammonds said. While it was difficult to evangelize to a community with a widely opposed worldview, the experience was a good one for Hammonds, who believes both he and the Hopi Indians benefited from learning about their cultural differences.
     Hammonds is grateful for the personal perspective he gained from the trip, broadening his own knowledge of the Indian culture. He sums up his experience in Arizona as “unforgettable” and “amazing” and plans to return to the reservation in the spring for another revival. Hammonds is also planning to revisit for a week in July to organize a vacation Bible school for the children during the day and to preach at night.
     Jimmy Hammonds is currently completing his undergraduate studies at Campbell University and soon hopes to attend Campbell’s Divinity school in order to strengthen and expand his knowledge of theology and to better serve his church. Hammonds is married with four children and has four grandchildren.