Lindy Martin is a man driven by two truths. The first and most important for Martin, a Cherokee Powhatan Indian, is that his fellow Native Americans understand the difference Christianity can make in their lives. The second is that those who are not Native Americans understand the real story of his culture.
The pastor of First Baptist Church, Chalkville, Martin was raised in an Indian community along the border of North Carolina and Virginia. “I fully believe that Christianity has been the medium through which I have succeeded,” he said.
Martin, chief emeritus of his tribe, noted that the Indians in his tribe know there is a god — “a great spirit,” as it is often referred to in their culture. That beginning makes it easier to witness to them about the bridge necessary through Christ to have a relationship with God.
“It’s a good thing to be an Indian,” he said. “But usually, most Indians just stay right there (on the reservation). And I felt that if I could develop proper skills — communication, educational skills — that I could move out so that I could be a resource for Indian young people.
“I sort of felt that I could show them that you don’t have to stay here (on the reservation), you can go get an education and come back,” he said.
“I guess I’ve been a preacher for that; I’ve been an evangelist for that,” Martin said.
He also voices his belief the church is important in witnessing to Indians. Martin said Christian missions movements could do a lot through helping Indians learn professional skills, “along with their evangelistic effort.”
Martin said it is important he go “one-on-one” with witnessing to other Native Americans. With them, he’s just “Lindy.” Martin said it’s important in reaching them that he comes across as a peer they can relate to.
He said he also takes every opportunity available to address Indians at churches in the Cherokee Powhatan community.
Just as he wants Native Americans to understand the importance of Christianity in their lives, Martin wants those who are not of Indian descent to embrace the history of the Indian culture.
To that end, Martin is working with the Birmingham International Festival. Running throughout April, this year’s festival is a salute to American Indians.
Martin is chairman of the business committee for the festival. He said the festival plans to honor several American Indian companies. “It will be just a tremendous salute to some of the outstanding business leaders among Indians.”
But he said the month of educational programs, street festivals, entertainment and other events is something he hopes will give those attending a sense of what Indian life is about.
“What we want them to take away is a sense of indianness, because it is not prevalent in our society,” he said. “We want them to see, one or some of our customs. We want them to see our art, and thirdly, we want them to see the accomplishments of Indian American communities.”
He estimates there are only 1.5 million Indians in America.
“We feel that this was our country and, in a sense, we are maintaining the parts of the kinds of identity that we had before settlers came, and we want to show them a bit of that so that we are not lost completely in the shuffle of the melting pot,” he said.
Martin predicts an examination of any 10 American history books would include only two or three references to American Indians in all of the books combined. He added the references are usually negative, portraying Indians as savages.
“I just want the American people to know we are still here and that we do maintain a part of our culture,” Martin said. “But, that we’re loyal Americans — that we’re going to do our part in making America what it needs to be, but we don’t want to lose that part of American history.”
For Martin, the journey into mainstream American society began with his education. He still recalls the difference it made on his life, particularly his relationship with God and his ministry.
“I guess the thing that I feel good about is that my journey out of that community was due to the church,” Martin said. “That was very much a part of my life.”
Martin attended college at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke. During his formative years, he had become quite a culinary expert and worked as an executive chef at Ridgecrest Baptist Retreat during his summer vacation.
“I heard the best speakers, and that probably was the most profound Christian experience on me other than the local church,” he said.
Calling it a “tremendous influ-ence,” Martin said he was also involved in the Baptist Student Union (BSU) during his college career and was the first American Indian elected president of the North Carolina BSU.
“That experience really put me in a very good place spiritually,” he said. “As a result, I really have been a part of the church — I’ve either been a pastor or a staff member or faculty member at a Christian college, ever since.”
An educator and administrator at Samford University in Birmingham for 28 years, Martin left the college to assume pastoral duties at First Baptist, Vincent, before taking his present position at First, Chalkville, in May 1997.
It was during his time at Samford that Martin was elected chief of his tribe, traveling to the reservation monthly for council meetings. Martin described the Cherokee Powhatans as a “non-resident tribe,” noting only about 100 Indians live in the community.
Martin said he now concentrates his work on the Cherokee Children’s Home in Cherokee, N.C.
When he returns to the area, Martin directs his focus on a task he relishes — guiding visitors on tours that explore the truth behind the Cherokee culture. “And I could do it every day of my life,” he said.
Martin excitedly tells about loading groups onto a bus, where they see the “inside” of the reservation.
“I guess I will dedicate the rest of my life to that kind of thing,” he said. “To say, ‘Hey, our people are here, we’ve been here for a long time, this is why we are here, this is who we are.’
“That’s a mission for me,” Martin said. “They (non-Indians) need to hear it, they need to see it, and if we don’t (show them), it will pass from us.”
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