Population (2005): 663,661

Capital: Juneau

Top Largest Cities: Anchorage (275,043), Fairbanks (31,324), Juneau (30, 987)

Land Area: 571,951 sq. mi. (1/5 of continental US)

Part of US: Jan. 3, 1959 (49th state)

State Motto: North to the Future

State Nickname: “The Last Frontier” or “Land of the Midnight Sun”

State Flower: Forget-me-not

State Tree: Sitka spruce

State Bird: Willow Ptarmigan

State Fish: King Salmon

State Gem: Jade

State Mineral: Gold

State Marine Mammal: Bowhead Whale

State Fossil: Wooly Mammoth

State Sport: Dog mushing

Native Population:

In addition to Alaska’s rich natural resources that have been discovered and utilized since its addition to the US, its native residents makeup a land of rich cultural heritage. Alaska’s native residents are comprised of Eskimos, mostly along the coastal regions, and Indians, mostly in the interior regions. The Eskimos are divided up into two main groups (the Inupiat and the Yupi’k) with a related third group (the Aleut) and a few smaller groups. The Inupiat Eskimos reside in the north and northwest areas of Alaska and speak Inupiaq. The Yupik Eskimos reside in the south and southwest areas of Alaska and speak Yupi’k. The Aleut are related to the Eskimo population and reside in the Aleutian Islands, Kodiak Island, and the lower Alaska peninsula area. The Indians make up about a third of Alaska’s native population and reside in the interior and southeast panhandle of Alaska. These Alaskan Indians are divided up into several basic tribes; the Athabascan in the interior and the Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Haida in the southeast panhandle.

Religious Demographics:

In addition to Russian Orthodoxy and Catholicism, the bigger towns on Alaska’s road system also have a variety of other churches from nearly every denomination including but not limited to the Assembly of God, Baptists, Covenant Church, Episcopals, Presbyterians, and a number of nondenominational churches. Outreach efforts to Alaska’s remote villages were divided up between some of the state’s largest denominations many years ago. As a result, regions of villages contain churches reflecting this divided outreach. Generally, most villages will contain some sort of mixture of Catholic, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Russian Orthodox churches. While some Bible based efforts have been made, there are still scores of villages in dire need of a Biblically based ministry. Furthermore, some of the Biblically based church planting efforts have not seen lasting success. We believe some of these efforts have been hindered in part because of the difficulty of contextualizing the gospel to native culture. Growing rates of addictions also complicate outreach efforts. God intends the gospel to fit into and transform any culture, and the Alaska native culture is no exception. While God has genuinely saved some through previous efforts, the discipleship process historically struggles within a few years. Consequently, some of these Biblically based church plants struggle to maintain a healthy congregation of devoted Christ followers who consistently pursue victory over their past (addictions, etc.). While not all efforts have struggled at relating to native culture, historically the task of contextualizing the gospel to any other culture is no easy task and that is definitely the situation in across remote Alaska.

Our Vision for Change:

It is our desire to humbly approach and embrace native culture in a respectful yet transforming way. We are strongly passionate about not bringing a man-made form of Christianity, but rather a pure Biblical form of Christianity that breaks down all barriers and unites all cultures in the love and grace of our Savior. The Alaskan native culture is rich in heritage and should be highly treasured. As creatures created by God with diverse culture, there are elements of every culture that should be respected. We also recognize the obvious fact that mankind’s depravity necessitates cultural redemption. Christ’s gospel encompasses and transforms all cultures and it is our desire to bring Christ’s Gospel in a pure Biblical fashion, divorced from any preconceived mindsets. Instead, we endeavor to bring God’s raw message of redemption and sanctification to the Alaskan native culture, allowing the various non-doctrinal nuances to be shaped by the Spirit’s leading and transformation in the lives of real native peoples immersed in their own culture. We believe this will truly adapt Christianity into a native form that is 100% non-compromising in doctrine, and yet 100% culturally relevant in matters of sanctification and Christian liberty/conduct. We truly see a need for this type of approach in Alaska, and we long for the day when a purer form of Christianity takes root among the Alaskan natives themselves. We rely on our sovereign Redeemer God to draw more Alaska native peoples to His victorious, life-transforming redemption. A great task lies before those involved in remote Alaska ministry! God is the God of the seemingly impossible. Please pray! What a privilege to serve Him! Glory to our great God!