Our Story

The Story of a Breakthrough

"I had an unscheduled broken heart for Native America."

After a lifetime of nationally recognized, cross-cultural youth ministry, in early 1992, Ron Hutchcraft was invited to the Navajo reservation for a series of speaking events. Ron was exposed to a youth ministry need he previously knew little about.

Through a series of events, meetings and conversations with both missionaries and many Native people, God broke Ron’s heart for Native young people. He said, “After a lifetime in cross-cultural youth ministry, these are the first young people I’ve ever met who have no dreams.”

Ron recalls, “I had an unscheduled broken heart.”

Ron made a commitment to return. In the summer of 1992, a ministry to reach and disciple Native American young people was born.

Ron recognized the need to equip young Native Americans to be the primary messengers to their people.

The decision was made to make evangelism and discipleship of young Native Americans a significant part of the mission and focus of Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.

Ron, his wife Karen, their sons Doug and Brad, and their daughter Lisa, all played strategic roles in these early formative years of the ministry.

The Journey

1963

Ron Hutchcraft begins weekly youth outreach in Chicago as a student at Moody Bible Institute. Ron and Karen Hutchcraft graduate, marry, begin full-time cross-cultural youth ministry with Chicagoland Youth for Christ, then move to northern New Jersey to begin Metro NY / NJ Youth for Christ.

1973

Ron speaks at an ethnically diverse youth conference, which includes a group of Mescalero Native young people, planting a seed for reaching Native youth.

1991

While in college, Doug Hutchcraft spends his summer sharing music on Native reservations.

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc. is born with three staff, based in the Hutchcrafts’ basement.

ron and others sitting on a rock formation

1992

(Spring) – Ron Hutchcraft is invited to the Navajo Reservation in Window Rock, Arizona, where he shares the Gospel at a youth event, and meets with missionaries and Native leaders.

Ron and a large group of people posing outside of a building

1992

(Summer) - Ron and Karen, and their sons Doug and Brad, go to the Navajo Reservation to facilitate the first "Make a Difference Camp" and "Make a Difference Teams" of Native young people.
A call is born in Ron's heart.

native woman and children sitting and smiling

1994

The “Make A Difference” Teams travel to reservations in the Northwest. Daughter Lisa Hutchcraft Whitmer, and her husband Rick, join the team. A local Native youth outreach is organized under founder and President, Doug Hutchcraft.

1995

Major youth outreach at the North American Indigenous Games in Minneapolis.

group of people meeting with an On Eagels' Wings banner hanging

1996

Brad Hutchcraft joins his brother as Field Director. M.A.D. Teams become known as On Eagles’ Wings. Scholarships become available for Native youth to attend Bible school. RHM Internet Outreach begins, which later includes OnEaglesWings.com.

larger group of native americans at an event, posing and smiling

1997

"M.A.D. Camp" becomes known as Warrior Leadership Summit. Locations include: Wyoming, Alaska, Arizona, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri and Illinois. First OEW outreach in Canada.