O-Organized by Clan: How Nomads Model Biblical Community

Season #1 January 07, 2025

What does it mean to be “organized by clan”? For nomads, the concept of clan goes far beyond extended family—it forms the foundation of identity, security, and community. Yet, for many of us shaped by an individualistic worldview, the richness of this relational structure is unfamiliar. In this episode, we’ll uncover how clans operate in nomadic cultures and how these insights reveal biblical truths that are often overlooked. Join me, Ron, as we explore: • A Navajo perspective on how clans connect to God’s design. • Why the Bible celebrates clan and tribal structures—and why modern Christianity sometimes misses it. • Stories from nomadic peoples who live out these values daily. • What the nomadic mindset of mutual responsibility can teach us about faith, family, and community today. Discover how God’s Word affirms the value of interconnected relationships and challenges our tendency toward isolation. Whether you’re curious about global nomads, interested in biblical culture, or seeking to strengthen your own sense of community, this episode will inspire you to rethink what it means to belong. Challenge for the Week: How can you intentionally strengthen bonds with your extended family or community? What would it look like to reflect the values of Micah 6:8—acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly—in your relationships? I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions! Please reach out through nomadicpeoples.net to share your feedback or ideas for future episodes. Until next time, keep with the Shepherd!

Episode Transcript

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\f0\fs38 \cf2 1. Introduction \
My Navajo friend, Ben Y, told me how he and his people were taught by the \'91white missionaries\'92 that the Navajo clan structure was of the devil, and they needed to abandon that and let the church be their new \'93tribe.\'94 Unfortunately, this has been repeated in many tribal contexts. Ben said, \'93Fortunately, I read the Bible! That\'92s where I found out that God himself instituted the concept of clan and tribe.\'94\'a0 \
Let\'92s review our working definition of NOMAD. NOMADs are Not individualistic, but rather, the Networking of relationships, both externally and internally, seems built into their DNA. Internally they\'92re Organized as clans or tribes. They see Mobility as a resource (even if they don\'92t appear to use it!). They highly value their group's Autonomy. And they see themselves as Distinct from people with a sedentary heritage.\'a0 \
You can examine your own background, but in my observation, most of us in the USA are highly individualistic. We make our own decisions with little thought about how it impacts our extended family. Sure, many with a nomadic heritage can also make personal decisions, but even so, they never quite see themselves as separated from their extended family, clan and tribe. Nomads on all continents have told me that to be cut off from their clan would be a fate worse than death. And those who were told that the church would be their new \'93clan or tribe\'94 have ended up sorely disappointed. \
And then, like Brother Ben, when they look into the Bible they are confused. They can see the clan structure clearly in Scripture and can\'92t figure out why their \'93white\'94 brothers and sisters can\'92t see it.\'a0 \
2. So, What is a Clan? \
I realize that some of you reading this may not even have siblings. Many may not have had much opportunity to relate to cousins, aunts and uncles or grandparents. Just consider that for a minute. As an adult, how often do you get together with all of these family members? How about second cousins? How does that make you feel? \
In simplistic terms, a clan is a tightly-knit extended family group. It is more than just having parents, siblings and cousins, etc. A Somali friend of mine was once asked, \'93Do you have a family?\'94 What does that question mean in your mind? My Somali friend told me he could not answer such a ridiculous question. His mind shut down. To him, \'93family\'94 included at least 30 or even 50 people, with whom he normally interacted on a weekly, if not daily, basis. If he traveled to another city, he never booked a hotel or even planned to ask who he might stay with when he got there. He would simply see another Somali, and after initial conversation about who each were related to, the \'93stranger\'94 would turn out to be someone like a 2nd cousin twice removed, and quite naturally invited him to come and stay as long as he needed. Asking would be rude, since he would be expected to stay there!\'a0 No matter where in the world he might travel, if he met another Somali, they would each feel a deep sense of mutual responsibility as well as the benefit of being a part of the same clan, tribe or federation. Being a member of such a clan and tribal structure provides mutual respect, security and stability, even in a world of turmoil. Everyone has a place and a role, whether for herding, trade, defense or provision. Nothing can be worse than being cut off from this.\'a0 \
An exception might be if he came across someone whose connections included an enemy clan, and some ancestor had done something shameful or treacherous. \
I was crossing the Himalayas with a shepherd friend. This was not my friend\'92s normal migration route, but we knew how to get where we needed to go. We left the remote road at about 12,000 feet elevation. After a few hours up a steep path, we came upon a shepherd camp, and my friend went over and got a liter of goat\'92s buttermilk. No charge, just open hospitality for travelers. No, they were not relatives, just members of the same tribe.\'a0 \
Maybe you can think of some Biblical parallels.\'a0 \
Ostracism. Cain kills his brother. His punishment? Not death. Something worse. Ostracism. He killed his younger brother. As the older brother, \'93OF COURSE he was his brother\'92s keeper!\'94 as an Afghan Pashtun shouted in a Bible study I was leading on Genesis 4 one time in Canada. He deserved the worse punishment possible, cursed to wander separated from God and his own people. A Berber friend from north Africa calls this his \'93banner of protection.\'94 He cried out for mercy, saying this punishment was too much to bear. God extended an alternate banner of protection in the form of a mark of some kind. Such identifying marks, like a tattoo, are not unusual.\'a0 \
Jacob also comes to mind. After some episodes of treachery, Jacob is threatened with murder by his brother (not ostracism, which would have been worse!). His mother tells him to go to her clan\'92s people, for protection and provision. All he had to do is show up. Once people figured out who each other were related to, the rest was easy. There was no thought about asking for a place to stay. Work to do? Easy. Need a wife? Done. Ok, make it two wives. Or four. (Ok, well, let\'92s not get ahead of ourselves!) Dowry? Don\'92t worry, it will all work out.\'a0 \
Abraham and Lot. Who should get first choice of land between what has become two large clans? Lot, of course. Why? Because he is the oldest son of an oldest son. Haran was older than Abraham. As such, tribal seniority goes to Lot. Honor and respect make that part something that can go without saying. Everybody knows that is the way it should be.\'a0 \
Modern-day implications? As I\'92ve said elsewhere, these Biblical stories should not be dismissed as, \'93This is how things used to be done in ancient times, but not any more.\'94 Just considering nomads, there are over 400 million people in the world who still think and act this way. And that doesn\'92t begin to count the non-nomadic people who are still collectivists in their way of being. Globally, the individualists in northwestern Europe and North America are in the minority! In fact, even in these continents, there are still many collectivist, even tribal ethos peoples. Many indigenous peoples, as well as the world\'92s diaspora of immigrants and refugees, still think this way. And I say this is a VERY GOOD thing. These people bring back to our neighborhood something of Biblical culture that settled and individualistic people have long forgotten.\'a0 \
What can such inter-connected clan thinking people teach us about relational interdependence? Consider this:\'a0 In Micah 6:8 it says we humans are to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God. What would it look like to apply this to our own extended family members?\'a0 \
Consider the church where you attend. How many of your extended family members are also attending the same congregation? Turn it around the other way. How can you bring the Good Shepherd into your own extended family?\'a0
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\f0\fs38 \cf2 7. Conclusion \
As our Navajo brother, Ben Y, observed, clans are foundational to his own identity, which includes a strong nomadic heritage. He laments watching some of his cultural values disintegrate right before his very eyes. Christian missionaries from a sedentary and individualistic background have made Christianity appear anti-clan and anti-Navajo. This disintegration has left far too many Navajo feeling lost and disconnected from their proud heritage and from one another. As a result, far too many have descended into alcohol abuse and other destructive habits. Fortunately, Ben did read the Bible, and is now finding ways to bring clan thinking back to his people and help them find their deeper identity in both their clan heritage and the clan heritage of the Bible.\'a0 \
What about you? What are some ways you can see the value of community bonds in your own extended family? What would mutual responsibility look like between you and your cousins, aunts and uncles, parents, and grandparents? Keeping in mind that for nomads, this sense of mutual responsibility extends over multiple generations. It is not just to succeed in the current project you are working on, or the event you are attending.\'a0 \
I really look forward to your comments and suggestions for future articles.}

O-Organized by Clan: How Nomads Model Biblical Community

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