Richard Twiss (1954-2013) was the founder and president of Wiconi International, a nonprofit that works for the betterment of Native people and communities by advancing culture, education, spirituality and social justice in the spirit of Jesus. A member of the Sicangu Lakota Oyate from the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, his native name was Taoyate Ob Najin, or "He Stands with His People." He is the author of One Church, Many Tribes.
A widely traveled speaker, activist, educator, author and networker within the Native North American community, Twiss led Native American performing arts teams and addressed issues of spirituality and justice in hundreds of venues worldwide. He served as a local pastor for thirteen years, worked as national director of Native ministries for the International Bible Society and was the U.S. representative for the World Christian Gathering of Indigenous People Movement. A board member of CCDA (Christian Community Development Association), he was a cofounder of NAIITS (North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies) and Evangelicals for Justice.
Twiss was committed to serving the local Native community in Portland, Oregon, as a respected spiritual leader with his wife Katherine, who continues his vision today. He was a member of the Portland Indian Leadership Roundtable and was a board member of the city's Native American Youth and Family Center. He also taught at Portland State University, Warner Pacific College and Sioux Falls and George Fox Seminaries.
As a writer, Twiss contributed to The Justice Project, Holy Bible: Mosaic, Jamestown Remembered, Coming Together in the 21st Century and Common Prayer by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Enuma Okoro. He was a contributing editor for Cultural Encounters and wrote a bi-monthly column in Charisma Magazine called Smoke Signals. He earned a doctorate of missiology in inter-cultural studies from Asbury Theological Seminary.
