[2] The religion originated in the Oklahoma Territory (1890–1907) in the late nineteenth century, after peyote was introduced to the southern Great Plains from Mexico.

[10] Originally formed in the Oklahoma Territory, the Native American Church is monotheistic, believing in a supreme being called the Great Spirit.

[2] The tenets of the Native American Church regard peyote as a sacred and holy sacrament and use it as a means to communicate with the Great Spirit (God), also referred to as the Creator.

Missionaries' attempts to alter or remove aspects of American Natives' heritage and culture have left many unable to reconcile with Christianity.

[14] Historically, peyotists in the Winnebago and Wilson moon tribes preached in meetings, prophesied, and performed baptisms.

For example, among the Lakota, the Cross-fire group uses the Bible for sermons, which the Half-Moon followers reject, even though they each teach a similar Christian morality.

The Roadman's wife or other female relative prepares four sacramental foods and the "second breakfast" that are part of the church services.

The four sacramental foods are water, shredded beef or "sweet meat," corn mush, and a variety of berries.

[10] The church service ends the following day with a feast for the whole community, attended by all the participating members who are wide awake due to peyote, a stimulant.

[10] Common reasons for holding a service include the desire to cure illness, birthday celebrations, Christian holidays (such as Easter or Christmas), school graduations, and other significant life events.

These art objects include gourd rattles made of hardwoods, glass beads, leather fringe, and dyed horsehair.

[20]: 94  Moreover, there are also drum sticks and ritual staffs with carvings of tipis, birds, stars, sun patterns, and other symbols important to the church.

[20]: 65–67 As the United States government became more involved in the control of drugs, the Native American Church faced possible legal issues regarding their use of peyote.

The Peyote Way Church of God's failed federal lawsuit was rendered partially successful when the Arizona legislature (Ariz. Rev.

[27] Prominent figures in the church's development include Chevato, Jim Aton, John Wilson, and Jonathan Koshiway.

[18] Victor Griffin, known as the last chief of the Quapaw tribe,[28] was noted for facilitating the incorporation of the Native American Church under Oklahoma law in 1911.

[citation needed] Led by James Mooney, early 20th-century anthropologists helped Peyotists by providing testimonies before legislative bodies and later encouraging the movement's leaders to consolidate peyote use into an established religion whose practice would be protected by law.

[29] The Native American novelist N. Scott Momaday gives a highly accurate portrayal of the peyote service in his book House Made of Dawn.

Reuben Snake was a Ho-Chunk roadman and worked towards the establishment of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, which passed after his death in 1994 in order to legalize the use of ceremonial peyote.