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Visions

Immigration and emigration in the context of the Great Commission

A debate rages here in my home country, the United States of America. Perhaps it’s not big news if you live elsewhere. But here we’re engaged in the most passionate national discussion on immigration I’ve ever seen. With demonstrations, walk-outs, proposed legislation, gigabytes of blogging, and enough talk radio to make you want to flee to an electricity-free Bedouin tent village in the early 1800’s, this issue shows no sign of losing steam.

The debate revolves around the status of immigrants entering and living in the US illegally. How severe is the crime? What should be done? How should we treat our borders? I’ve been wondering lately how Christians should respond to this debate and the issues inflaming it.

Since I’m fairly naive about national issues like immigration policy, I can’t really offer “solutions.” I would not recommend going around picking fights about this. But I would like to toss out some thoughts about the mobilization potential I see in it. Here are nine discussion points mobilizers might use with their spouses, friends, churches, or denominations.

1. Ask what the Bible says about foreigners, government authority, and civil disobedience. What would Jesus do? Well, what did he do as recorded in the Gospels?

2. Consider the biblical mandate to emigrate. While we need to honestly consider these present immigration issues, we’ve been commissioned to go as witnesses all the way to the ends of the earth. As Mert H. (PTAP@srginc.org…, the instigator of this article) says, “Let us worry less about immigration rights and exercise emigration rights.” (You know, “Here am I, send me.”)

3. Remember God’s right and desire to put people where he wants them, when he wants. God is in control. As Paul said to the smartypants men in Athens, “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:26-27). God puts people where he does, when he does, for the accomplishment of his purposes.

4. Refocus on Jesus and what he’s done for us. We’re all illegals. Or at least we started that way. Check out Ephesians 2. In a fundamental way, we were born outsiders and have been offered citizenship in a state way better than the US.

5. Consider God’s purpose for churches of different cultures in the Great Commission. After a recent conference (tinyurl.com…) in Texas, Hispanic leader Tiny Dominguez said, “Our goal was to really push for the fact that we can impact our world. Hispanics aren’t a missions project. We’re called to do missions to the world.” Keep your eyes on this trend. It could be huge!

6. Springboard from next-door immigrants to those from the unreached world. While the emphasis in the national discussion has been on Hispanic immigrants, we also have an opportunity to bridge to the millions of immigrants who represent unreached peoples from limited-access countries.

7. Notice xenophobia in our midst. If we’re honest, we will realize that part of the fervor of the recent debate stems from our fear of strangers. I’d broach this only with explicit humility, and starting with myself.

8. Seize the opportunity to encourage and equip others for cross-cultural outreach. The current debate can spark interest in ministering both with and to local immigrant communities. This is good in itself, and can also prepare servants for the hinterlands.

9. Call believers to prayer. In situations without clear solutions (or with clear solutions we fear implementing!) we have the wonderful privilege of crying out, “Father, what are you doing here? How can we join you?” As mobilizers, let’s do this ourselves. And, as God gives us grace, let’s also invite others to join us.

What do you think? Send both flames and kind comments to me via e-mail to MCPractical@cproject.com….

Other Related Posts

• Increasing numbers of minority children in America
• Baptizing illegal aliens

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Related: The Mission Manual · Justin Long's Annotated Links and Notes