Should the Great Commission apply to immigration? by the evangelical immigration table

This article is adapted from the eBook, Biblical Reflection on Immigrants and Immigration Reform from the evangelical immigration table. Click here for your free copy.

While many immigrants are already Christians when they reach the United States, many others are not. According to the southern classification criteria Baptiste International Mission Board, there are 361 unreached people groups – ethnic groups in which there are few or no known followers of Jesus – present within the borders of the United States, more than any other country except the India and China (JD Payne, Strangers Next Door: Immigration, migration and mission (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2012), 63).

What is the great commission? “Go make disciples”

The Great Commission, Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples before his Ascension, “will make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) is central to most evangelicals’ understanding of God’s mission. American evangelists have always sent missionaries throughout the world, with a particular concern to reach those who had not yet had the opportunity to hear the gospel.

We should always be committed to ensuring that the Gospel reaches every corner of the globe, but we may be overlooking a profound opportunity for God’s mission by failing to recognize that “the nations” are also present in our own communities at home. following the migration. .

The importance of our religious freedom

In the American context, immigrants arrive in a country with religious freedom, where Christians (like those of any other religious tradition) can speak freely about the faith, and where immigrants who encounter the story of Jesus are free to embrace or reject it, without government interference. This is certainly not the case for all immigrant countries of origin, including countries where sharing the gospel or converting to the Christian faith is illegal.

It is essential that the Christians Americans approach newcomers from different religious traditions with respect, recognizing that, as people created in the image of God, they have the autonomy to decide for themselves (or not) whether to meet the claims of the Bible and this protection. of religious freedom means defending the rights of those of other religions. True evangelism is in no way a high-pressure sales pitch or coercive pressure, but rather an open invitation to a relationship with Jesus (Lausanne Movement, “Manila Manifesto, “1989). When the American church is faithful to loving its immigrant neighbors – without any pretense of friendship – our actions will very often provoke questions about what motivates us, and the opportunity presents itself to “give an answer to all who ask to give reason the hope that you have”, sharing the truth of the Gospel “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

Political question or opportunity for evangelization?

Unfortunately, many evangelicals view immigration primarily through the lens of a political narrative, which could lead to a missed opportunity to join God in mission. According to LifeWay Research surveys, most American evangelicals view the arrival of immigrants in their community as a “threat” or “burden,” but most do not view it as an “opportunity to introduce (people) to Jesus. “The fact that immigrants who do not yet know Jesus, some from completely unreached people groups, arrive in American communities is irrelevant if the Christians are afraid or unwilling to interact with them: Currently, six followers of the non-Christian religious tradition in North America (many of whom are immigrants or their children) claim to not even personally know a Christian (Abby Stocker, “The Craziest Statistic You’ll Read About North American Missions» Christianity todayAugust 19, 2013).

Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, explains, “We have never faced accountability from the Great Commission” (Albert Mohler, “The Briefing,” October 22, 2014).

If we approach immigration and – more importantly – immigrants themselves only from a political perspective, we will fail to live up to this Great Commission responsibility and miss a historic opportunity. This is not to say that public policy matters little: indeed, it directly affects the lives of millions of people, including many members of the Christian family and many others whose future access to the Gospel may be compromised by restrictive immigration policies. Additionally, the church’s witness is tainted if Jesus’ followers are hostile to immigrants or remain silent as soon as such hostility is perceived.

On public policy issues, Christians may come to different conclusions when seeking to apply biblical principles. When it comes to how we interact with our immigrant neighborsthe Bible’s specific commandments leave less room for debate: We are called to demonstrate Christ-like love for our neighbors, including immigrants, and to share the good news of salvation with all people.

Publication date: July 30, 2019

Image Courtesy: © GettyImages_MarioGutiérrez

For more than’information about this on the Evangelical Immigration Table, see:

THE GREAT COMMANDMENT: APPLY THE BIBLE TO THE CARE OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS?
HOW IMMIGRANTS ADAPT TO THE BODY OF CHRIST AND THE LOCAL CHURCH
“GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES” – DOES THE GREAT COMMISSION APPLY TO IMMIGRATION?
HOW TO RESPECT THE GOD-GIVEN DIGNITY OF EACH IMMIGRANT
WHY GOD WANTS TO PROTECT US FROM THE FAMILY UNITY OF IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS RESPOND TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION?
What does the Bible say about border security and what should Christians support?

The evangelical immigration table is a place where Christians Evangelicals from different faiths, theological traditions, ethnicities and political perspectives come together, just as in the Bible the painting represents hospitality and is the place where believers meet, united by Christ. The Evangelical Immigration Table exists to encourage distinct biblical thinking on immigration issues, providing discipleship resources focused on immigration from a biblical and missional perspective, as well as advocating for public policy compatible with biblical values, in particular. restitution-based immigration reform.