Uncertain Status: Immigration and Transition

By Jeff Finley

I grew up in a southern Illinois county with racial diversity, but I never heard much talk of immigration or how the church should respond to it. Nearly everyone I knew was born in the United States, and that certainly was the case at the small Free Methodist church my family attended.

That same church (which struggled for decades with declining attendance) is now thriving and breaking attendance records. Instead of the mix of hymns and country gospel songs that were the soundtrack of my childhood worship services, worshippers now join in upbeat praise choruses that, like the church’s sermons these days, include words in Spanish and English.

I’m not completely shocked by this change, because my home church in Indianapolis — known in past decades more for pipe organ than country gospel — also now has Spanish lyrics on the worship slides and fellow worshippers born in Canada, Haiti, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria and Venezuela. It’s like a glimpse of heaven where we’ll join together in worship “from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9).

My current neighborhood doesn’t look much different than my childhood neighborhood of tree-lined cul-de-sacs, but many of the neighboring homeowners didn’t grow up in Midwest suburbia. I initially assumed my next-door neighbors were Muslims because of the head coverings worn by female family members, but then these immigrants from Eritrea —  where “all Christians … face intense scrutiny from the government” — invited our family to their Easter celebration.

Temporarily Protected?

I’ve recently connected with several immigrant families who are legally living in the United States but are not citizens. They explain that they’re here “on TPS” (temporary protected status). They love this nation and its freedoms, and they are terrified that the transition of our nation’s executive branch could lead to a change that forces them to return to dangerous conditions in their countries of origin. A Jan. 20 executive order initiated a government review to ensure TPS “designations are appropriately limited in scope and made for only so long as may be necessary to fulfill the textual requirements of” a federal statute.

These immigrants aren’t the only people who are concerned about shifting government policies. A friend works in the Chicago area for World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals. On Jan. 24, this friend and her colleagues were told to cease their work helping refugees already in the United States under a federally funded resettlement and placement program. Other organizations reportedly also received the same instruction, which creates an uncertain future for refugees (including people from Afghanistan who previously risked their lives to help U.S. soldiers fight Taliban terrorists).

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“Biblical principles apply regardless of who is presently occupying our city hall, statehouse or White House.”

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Church and State

With recent headlines announcing “Migrants can now be arrested at churches and schools,” some pastors and church members are understandably wondering what this means for their congregations and educational institutions. After all, we serve a God who “defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:18) while being “subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1).

While noting the complexity of immigration issues, the Free Methodist Church USA’s 2023 Book of Discipline states — as did several previous editions preceding the current political climate — that “we minister to all immigrants and refugees” and “commit to the biblical principle of caring for the foreigners among us regardless of racial or ethnic background, country of origin, or legal status.”

Similarly, in 2013, the Study Commission on Doctrine authorized “The Free Methodist Position on Immigration,” which notes that for Christians, “all laws are subjected to a higher law,” and “we understand that ecclesial functions are granted by God, not the state, so we do not cede ecclesial functions to the state. This means that we offer the sacraments, conduct marriages, perform funerals, and ordain ministers without consideration of their immigration status.”

Both the Old and New Testaments call us to love our neighbors as ourselves — including “when a foreigner resides among you” (Leviticus 19:33-34). Biblical principles apply regardless of who is presently occupying our city hall, statehouse or White House.

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“The greatness of the American humanitarian spirit finds beautiful expression in our proud heritage of life-saving refugee resettlement in partnership with churches and volunteers.” – Walter Kim

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Rejoicing and Mourning

Romans 12:15 tells us to “rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

Many Christians understandably are rejoicing right now. In a Jan. 22 press release responding to new executive orders, National Association of Evangelicals President Walter Kim expressed appreciation for steps President Donald Trump’s administration is “taking to restore conscience protections, uphold parents’ rights to guide the upbringing of their children, and withdraw controversial gender identity policies.”

Similarly, as a pro-life Christian who became a father through adoption, I rejoice that Vice President J.D. Vance attended the recent March for Life where he said that unborn babies are not “just a clump of cells” and declared “unborn life is worthy of protection.”

In expressing political opinions (especially on social media), let’s make sure we don’t demean others in our rejoicing or our mourning. Rejoicing doesn’t mean mocking people with whom we have political disagreements, and it doesn’t mean ignoring our immigrant brothers or sisters in Christ or other neighbors who may be living in fear of what governmental transition means for them. If you hear pastors or food pantry volunteers expressing concern about the possibility of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent showing up at church, don’t scoff at them or accuse them of being fearmongers.

After the NAE’s Walter Kim rejoiced over other presidential policy changes, he added, “It is heartbreaking to learn of refugees who have lost everything, who have gone through an extensive screening process, and even have tickets purchased to travel to the United States but are now being told that they are not welcome here. The greatness of the American humanitarian spirit finds beautiful expression in our proud heritage of life-saving refugee resettlement in partnership with churches and volunteers.”

In a new pastoral letter, the FMCUSA bishops note that many U.S. churches include immigrants “who have come to our country facing incredible obstacles, bringing a commitment to serve the Lord and build His kingdom. At the same time, they work hard for their families, love their neighbors, and pay their taxes. We mourn that they carry the burden of sweeping harmful generalizations about immigrants that devalue them and unjustly bias others against them. Worries about raids and deportations, even from their places of worship, cast a shadow over the good gospel work they are doing.”

Peace and Prayer

In discussing these matters, Light + Life isn’t attempting to become a partisan media outlet cheering for one group of politicians over the other. We publish articles to help readers navigate faith in a changing world — not to promote a party or a trendy cause.

After telling us to rejoice and mourn, Romans 12 continues by telling us to “live in harmony with one another. …  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Earlier in the chapter, we are told to be “faithful in prayer.”

Let’s pray for our elected leaders and for the immigrants residing and worshipping among us. In our churches and homes, let’s “practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13) by welcoming people and together seeking the Spirit’s guidance amid our changing, complex world.

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