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More than 1 million newcomers immigrate to the USA every year.
Refugees find a haven here. Another 1-2 million immigrate illegally.
People in transition become very open to the Gospel, but they won't
automatically show up next to you in the pew. Our churches are just
too different from what they're used to. So who will search them
out, welcome them and help them settle into life in America?
Who's There?
Ask God to open your eyes and show you the people He's wanting
to reach through you. Be watchful through the day, expecting God
to arrange contacts. Remember He's working in everyone's life and
He knows just where He wants to use you.To discover specific pockets
of ethnic groups, ask the Chamber of Commerce, the school district
or Census Bureau. The Yellow Pages will show you temples, mosques
and ethnic churches.
What Are They Like?
 The
more you know about an ethnic group, the easier it will be to make
conversation. It will also help you discover avenues through which
to share the Gospel. Visit the library, the Internet and local cultural
centers for books, videos and magazines. But the best way to learn
is to meet people and ask lots of questions!
Most everyone loves to talk about his or her country. What is special
about their culture? What's their religion like? What holidays do
they celebrate? You may want to keep a journal of your findings.
Take time to reflect and pray as you go.
"What's good about their culture and even their religion that I
can affirm?"
"What beautiful things about Jesus and my beliefs would add joy
to their lives?"
What Can I Do? Where Can I Meet Them?
You probably already work or live close to some of them. Start
there, but extend your search further:
- Wherever they congregate - maybe soccer in the park.
- Restaurants & Grocery Specialty Stores - Chinese fast food.
- Social services - Afghani Refugee Support.
- Ethnic Clubs on campuses and elsewhere.
How Can I Share My Faith? Be Interested and Helpful.
Ask about festivals, foods, family traditions and religious
beliefs. Share also things from your culture and background that
are special to you. Do things together. Celebrate holidays and sample
ethnic food. Learn a few phrases of your friend's language or study
it at college, by tape or Internet.
People love to see you show interest in what matters to them, even
if you slaughter their language!
(Check www.audioforum.com
or 1-800-243-1234 for "The Whole World Language Catalog" which has
103 language courses with videos or cassettes plus ethnic music).
Invite them to share their memories and their present feelings.
Try to imagine what it's like to be an immigrant. What feelings
might they have regarding their home land and their new country?
What differences are they finding for work and family? If they're
new to the country, think of what you can do to help them adjust.
(They're probably too polite to ask.) They may need a ride to
the doctor, help processing immigration papers, assistance setting
up a bank account or simply English conversation practice. Show
them around to your favorite spots and to discount stores.
Pray Lots!
Only the power of God can bring anyone to salvation and a relationship
with their Creator. We're to be like the guy in Jesus' parable,
pounding on his neighbor's door for bread. (That's right, earnestly
asking God for something good to give our friend.)
Jesus climaxed His story with the incredible promise:
"How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to
those who ask Him" (Luke 11:13)!
That's just what we need.
The Holy Spirit makes us loving, attractive Christians.
The Holy Spirit convicts, draws, invites and eventually transforms
our friend.
The Holy Spirit impresses us with the right word and right actions
at the right time.
And God is eagerly waiting for us to just ask!
Share Your Testimony Tactfully
Listen first to your friend's beliefs and values. Respect the good
and affirm the similarities you share.
Buddhism, Islam, other religions and, of course, Christian denominations
hold many of the same moral values as you and I. Jumping too quickly
to our differences can easily break the relationship.
Sometimes our excitement that our good news is better than their
good news, comes across as arrogance and a put down on them. So
cherish what you both value, talk about why it's the best way to
live.
This will actually breakdown the beliefs many have that Christianity
is superficial, materialistic and less spiritual than their own
religion.
Speak positively about your beliefs, sharing your personal
testimony. Our good news IS really incredible. Christ alone
has died for our friend's sins. God alone is the One who is
seeking him or her and can provide eternal life. So share your joy.
Let your witness be a frequent and natural part of everyday
conversation.
Share every truth in the context of what God has done for you.
Touch your friend with God's love right where he or she has
a need. No one is complete without Jesus. Prayerfully watch,
then act. Learn how others have witnessed to those of the same culture
and/or religion of your friend. Visit a Christian bookstore for
books.
Examine the list on the following page for experts to talk with
and further material.
Check the phone book for churches focused on serving this group,
visit and ask:
- "What attracted you to Christianity?"
- "What about the Bible was hard to believe?"
- "What are the main difference between Christianity
and your previous religion?"
Pray with your friend. Offer to pray for something that concerns
your friend. Ask "Is that okay with you?" Most will not mind. Many
will be pleased. God will honor your risk and step of faith.
Invite him or her, at the right time, to receive Jesus as Savior.
Remember, when Jesus comes again, nobody at all will say,
"I wish you hadn't talked to me about Jesus."
How Can I Do More?
Maybe you're not ready to read this yet, 'cause you haven't
done anything yet. Then wait! Read it in a month. Put the book down
and go do something. But if you're just too curious, or if you've
been at this already, read on. After all, there's a world to reach.
- Volunteer at a social service that caters to the specific ethnic
group.
- Challenge your whole church to get involved by beginning
a project that meets a specific need of recent immigrants (gardening,
sewing, money management, computers, transportation, etc.)
- Tutor English at local elementary, secondary or adult schools.
- Start your own English as a Second Language Ministry. (Call
Bridge of Love ESL Program at (888) 301-0050 or get the excellent
Christian-based program: "Passport to the World of English"
at (918)585-3825. For an action-based program: www.multilanguage.com/esl/ESLEngInAct.htm)
- Get involved with prison ministries focusing on inmates of unreached
ethnic groups. (You might have to pay a translator, but think
what he'd learn in the Bible study.)
- Start an
ethnic church in an unused room of your present church or
in one of the new believer's home.
- Develop a multi-lingual literature pack tailored to your area.
(You know, literature for every language you might meet).
Share it door-to-door or set up a booth at a flea market or with
a health screening van.
- Here's some good advice: "Let the leaflets and tracts,
the papers and books, go in every direction. Carry with you, wherever
you go, a package of select tracks, which you can hand out as
you have opportunity. Sell what you can, and lend or give away
as the case may seem to require. Important results will follow"
(Christian Service 151).
Sounds good, but multi-lingual? Do we really need that?
Click here to learn about
literature in other languages.
Hey We All Look The Same Around Here!
What if there are no unreached ethnic groups where you live? MOVE!
It's a radical step to move your home just to reach some ethnic
group.
Do we really believe this is God's great passion?
Jesus says it is why He hasn't yet returned!
So if we find ourselves isolated and stuck only in "Jerusalem"
we should prayerfully consider the following:
- Research places in your own country or overseas that have ethnic
groups without a church.
- Gather a team of like-minded friends to go with you.
- Strategically obtain jobs to rub shoulders with that ethnic
group.
- Plant a church flavored specifically to be good news to that
community.
"Many of the members of our large churches are doing comparatively
nothing. They might accomplish a good work if, instead of crowding
together, they would scatter into places that have not yet been
entered by the truth. Trees that are planted too thickly do not
flourish. They are transplanted by the gardener, that they may have
room to grow and not become dwarfed and sickly. The same rule would
work well for our large churches….Let families that are well
grounded in the truth enter, one or two families in a place, to
work as missionaries" (Testimonies to the Church, Volume 8, 245).
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