Some Thoughts on Refugees/Immigrants and the Spread of the Gospel

Today, during Morning Prayer, I read from Acts 8.  What struck me about this chapter were verses 1 & 4-14.  This passage picks up immediately after the stoning of St. Stephen, and we are told that a severe persecution broke out upon the Church in Jerusalem so that all, except the apostles, were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria.

Now, certainly, persecution is not a good thing.  And, just like my recent sermon about Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt, I would not say that God caused this persecution.  However, I would say that God certainly can transform and use all things (even evil things) for God's glory.  And so, with this persecution the Christians are "scattered" into areas where they otherwise (likely) would not have ventured.  And what was it that they did in those areas?  -  They spread the Gospel!  And people accepted Christ!

This passage reminds me of the take that some of our missionaries have had on the issue of the refugee crisis and massive immigration across our world.  While many Americans (and even, or especially, many American Evangelical Christians!) have reacted in a way that would hold these refugees at bay, our missionaries have had a very different reaction.  They have pointed out that for decades Evangelical Christians (at least Nazarenes, I know) have prayed and prayed for what we call the 10/40 window.  This is an area that includes countries where it is very difficult and usually illegal for missionaries to enter in order to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  For decades Christians have prayed for access; for open doors in order for the Gospel to pierce this darkness.  -  AND NOW GOD HAS OPENED THE DOORS . . . by sending them to us!!!

And yet, we have failed to rejoice.  We have failed to thank God.  We have failed to see the vision of the Kingdom of God.  Instead, we have responded out of fear.  We have responded from a nationalistic perspective rather than a Kingdom perspective.

Now, of course, the balance is that it is understandable that, in this age of terrorism, people desire to seek the security of our nation.  But, as Christians, we cannot allow fear to dictate our response to refugees or immigrants, in general.  We must be reminded that "perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18), and that we must not love our lives more than the Gospel.  We are called to take up our cross (Matthew 16: 24-26), and we know that doing so is not "safe."  We are, therefore, called to see these people for whom Christ died with Kingdom eyes; with the eyes of Jesus.  And so, we are called to seek every opportunity to share Jesus with them, and may they, like those in Judea and Samaria, come to know Christ and the grace of God!