Resources

Websites  |  Statements  |  Books  |  Articles  |  Videos  |  Podcasts

Learn about the history and current state of immigration, our legal system and the church’s response to immigrants. Find out what you and your church can be doing to serve immigrants, advocate for the vulnerable and make disciples.

Websites

EFCA Blog: Reaching All People
Reflections on theology and ministry related to reversing division and expanding the kingdom among all people. From Alejandro Mandes and other EFCA contributors.

The Immigration Alliance
A group of denominations working together to build their churches’ capacity to serve immigrants with legal needs.

National Association of Evangelicals
The mission of the National Association of Evangelicals is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelical Christians.

Evangelical Immigration Table
A broad coalition of evangelical organizations and leaders advocating for immigration reform consistent with biblical values, as noted in the Evangelical Statement of Principles for Immigration Reform.

Pew Research Center
Public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research.

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Statements

STRANGER AT OUR GATES: A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON IMMIGRATION
EFCA Conference Resolution, 1996

REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT
EFCA Conference Resolution, 1980

Immigration
National Association of Evangelicals, 2009

Our Principles
Evangelical Immigration Table

A Wesleyan View of Immigration
The Wesleyan Church Position Statement, 2013

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Books

Embracing the New Samaria: Opening Our Eyes to Our Multiethnic Future
Alejandro Mandes
He shares his vision for the church “to see, love, reach, and ultimately be the new Samaria in a way that brings true transformation to our churches and communities.”

Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate
Matthew Soerens, Jenny Hwang Yang
They point toward immigration reform that is compassionate, sensible, and just as they offer concrete ways for you and your church to welcome and minister to your immigrant neighbors.

Christians at the Border: Immigration, the Church, & the Bible
M. Daniel Carroll R.
This book helps readers think biblically about this divisive issue, offering accessible, nuanced, and sympathetic guidance for the church.

The Burden of Baggage: First-Generation Issues in Coming to Christ
Roy Oksnevad
Every person coming to Christ has baggage, but a first-generation believer, especially one coming from a background with little or no connection to Christianity, has an uncommon amount of cultural baggage that they bring with them.

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Articles

Competing Voices: Finding the Final Word on Immigration
EFCA Today, Spring 2011 Issue
As Christians, how do we obey our country’s laws while still loving, evangelizing and discipling the undocumented immigrants among us?

Thinking Theologically about Immigration
Alejandro Mandes, DTS Voice
Often politics and economics frame the immigration debate in North America. Yet Christ-followers must frame the topic of immigration by wider parameters—by two biblical mandates: the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.

Let’s Do It, Not Just Talk About It
Alejandro Mandes, Tim Isaacson, Sarah Romero Yetter & Roy Larsen, EFCA Blog
Meet a few EFCA leaders who aren’t waiting for government action but are actively loving the immigrants among us.

Immigrants are Reshaping American Missions
Andy Olsen, Christianity Today
Latino congregations are launching their own international partnerships to support ministries and churches in their homelands.

Fleeing North in the Full Armor of God
John Garland, Christianity Today
When our church offered therapy to traumatized migrants, we witnessed the healing power of Scripture.

Why the Church Needs to Be in the Immigration Game
Ben Johnson, EFCA Blog
Few topics pierce to the heart of a person’s life—their struggles, hopes and fears—like their immigration status. We can provide the hope of Christ amid extreme uncertainty.

Love Thy (Immigrant) Neighbor
Emily Fontenot, EFCA Blog
A review of the Netflix documentary, “Out of Many, One” exploring a Christian’s and a church’s response to the challenge and opportunity of immigration.

Immigrants and Refugees: Why Do We Care?
Rev. Rosilio Roman III, Alliance Life
Explanation of the history and rationale of immigrant ministry in the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

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Videos

Adrian Rayo’s Story
Alejandro Mandes, Immigrant Hope
The story of a an immigrant and a church working together to fix his legal status and plant churches. Inspiration for Immigrant Hope, a ministry of the Evangelical Free Church of America.

Maya Perez Cuate’s Story
Immigrant Hope – Santa Barbara, The Immigration Alliance
The story of an immigrant family finding home in a church with the help of Immigrant Hope – Santa Barbara.

Door of Hope
Bethany International
Is the face of the American church changing? Immigrants come to America yearly. Will the church accept its calling to reach local unreached peoples?

Migration, Law, and Mission
M. Daniel Carroll R., Dallas Theological Seminary
Dr. Danny Carroll, distinguished professor of Old Testament at Denver Seminary, exhorts us to see Bible stories through the lens of migration.

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Podcasts

Immigration, a Biblical and Missional Perspective
Greg Strand, Kevin Kompelien & Alejandro Mandes, EFCA Theology Podcast
Principles that govern our thoughts and actions toward immigrants since they are created in the image of God, fellow image bearers, include sacrificial love, hospitality and missional opportunity.

Immigration and the People of God: A Biblical Foundation
M. Daniel Carroll R., EFCA Theology Podcast
Dr. Daniel Carroll explains the response of believers in an increasingly xenophobic society.

Immigration and the Bible
Darrell Bock & M. Daniel Carroll R., The Table Podcast
Discussion of a biblical view of immigration, focusing on how biblical texts should inform our engagement in the immigration discussion.

A Biblical Response to Immigration Policy
Darrell Bock, Samuel Rodriguez, M. Daniel Carroll R., Alejandro Mandes & Soraya Marin
Discussion of a biblical response to the immigration issue, focusing on the challenges faced by the Hispanic population of the United States.

Building a Better Ministry to Immigrants
Darrell Bock, Samuel Rodriguez, M. Daniel Carroll R., Alejandro Mandes & Soraya Marin
Discussion of a biblical response to the immigration issue, focusing on the pressures and opportunities faced by churches in the United States.

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