A Message to Immigrants, the Descendants of Immigrants, and the Whole Church

Nov 23, 2024

By Bishop Michael Rinehart

Come… blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave me food… I was a stranger and you welcomed me… I was in prison and you visited me.
Matthew 25:34-36

A new administration is being formed. The president-elect ran on a platform that had immigration as the number one issue. It continues to be a hot topic, even though border crossings have plummeted to a trickle this year.

What is the church’s role at times like this?

  1. We are the church. Our mission is to proclaim the gospel to all people, of every nationality, regardless of their legal status, even those in prison, especially those in prison (Matthew 25:36). What this means is we don’t check immigration status at the door. I don’t know any churches that know the immigration status of their members or visitors. We don’t know and we don’t need to know. We are called to love and serve all people period. We are called to give particular care to those who are in need.
  2. The church should also be aware of the constant attention to immigrants in the Bible.
    1. Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden.
    2. Cain was banished, but God put a mark of protection on him.
    3. Abraham and Sarah were commanded by God to leave their country and go to a new country.
    4. Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers.
    5. The central story of the Old Testament is the Exodus, a group of people fleeing oppression in Egypt.
    6. The scriptural mandate to care for the orphan, the widow, and the alien appears dozens of times.
    7. Leviticus 19:33-34 says immigrants are to be treated just like citizens: “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the native-born among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
    8. Leviticus 23:22 says, “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien: I am the Lord your God.”
    9. Malachi 3:5 says, “Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.”
    10. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were refugees. They fled political persecution into Egypt. Jesus himself was an immigrant. From heaven, yes, but also in a very earthly sense. When Herod threatens to kill the children, as, sadly, dictators have been known to do, Jesús and his family fleet of Egypt just as did Abraham and Sarah. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph fled political persecution and lived for a time in another country. Matthew 2 says, “Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod…”
    11. Matthew 25:31-46: In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus says, “…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
  3. The church should be aware of the actual situation, not pundit talking points.
    1. Border crossings are way down, to a trickle.
    2. Most undocumented immigrants came here legally. When their visas lapsed, they had trouble getting them renewed due to our outdated and backlogged immigration system. Many are actively working with their immigration attorney to get their immigration status back in place.
    3. Our economy would be a disaster without the influx of labor. We are currently in a labor shortage.
    4. Immigrants pay taxes: sales tax and property tax for example. Many pay into Social Security even though they will never be able to collect. Some believe they are propping up our Social Security system financially.
    5. The majority of immigrants are here legally, and yet they get targeted because of the color of their skin.
    6. Many people are in fear right now of being targeted and thrown into a detention facility, many of which have histories of abuse, misconduct, and human rights violations.
    7. Afghan refugees helped us during the war. We made promises to them. They risked their lives to help us. Houston received more Afghan refugees than any other city in the U.S. Threats of revoking their status and sending them back to Afghanistan are terrifying.
    8. Many immigrants, documented and undocumented, live in fear. “They’re coming for us.” Those who have fled war and violence should be treated with dignity and respect.

Would you like to learn more? Thursday, December 5, there will be a workshop “Know Your Rights” at St. James Lutheran Church, 1602 W. 43rd St, Houston, Texas 77018, at 7 pm. Come and learn more.