Migration is an increasingly visible topic within mission conversations today. For example, in August 2012, the International Association of Mission Studies organized their 13th quadriennial assembly around the themes of Migration, Dislocation, and the Good News. Additionally, an increasing number of articles and books shed light on the migration of peoples as relates to rising and influential immigrant church presence in post-Christian contexts. The largest church in London is the Kingsway International Christian Centre, gathering over 12,000 worshippers weekly before relocating in 2006 to make space for the 2012 Olympics. The April 15, 2013 issue Time Magazine published a cover article highlighting the rapidly growing Latino churches that are transforming the face and heart of what American church looks like, worships as, and means to the rest of the world.

Given the reality and visibility of migration—forced most often by economic reasons, genocide and violence, and for family; or voluntarily sought for employment and education—one of the questions being asked at the HANA Consultation this week is, “How is God at work in the movement of us, of Hispanic and Asian American communities, to accomplish his mission of reaching all peoples with the good news of Jesus Christ?” Recognizing Latinos as the fastest growing demographic in the United States, and embracing the news that Asian American churches are growing and multiplying, this question of mission is foremost in the minds of pastors, theologians, and community thought leaders gathered here this week.

In order to explore the layers of experience and response to this question, Rev. Jeannette Yep and Dr. Juan Martínez have convened the Migration and Global Mission Track. Yet, rather than starting with data and statistics about migration and growing immigrant churches, the track began with stories. For each participant in the track, their faith has been significantly shaped through their deeply lived and felt experiences of dislocation, migration, and movement. Describing movement as “a natural part of life,” group members recounted the stories principally of their parents coming to faith through the movement of their families. Whether looking for a cultural community in which to belong after moving to the United States, encountering a new boss who invited them to church, or receiving the Bible and prayer from a stranger met along the pathway of travel, a common theme emerged that each person’s engagement in mission today was instigated by knowledge and memory of the central role migration played in their own coming to Christian faith stories. A further common theme was the place of prayer and evangelistic outreach of others to each participant. Most participants came to Christ through the active evangelism of someone sharing the gospel of Christ. Lastly, established immigrant churches provided support to their families upon arrival in their new country. The care and faithfulness of these immigrant churches folding the families into their communities demonstrated God’s faithfulness and love for them.

Today, each track participant has the great privilege of working with many migrants and their communities across the United States who take seriously the corporate call to respond to God’s care for them by reaching out to others with the gospel. Immigrant Hope is one such initiative that works to equip churches “to provide the hope of the gospel, help on the pathway to citizenship, and home in a church that cares for their needs.” Evangelical Free Church Director of Hispanic Ministries Alejandro Mandes, founder of Immigrant Hope, has also collaborated to develop the EFCA’s Gateway program, providing unique, language-specific theological education for pastors and leaders in urban and ethnic ministries. Gateway provides students the opportunity to be credentialed with the EFCA.

The gospel-centered fruit among the HANA communities is already significant in the landscape of American Christianity. If the current reality is any indication, God is in the business of using Hispanic and Asian Americans to empathize, identify with, care for, and effectively reach and disciple new immigrants in their midst.

Each track will prepare a chapter to be published in a book forthcoming from the HANA Consultation, to be edited by Dr. Peter Cha and Dr. Juan Martínez. 

From May 14 to May 17, 2013, approximately sixty pastors and theologians have gathered for the Hispanic-Asian North American Consultation on Theology and Ministry at Trinity International University’s Deerfield campus. Sponsored by the Henry Center, this historic broadly evangelical conversation was organized and designed by Dr. Peter Cha (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School), Dr. Juan Martínez (Fuller Theological Seminary), Dr. Linda Cannell (former Dean of North Park Theological Seminary), and Armida Belmonte Stephens (Ph.D. Candidate, Systematic Theology) in order to facilitate a conversation between the communities about present and future ministry contexts, experiences, needs, and possibilities. Attendees were encouraged by Peter Cha “to share with the rest of the group, for the whole group and the advancement of God’s purpose in the world. Listen actively, share your insights and convictions with generosity.” Consultation organizers hope that this “family conversation” will allow a fuller and larger picture to emerge for the sake of future gospel ministry in the United States and in global mission.

Dr. Juan Martinez provided four major reasons this consultation is important and necessary, summarized here:

1. God cares. In reading Scripture, God is never in the business of making people or cultures uniform. At Pentecost, a common language was not spoken but different languages were spoken and used. The Spirit of God chooses to manifest the reality of the new thing God is doing by bringing out the languages of the people…especially of the “outsiders.”

2. We live in a country with rapidly changing demographics. By 2040, most people living in the United States will not be northern European descent. Along with these changing demographics, we also need to reframe conversations about race, even as a social construction and not an actual reality. Typically the American narrative keeps the conversation occurring between and about black and white, or black versus white. It never includes Native Americans, Latin Americans or the first Chinese immigrants; these groups are typically excluded. But, Hispanics and Asians are disturbing the race categories, and how they function in our society. The race constructs are so broad that they lose any meaning when imposed or ascribed to Hispanic and Asian communities in the states. As we think about mission in this changing context, Hispanic and Asian children are the future so we need to care.

3. The relationships between Hispanic and Asian-American communities are complex. The communities have had encounters. We’ve mixed, we’ve intermarried. Yet our encounters in the United States have always been complicated, especially in the southwest where Hispanics and Asians tend to encounter one another from different social classes. Stereotypes exist on either side of our relationships, including between Christians, and we need to address this complexity.

4. God works in the midst of migration. When there are movements of people, more openness to God’s care for all people increases. Will we read God in the migration of our peoples to North America? Is God in the midst of this migratory movement, if the answer is yes, what does that mean?

In order to better facilitate more specific conversations to address these reasons for gathering, attendees have chosen to participate in one of six tracks: 1) Formation of lay leadership 2) Intergenerational/Intercultural Partnership 3) Migration and Global Mission 4) Nurturing the Next Generation 5) Public and Local Witness 6) Theological Education/Pastoral formation. In each track, attendees are guided in sharing their stories, answering questions concerning each topic together, and will conclude with an intensive working session moving toward deeper collaboration between the communities. Highlights from a track each day will be posted on the blog, so stay tuned…

Attendees’ initial responses to the conversations that are already emerging demonstrate both the need for and the hope in expanding networks, collaborations, and friendships through the HANA Consultation. One pastor Beck Rodriguez from Arkansas said, “I’ve never sat down and heard a Korean-American’s story. Within a few hours this is already eye-opening.”

Quotes of the Day:

The Spirit of God chooses to manifest the reality of the new thing God is doing by bringing out the languages of the people…especially the “outsiders.” – Dr. Juan Martinez

Let us see a vision of truth and live into that truth. –Sandra Van Opstal

Will we read God in the migration of our peoples to North America? Is God in the midst of this migratory movement, and if the answer is yes, what does that mean? – Dr. Juan Martinez

Ni de aquí ni de allá, and that is a wound which is scabbed over but will never be healed. –Alejandro Mandes

Dr. Don Carson, research professor at TEDS and author of many award-winning books, will be speaking in our Trinity College chapel on April 1, Friday, 11am. The title of the lecture is “What is the Gospel?”

This lecture is part of the Christ on Campus Initiative (CCI), a ministry of the Henry Center intended especially for college and university students. The purpose of the CCI is to prepare and circulate literature for students, addressing many important intellectual and practical issues from an evangelical Christian perspective. These materials are intellectually rigorous, culturally relevant, persuasive in argument and faithful to historic, evangelical Christianity.

CCI is also being co-sponsored by the MAC Foundation and by The Gospel Coalition. We strongly encourage Trinity students to visit the web site and start benefiting from this tremendous resource (www.henrycenter.org/programs/christ-on-campus-initiative/).