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The Prophetic Migrant
A Response to Samuel Escobar's 'Mission Fields on the Move'
To facilitate a truly global conversation, we ask Christian leaders from around the world to respond to the Global Conversation's lead articles. These points of view do not necessarily represent Christianity Today magazine or the Lausanne Movement. They are designed to stimulate discussion from all points of the compass and from different segments of the Christian community. Please add your perspective by posting a comment so that we can learn and grow together in the unity of the Spirit.
Samuel Escobar offers three challenges to the church in his essay on migration: the challenge to show compassion toward migrants, the need to take a prophetic stance against unjust treatment of immigrants, and the challenge to see migration as an avenue for the evangelistic dimension of mission.
To these (mercy, justice, and evangelism), I would add a crucial fourth: The challenge to recognize that God often uses cultural outsiders to prophetically challenge us in our comfort, affluence, and cultural insulation.
When Abraham welcomed three strangers into his shady tent one scorching hot noon day, Scripture implies that he was in some way welcoming the divine (Gen 18:1). Later, Jesus drove this idea even further when he claimed that hospitality toward a stranger would be considered a welcome of Jesus himself (Matt. 25:35). And the writer of the letter to the Hebrew church reminded them, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it" (Heb. 13:2, NIV). Throughout the Bible, we are offered the tantalizing hint that in welcoming strangers we may somehow be welcoming the divine. And with it, the divine Word.
But even without this mystical component to inspire (and puzzle) us, biblical history is rich with stories of God using migrants and cultural outsiders to impact entire nations and bring about his kingdom purposes. Some like Ruth were economic migrants. Desperately searching for a better life, she showed up in Israel so poor that her first year in town she was forced to scavenge leftovers. The point stressed most frequently in the story is that Ruth was a foreigner. Still, Ruth the outsider comes to share in the salvation and heritage of Israel.
Joseph was forced into exile in a country he had not chosen. Esther was an orphan in a foreign land. Others like Nehemiah had more resources at their disposal, but nevertheless were migrants. Each of these, and many more, were used by God to impact their new homelands, and sometimes beyond. They were outsiders, used by God to accomplish his purposes in a new place. Perhaps this is why part of the plan for Jesus' incarnation among us was for him to become a refugee himself, fleeing violence to Egypt (Matt. 2:14).
My pastor came to North America eight years ago as a refugee fleeing war in Burundi. Like Ruth, Joseph, and a long line of migrants throughout biblical and secular history, Emmanuel was so poor when he arrived in Canada that he faced the probability of homelessness. But God led him to one of our church-related ministries, a transition home that provides space for migrant refugees to find their feet. Before long, Emmanuel became an integral part of our church. And, in a beautiful example of blurring the lines between those serving and those being served, Emmanuel eventually became our pastor.
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Margaret
I think that is really is amazing to look at how God did use “outsiders” to change lives and nations in the Bible. Ruth is one of my favorite stories in the Bible and it is amazing to see how God uses her in the story of Israel. By bringing in a cultural outsider, as Mr. Greenfield discusses, we receive a fresh look on how we are running our churches and how we do outreach ministry. Bringing in someone from another culture may be uncomfortable, but I think that many times God uses our discomfort to teach us huge lessons; lessons that many times we remember more strongly because of the discomfort that was there.
alackson bako iliya
By the grace of the Lord, I want to be a part of mission work either through prayer or in going.
Chivimbiso Ngowe, Zimbabwe
Escobar has brought in an amazing dimension that may have been missed by a lot of Christians especially those whose countries are receiving immigrants. I have always seen it as a fulfillment of scripture that all of us as Christians should reach the ends of the world as witnesses of Christ. And this happens whether by a mission sending us or us going as economic immigrants. But, the difference lies with the heart to take the gospel. That scripture on the Jerusalem persecution that led to massive and miraculous ministry in Samaria and other cities is a good example. Keep it up Mr Escobar.
louie lancia, italy
For once I would impeach the idea that is espoused by most political Christians to validate the mixture of Church and State, it is not enough to speak about things like John the Baptist who spoke against King Herod about his internal affairs because Isarel was a nation where the laws of the land were the 613 laws known as the Mosaic Covennant, The truth is that God put a separation between the priesthood and the kingship is clear in the fact we know that Jesus became the High priest of our profession and although we know he is the King of King and the Lord of Glory not all things are subject unto him as yet but indeed Christ will fulfill the Kingship...amen
Doranna Cooper, USA
Southern California is one of the greatest mission fields in the USA. There have been so many ethnic groups here that you don't need to try to go to a closed country because there are plenty of their people here. It is just trying to get churches off their duff and reach out and evangelize. In turn those converts can go back to their ethnic country without barriers and carry the gospel of Jesus Christ. Another is reaching out to foriegn students and inviting them into our homes to show the love of Christ. Thru prayer God can lead you to He wants you to befriend.
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