Posted: 1/21/05
Immigration and churches
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By Ferrell Foster
Texas Baptist Communications
AUSTIN–Immigration is not just a political issue to Texas Baptists; it's about churches and ministry, said Suzii Paynter, director of citizenship and public policy for the Baptist General Convention of Texas' Christian Life Commission.
"So many of our Baptist churches have members who are in need of some kind of adjustment status" in regard to their residency in the United States, Paynter said. "It's a very large issue in our churches, and it's been brought to us by pastors."
People coming to the United States from Central American countries, where the Catholic Church is dominant, are used to turning to the church for help.
"Traditionally, the point of contact for an immigrant seeking information in a safe environment is the church," Paynter said. "They have a tradition of going to the priest."
In Central America, people consider the church a "point of sanctuary," and the church sees its efforts to help people as a "redemptive mission–the mission of helping people find their way to solve their problems," she said.
The Catholic Church in the United States has established immigration centers in their churches and invested more than $300 million is providing immigration services, Paynter said. “The Catholic Church was ready to help its members.”
Hispanic Baptist churches minister in that same cultural environment, but efforts to provide immigration services have been limited.
These Baptist churches want to respond to their members, their families and their communities, Paynter said. "They are asking for the BGCT to help support citizen training classes" and other efforts to assist immigrants with residency issues.
"If (immigrants) can't turn to us, they will turn to other churches and other traditions that will help them," she said.
In other words, immigration ministries are related to evangelism and church-starting efforts among this ever-growing segment of the Texas population, Paynter said.
Additional Resources on Immigration:
• Proposed federal Legislation to Legalize Undocumented Farm Workers: The Agricultural Jobs, Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act of 2003
• Undocumented Immigrants: Fact and Figures from the Urban Institute Immigration Studies Program, 2004
• The Border Security and immigration Reform Act of 2003, section by section summary
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