Immigration reform may boost ESL demand

Posted: 6/09/06

Immigration reform may boost ESL demand

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

Immigration reform that requires undocumented residents to learn English in order to become citizens could send a wave of people into church-sponsored English-as-a-Second- Language programs.

An immigration bill passed by the U.S. Senate May 25 would provide many undocumented residents a way to become citizens if they met several stipulations, including learning English.

The bill calls for an English test to be instituted by Jan. 1, 2008, for all people seeking citizenship. The legislation also establishes grants for organizations offering citizenship and ESL classes.

Dean Eastwood, who leads the ESL ministry at Lamar Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, said reform of this sort could encourage more people to enroll in church-sponsored English classes, just like the immigration reform in 1986 did.

The possibility of becoming a citizen encouraged people to learn English, he said. This latest reform effort could have the same effect.

“There they had real incentive, so they stuck with it,” he said.

It’s difficult to know exactly how large an influx immigration reform could create, but there are about 12 million undocumented residents in the United States. The current bill would not allow all undocumented aliens to become citizens, but many would have that option open to them.

The Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions supports literacy and ESL programs in Texas Baptist churches around the state.

Bill Moon, director of literacy ministries at First Baptist Church in Belton, believes immigration reform could double the size of his church’s ministry, which already serves about 150 people, including children.

In addition to an increased demand for English classes, more people could enroll in church-sponsored civics classes in order to attain citizenship, Moon and Eastwood agreed.

While the classes are an opportunity for undocumented immigrants, they also provide a chance for churches to serve more people and spread Christianity. Many of the people who attend ESL classes are not involved in a congregation’s day-to-day activities and may not be Christians.

Many church ESL programs focus on teaching, but they also include a devotional time—as well as fellowship where relationships between Christians and non-Christians can be formed.

“They’ll come to church to take English classes when they wouldn’t come to church for anything else,” Moon said.

“We’ve seen some people come to the Lord,” Eastwood said. “Some of them come to our church. We’ve actually got a Hispanic mission started.”

Evangelistic impulses may make this opportunity for ministry to immigrants a treacherous one. Part of the Senate bill proposes grants for organizations that provide English and civics classes.

Accepting these grants could limit the spiritual content of the classes, thereby affecting the intended purpose of the classes, Moon said.

The government cannot fund classes that promote religion, but churches cannot afford to minimize the faith. Churches are going to have to choose wisely, he said.

“This is going to be very tempting for a church. There’s money for textbooks or something. But there goes the ministry,” he said.

“Churches are going to have to be real careful. It’s going to look real good, but it’s going to kill ministries.”