You are a witness. What is your testimony?

I am a witness. What is my testimony?

…

Does the question give you cold sweats?

Depending on the day, the time, the situation, it at least gives me pause.

Maybe it’s that we’re unsure of what our witness should be or is or will be. Or we don’t want to hear how others perceive our witness. Actually, that’s what I’m really worried about—but only for one reason. See, my hope is people see Jesus in me and that the Jesus they see is true to who Jesus is and draws people to him.

I know how far off the mark I am, and that’s why the question gives me pause.

This has been imprinted on my mind since my visit yesterday to a memorial museum just off the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

As I descended the stairs to the lower level of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, I couldn’t help but see a seemingly simple statement on the expansive wall in front of me.

Just four words.

“You are my witnesses.”

And the reference—Isaiah 43:10.

To witness is to remember

Given the context, it is clear these words are intended to describe those who survived the Holocaust. But stated as such, these four words also make a claim on all who see them … in that place. And, indeed, the word “Remember” is repeated everywhere.

The hope is, all who see—witness—the museum will in turn give witness to the reality of the Holocaust.

So it doesn’t happen again. To anybody.

I support that hope.

I wanted to read the broader context of those four words. So, when I had the opportunity, I looked up Isaiah 43 on a Bible app. While I know you can look it up, too, I include it here, because it’s just that important.

Take the time to read—really read—the following words from Isaiah 43.

The witness of Isaiah 43:1-13

But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Remember where I was when I saw those four words and their reference—a Holocaust memorial museum. Let the reader hold that in stillness and reverence.

“For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; …
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.
All the nations gather together
and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
I, even I, am the LORD,
and apart from me there is no savior.
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “that I am God.
Yes, and from ancient of days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”

…

Sit with these words for a moment.

Remember where I saw four of them, standing out starkly on a museum wall—a Holocaust museum wall.

Reading ‘witness’ in context

I’m not an Old Testament scholar and certainly not on expert on Isaiah. There’s much I don’t know and much I can’t say about Isaiah 43. For that reason and others, I left out a portion of verse 3 and all of verse 4, because they introduce a problem I’m not equipped or have the space to deal with here.

But I am a student of, a reader of Scripture. I believe portions of Scripture should be read in their original context, that the original—and full—context of Scripture deeply informs the meaning of short portions.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is a powerful question because of the context in which we most often encounter it. What we may not know is Jesus was quoting Psalm 22 and most assuredly knew he was. If you haven’t put Jesus’ question in the context of the full psalm, you should do that … after you read the rest of this editorial.

Returning to the four-word quote from Isaiah 43:10: “You are my witnesses” is a powerful statement in the context of a Holocaust museum, but read in the broader context of Isaiah 43:1-13, it challenges even further.

Why we are witnesses

The broader context of those four words from Isaiah 43:10 tell us we are not merely witnesses. Nor are we merely witnesses of horror and tragedy. Nor are we witnesses only so such things never happen again.

Isaiah, quoting the LORD our God, tells us we are witnesses of God. We are witnesses that there is no other god before, beside or behind God. We are witnesses that God delivers and nothing and no one else does.

We are witnesses of who God is and what God has done.

The power of our witness

“You are my witnesses” is a powerful statement in a museum that gives praise to the human armies that liberated the Nazi concentration and extermination camps. Certainly, we should cheer that liberation and give thanks for the liberators, but we mustn’t do so to the neglect or the diminishment of God as our ultimate deliverer.

“You are my witnesses” also is a powerful statement in a city where men and women promise they are our salvation. I assure you, they are not.

“You are my witnesses” is simultaneously a powerful statement of fact and a powerful call to action.

As a statement of fact: Like it or not, you and I are witnesses. Our lives speak. They speak of who we take God to be. What are our lives speaking about God?

As a call to action: If you and I claim the name of Christ, we are and will be his witnesses, in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth (Acts 1:8)—like it or not. We will witness in word and deed. What witness about Christ will our words and deeds give?

Yes, we are God’s witnesses in our politics, in our economics, in our business dealings, in our spending, in our giving, in our love life, in our friendships, in our family, in our driving, in our recreating, in our watching, in our listening. In all we do, we are communicating something about God.

In all we do, does our witness tell the world there is no god but God, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be? That’s a bold testimony at the present time.

In all we do, does our witness tell the world God is the only Savior, the only Deliverer? That’s a bold testimony at the present time.

I admit this is more sermon than editorial.

I was a pastor. So, sometimes I preach.

Now, I’m an editor. So, sometimes I write.

I am a Christian. So, I’m always a witness.

Fellow Christian, so are you.

What God are we proclaiming?

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

Pido inmigración legal, no ilegal.

Pido fronteras seguras, no fronteras abiertas o cerradas de golpe.

Pido una política de inmigración con sentido común, no politizada.

Esto suena a política… hasta que miramos las Escrituras.

Las Escrituras son el punto de encuentro entre la ley y la gracia. Y como bautista, considero que las Escrituras son la autoridad para la fe y la práctica.

Los inmigrantes en las Escrituras

La Escritura instruye en numerosos lugares al pueblo de Dios para que cuide de los extranjeros que viven entre ellos. ¿Acaso no somos pueblo de Dios los que nos identificamos con Cristo?

La Escritura, tanto en la ley mosaica como en boca del Mesías, nos ordena amar al prójimo como a nosotros mismos. Ah, pero ¿quién es nuestro prójimo? No hace falta preguntarlo. Jesús nos dijo quién es nuestro prójimo, usando como ejemplo a personas que difieren étnica y teológicamente.

Y, sí, las Escrituras también nos dicen que honremos a nuestras autoridades civiles.

Seguro que podemos idear una política de inmigración sensata que se ajuste a los límites del cuidado de los extranjeros que viven entre nosotros, amando a nuestro prójimo como nos amamos a nosotros mismos y honrando a nuestras autoridades civiles.

Creo que sí.

Al final de este editorial se incluye una lista de recursos útiles para ello.

Inmigrantes y autoridades civiles

En la actualidad, nuestras autoridades civiles han expresado su intención de deportar a todos los inmigrantes que se encuentran ilegalmente en Estados Unidos, según la definición del Código 1325 de Estados Unidos, o asustarlos para que se marchen por su propia voluntad.

“Nadie está fuera de la mesa. Si estás en el país ilegalmente, no está bien. Si estás en el país ilegalmente, será mejor que mires por encima del hombro”, dijo Tom Homan, director Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas durante la primera administración del presidente Trump, a los asistentes al Heritage Policy Fest de The Heritage Foundation el 15 de julio de 2024.

Homan, que ahora es el “zar fronterizo” de la Administración Trump, dijo a Martha Raddatz, de ABC News, el 26 de enero, que espera que estos mismos inmigrantes simplemente “se vayan.”

Junto a estas contundentes declaraciones, Homan también admitió que el gobierno no dispone de los recursos necesarios para acorralar y deportar a todos los inmigrantes que se encuentran ilegalmente en Estados Unidos.

Es por esta razón y otras que el abogado de inmigración de Dallas Jered Dobbs aconseja precaución sin pánico. También aconseja a los inmigrantes y a las iglesias que quieran ayudarles que se informen bien.

Es prerrogativa del gobierno hacer cumplir sus leyes—Código 1325 de EE.UU., en este caso—y hacerlo mediante una “operación de deportación histórica”, tal como la describe Homan.

Y si el pueblo de Dios considera que tal aplicación es contraria a las Escrituras, es nuestra prerrogativa instar a nuestros representantes en el Congreso a que cambien la ley. Ojalá el pueblo de Dios tuviera la misma opinión sobre cuándo la aplicación de la ley es contraria a las Escrituras. Si lo estuviéramos, tal vez no estaríamos teniendo esta conversación.

La inmigración ante los tribunales

El Congreso no es la única forma de abordar la aplicación de las leyes de inmigración. Una coalición del pueblo de Dios ha acudido a los tribunales federales para oponerse a una nueva directiva sobre la aplicación de las leyes de inmigración.

La directiva “empodera” a los funcionarios del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas y del Servicio de Aduanas y Protección de Fronteras al rescindir “las directrices de la Administración Biden … que impiden la aplicación de la ley en o cerca de las llamadas zonas ‘sensibles’”—como “escuelas e iglesias—para “atrapar a extranjeros criminales … que han entrado ilegalmente en nuestro país”.

Basándose en declaraciones como las de Homan, los inmigrantes no creen que los agentes del ICE y del CBP vayan a limitar sus detenciones únicamente a los delincuentes violentos. Según los informes, muchos inmigrantes tienen miedo de enviar a sus hijos a la escuela, de ir a la iglesia e incluso de recoger medicamentos en la farmacia. Lugares tradicionalmente seguros parecen ahora menos seguros para muchos inmigrantes.

Sin dar a los inmigrantes indocumentados un “pase libre”—que muchos no quieren ni esperan—sin duda podemos desarrollar una mejor política de inmigración que reconozca la necesidad de normas sólidas que rijan la inmigración, que dichas normas deben cumplirse y que no incluya el alarmismo.

La coalición de grupos cristianos y judíos mencionada anteriormente espera que esto pueda lograrse en los tribunales, al menos a corto plazo.

Nuestros hermanos inmigrantes

Me refiero aquí a nuestra política de inmigración porque algunos de nuestros hermanos y hermanas en Cristo no se sienten seguros expresando ellos mismos estas cosas. Les preocupa que al hacerlo se conviertan en un blanco. Y no me refiero sólo a los inmigrantes indocumentados entre nuestros hermanos cristianos.

Algunos de los inmigrantes de nuestras iglesias que tienen miedo de hablar están en Estados Unidos legalmente. Necesitan saber que nosotros, sus hermanos en Cristo, nos preocupamos por lo que les ocurre a ellos y a sus comunidades, y que hablaremos en su nombre, al igual que abogamos por las personas que figuran en las listas de oración de nuestras iglesias y escuelas dominicales, algunas de las cuales ni siquiera conocemos.

Necesitan que aquellos de nosotros cuyas familias han sido ciudadanos estadounidenses durante generaciones o que no han pasado por el proceso de naturalización comprendamos que lleva tiempo convertirse en ciudadano estadounidense, incluso en las mejores circunstancias. Y no deberíamos dar por sentado que los inmigrantes no están haciendo el trabajo necesario para convertirse en ciudadanos estadounidenses. O que están aquí para quitarnos el trabajo o cambiar nuestro modo de vida.

En realidad, casi todos los inmigrantes quieren una vía legal hacia la ciudadanía estadounidense. Muchos, si no la mayoría, ya pagan impuestos y financian beneficios a las que no tienen derecho. Si no pueden hacerse ciudadanos, preferirían ser residentes legales a ser residentes ilegales. Sin duda, la ley y la gracia pueden unirse aquí.

Los inmigrantes vistos por Dios

La retórica de los debates políticos describe con demasiada frecuencia a los inmigrantes como un problema para nuestros barrios, nuestra seguridad o nuestra cultura. Esta retórica está tan extendida que los inmigrantes—cualquiera que sea su estatus oficial—se consideran más un problema que una persona.

Demasiados de nosotros llevamos ese marco con nosotros a la iglesia, a la forma en que leemos las Escrituras, a lo que pensamos de los hermanos y hermanas cristianos que también resultan ser inmigrantes. Esto es al revés.

Los debates políticos no deben enmarcar lo que pensamos sobre los inmigrantes. Para el pueblo de Dios, la palabra de Dios debe enmarcar la forma en que pensamos y tratamos a los inmigrantes.

Lo que los inmigrantes afrontan habitualmente no forma parte de mi experiencia diaria. Me permito el lujo de no pensar en ello. Pero forma parte de la experiencia diaria de muchos de mis hermanos y hermanas en Cristo que están preocupados por sí mismos, por su familia y por sus amigos.

La Escritura me dice que debo estar con mis hermanos. Las Escrituras te dicen lo mismo a ti. ¿Cómo vamos a hacerlo?

*******

Para una perspectiva cuidadosa y equilibrada sobre la inmigración, le animo a consultar los recursos de Evangelical Immigration Table.

Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform  es otra fuente de una perspectiva equilibrada sobre la inmigración.

La entrevista de Calli Keener con el abogado de inmigración de Dallas Jered Dobbs proporciona información útil para los inmigrantes y las iglesias que les sirven.

El Centro para el Compromiso Cultural de los Bautistas de Texas ofrece una breve guía para las iglesias que sirven a los inmigrantes.

Eric Black es el director ejecutivo, editor y redactor de Baptist Standard. Puede comunicarse con él en eric.black@baptiststandard.com. Las opiniones expresadas en este artículo de opinión son las del autor.

For many people around the world, Christmas is the traditional time of giving to spouses, children and others we care about.

Christmas is also a time to give to the Bob Cratchits and Tiny Tims among us, making sure those going through tough financial times receive gifts and plenty of food for holiday meals, plus presents for the kids.

For Christians, all year—not just Christmas—is the time for giving.

For us, life on this earth is all about giving, because that’s what love does; it gives.

Jesus was a giver. It’s his character and nature, and when we step into a giving spirit, without thought of receiving, we step into God’s nature.

Giving releases God to work. John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16 are God’s bookend giving verses for Christian life.

To give is Christ

So many people these days focus primarily on themselves. To most people, Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” makes all the sense in the world. It’s the way of human nature, especially in uncertain and difficult times, when people tend to close ranks and circle the wagons around their immediate families, letting those outside the circle fend for themselves.

But it should not be so with us.

“Give and it shall be given to you” (Luke 6:38). Was that written only for times of plenty? Was God’s word given to us to follow only when the waters are calm and our lives’ little boats can glide effortlessly with a gentle breeze in the morning sun?

Jesus’ words were given as a guide through the good times as well as the bad.

The nature of Jesus is the opposite of our natural self-centered inclinations. “But seek first the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 6:33) and Christ’s nature first—which is always giving, always reaching out, always ready to save, serve and lift those who have been trodden under foot by the racing world around them.

Freely give

Whether we are well off financially or barely squeaking by, we all have something to give. Everything God gives us, every talent we possess was given to each of us to share, give and hand out freely. “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8).

Some say, “When I have a million dollars, then I’ll share and give,” but they could start giving what they have right now, even if it’s just a tiny bit.

To God, there is no difference between the little we have and won’t share, and the people who sit upon their piles of wealth and don’t share. The same rule applies to the poor as well as the rich.

And giving isn’t just about money or material things. It applies to any talent God has given us. Sowing seeds of love and words of encouragement don’t cost anything, but they can change a life, face someone to the positive light and give them hope.

Give as Jesus gave

Jesus gave us this key: “Do unto others as you want them to do unto you” (Matthew 7:12).

What does someone need? God is the giver, but we are his delivery staff, and he trusts us to deliver his love and supply to those in need. He came not to judge the world, but to save it (John 3:16-17). He came to give. The heart of God is a giving heart.

Let’s give from what we have right now, today. Let’s not wait until we have more, but let’s give from what we have today. Let’s give out our little loaves and fish today, and they will multiply.

Christmas is a wonderful time for giving, but so is every day of our lives. For true believers in Jesus, every day is Christmas. Every day we can sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” Every day we can share the good news, by living as Jesus lived, loving as Jesus loved and giving as Jesus gave.

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”
–Oscar Wilde

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, feed just one.”
–Mother Teresa

Robert Ritzenhein, after retiring from full-time missionary service, lives in Japan, organizing Christian programs for area rest homes, and is the yearly Santa at his city’s hospitals. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

As we light the second candle of Advent, we are reminded of the peace Christ offers—a peace that surpasses understanding and remains steadfast, even in the most turbulent times.

For those of us in the Holy Land, where occupation and oppression often overshadow joy, this peace can feel distant. Yet, it is in these darkest moments that Christ’s peace shines brightest—not as the absence of struggle, but as a presence that endures through it all.

Unlikely peace

We turn our hearts to the shepherds’ field in Beit Sahour, a Palestinian Christian town just outside Bethlehem, where angels proclaimed: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14).

In those same fields today, the sounds of joy often are drowned out by the violence of Israeli settler attacks, land confiscations, home demolitions and gunfire. Yet, the promise of peace remains. It is not a peace that erases suffering, but one that meets us in it, holding us in hope.

Active peace

For Palestinian Christians, peace is not passive. It is an active choice to trust in God’s presence, no matter how trying the circumstances.

We find peace in simple acts—prayers whispered in the night, children’s laughter amid the rubble of Gaza, shared meals where love defies fear and in churches that stand unbroken, testaments to centuries of faith. These acts declare peace is still possible, even when the world seems overwhelming.

In a land scarred by an apartheid wall, military occupation and ongoing violence, choosing peace requires courage. It means refusing to repay hate with hate or violence with violence. It means forgiving, even when it seems impossible, and loving when the world urges us to do the opposite.

Just as Christ forgave those who crucified him, we are called to forgive and to be peacemakers—even when the path is painful.

Living peace

We draw strength from Isaiah’s prophecy: “He will be called Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). The peace Jesus offers doesn’t promise a painless life, but assures us he is with us through it all. His abiding presence sustains us, even in desperate times.

In Palestine, peace is a living hope. It is found in the courage of a mother praying for her children’s safety, in a father planting seeds in soil scarred by war and in the unwavering faith of a community gathering for worship, even when bombs threaten to shatter the silence. These moments of grace remind us peace is still possible, even in the darkest of times.

Despite hardships, our love for Jesus remains unshaken. We hold him close, celebrating his birth three times a year in Bethlehem. First, on Dec. 25, by Eastern and Roman Catholics, Protestants and Evangelicals. Then, on Jan. 7, by Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christians. Finally, on Jan. 19, by Palestinian Armenians.

This shared joy reminds us, despite differences and divisions, we are united in his peace. Let us pray for peace within our churches, among Christians, and for true Christian unity.

Waiting peace

This Advent, as we await the coming of the Prince of Peace, we are called to carry that peace into the world. While we cannot always change our circumstances, we can choose how we respond. We can choose peace—even when it seems impossible.

Let us remember: Peace begins in the heart. It is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of God’s love, justice and mercy in our lives. As we await Christ’s coming, let us pray for peace in our minds, hearts, families, homes, cities and nations. May we be peacemakers in a world in need of healing and reconciliation.

Prayer of peace

Lord, we thank you for being our Prince of Peace. In the midst of conflict, help us experience your peace that surpasses all understanding. May your peace reign in our hearts and overflow into our families and communities.

Give us the courage to be agents of peace, to forgive, to love and to seek justice for all. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem, the United States, Artsakh, Lebanon, Ukraine and Syria, and for all those suffering in conflict. We pray for the healing of our broken world. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Christ is born! Let us glorify him!

*******

Jack Nassar is a Christian in Ramallah, Palestine, who strives to foster positive change in the public, private, nonprofit and academic realms. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

Why are nonprofits concerned about President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for refugees, I asked Garry Crites, World Relief Durham church and community engagement manager.

“The president is given the authority to determine how many refugees per year are allowed into the country,” Crites responded.

“Currently, the United States has been authorized to accept 125,000 refugees per year. President Trump only allowed 15,000 per year in his first administration, and he has threatened to lower the threshold to zero in his next administration, and to cut funding to refugee resettlement,” he added.

The refugee ceiling—informally called a ‘cap’—is an exclusive presidential authority. Since 1980, each U.S. president has set the number of refugees permitted through the refugee resettlement program.

History of refugee ceilings

For a frame of reference, here is each president’s lowest refugee cap since the Refugee Act of 1980:

• Reagan, 1986: 67,000
• Bush Sr., 1989: 116,500
• Clinton, 1997: 78,000
• Bush, 2002-2007: 70,000
• Obama, 2013-2015: 70,000
• Trump, 2020: 18,000
• Biden, 2021: 62,500

In 2018, Trump set the 2019 refugee ceiling to 30,000—less than half of President Reagan’s lowest cap.

At the time, World Relief issued a press release stating: “The United States has the ability to welcome at least 75,000 refugees,” grieving “the impact this reduction will have on some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”

President Trump did not heed the cries of World Relief or the world’s most vulnerable people. He set the refugee cap to 18,000 for 2020, and 15,000 for 2021.

President Biden reversed the 15,000 cap with his lowest cap of 62,500 persons. Yet, concerns loom for a return of a 15,000 cap, or even an introduction of a zero-person cap.

Caught in the middle

When considering a 15,000 or zero-person cap, Crites said, “This would be devastating to refugees and the agencies that serve them. This would close a life-saving door on thousands of persecuted people, including persecuted Christiansfrom all over the world for whom President Trump has previously stated support.”

Crites added there are concerns for those on parole. “Because parolees are not given a legal path to citizenship automatically, they could be required to leave the country and return to their countries of origin with little notice, potentially into harm’s way.”

Misinformation and scapegoats

So, why is President-elect Trump saying refugees, TPS holders and parolees are illegals?

In Trump’s binary world of “us” and “them,” there are legals and illegals, and the illegals must be removed to save the country.

By incorrectly broadening the definition of an illegal immigrant to include virtually any type of immigrant, Trump is setting a low bar to fulfill his campaign promise.

In reality, a mass deportation plan is unrealistic, expensive and would crumble the labor force of the economy. The first Trump administration already proved to be less effective at deporting undocumented immigrants than President Obama. But refugees are low-hanging fruit for Trump’s nativist-populist agenda, because they are unprotected anddocumented.

So, it becomes clear Trump may need scapegoats to satisfy the misplaced anger of his most devout supporters. His scapegoats seem to include Haitians and Venezuelans on temporary protected status, economic migrants on humanitarian parole and refugees fleeing persecution.

Types of legal status

Knowing the different statuses of immigrants is a very important step in spotting misinformation and scapegoating. According to World Relief, here are statuses everyone should know:

1. A refugee is a person who cannot return to their country of origin due to persecution because of race, religion, nationality, ethnic background, etc. The refugee process for coming to the United States is usually pretty long and must be applied for while still outside of the country, beginning with the United Nations.
2. An asylee, or asylum seeker, is someone who flees their country and seeks protection in the United States or another country because of persecution. They often request this asylum at the border or while already in another country through other pathways.
3. A parolee is a person granted temporary status in the United States for significant public benefit or for humanitarian reasons to escape crises in their home country.
4. A “green card holder,” or lawful permanent resident, is someone authorized for permanent residency in the United States, but who is not a U.S. citizen.

Additionally, there are temporary protected status (TPS) holders who are foreign-born migrants granted legal stay by the Department of Homeland Security due to the unsafe conditions of returning to their homeland.

Refugees, asylees, parolees and TPS holders are legal residents. They are image-bearers, people in need and contributors to our society. They should not be the ones punished for our country’s policy failures.

How churches can help

World Relief is burning the midnight oil to usher in refugees before Jan. 20, 2025, but they need help to do what they do.

There are three World Relief locations in Texas: Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth. There are many more throughout the country. Familiarize your church with their ministry and consider becoming a financial partner with World Relief.

Next, identify how you can get involved personally. World Relief has four buckets of ministry:

1. Direct refugee resettlement.
2. Support to refugees as they become acclimated to their new lives in America.
3. Focused services to refugee and immigrant youth in public schools.
4. Immigrant legal services.

If you have legal experience, education and/or tutoring expertise, or simply have a heart for hospitality, World Relief wants to partner with you.

Some other examples of work they need help with include picking up refugees from the airport, supporting families as they learn English, helping seek employment, navigating transportation systems, doing school supply drives, clothing donations, among other needs.

Even if you can give only an hour or two of your time, Mother Teresa reminded us small things can be done with great love. And Jesus taught us: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

George Harold Trudeau is the child safety coordinator at Missio Dei Church Raleigh, N.C., and a Master of Divinity student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

“God’s word insists that we not demonize those seeking safety and refuge in our country but treat them ‘as our own citizens’ (Leviticus 19:33-34) and bearers of God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27),” Garry Crites, World Relief Durham church and community engagement manager, communicated to me.

“Every day at World Relief, we look into the eyes of God’s children who escaped persecution and war to come to a land where they finally feel safe … just as many of our families did,” he added.

Concerns over Trump’s policy proposals

On Nov. 8, shortly after the election of President-elect Donald Trump, World Relief issued a newsletter stating: “President-elect [Trump] indicated that he will halt the refugee resettlement program in the U.S. At World Relief, we recognize that while administrations may change, our calling remains.”

Resolved to their calling of refugee ministry, World Relief has cared for millions of displaced persons since its founding in 1944.

“We support the continuation of the National Refugee Resettlement program … which has majority support from Republicans, Democrats and Independents,” the statement continues.

Currently, World Relief is in its first quarter of operations—October to December 2024. The first quarter is expected to be hectic “as the U.S. State Department attempts to place as many refugee families as they can before the inauguration” according to Crites.

The push to place refugees before inauguration comes from Trump’s proposals to cut refugee caps and suspend the refugee resettlement program.

“Not only will this place stress on World Relief staff members, but we will also need increased numbers of volunteers, donations and financial support,” said Crites.

The clock is ticking until Jan. 20, 2025, and many nonprofits like World Relief are bracing for the impact of a second Trump administration.

A confessional institution

As a confessional institution, faith drives World Relief’s social action. When asked about the biblical mandates of refugee care, Crites cited Matthew 25:35, when Jesus is speaking from the throne of judgment: “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in.”

“Our willingness—or not—to receive the sojourner will be a matter of concern when we face the Lord someday,” Crites concluded.

Crites also showed the compassionate nature of the Hebrew Bible, stating: “In Deuteronomy 10:18-19, God commands his people to care for the widow, the orphan and the foreigner ‘because you were once foreigners in Egypt.’”

“We have all been estranged, and so we should recognize the plight of refugees,” he concluded.

Both the Old and New Testaments agree refugee care is a requirement for disciples. However, World Relief recognizes migrants are more than objects of charity. They are significant contributors to our society.

More than objects of charity

“Immigrant workers serve as the backbone of many industries in the United States—construction, hospitality and agricultural, in particular—often working in positions that would have significant labor shortages in their absence.” Immigrants also “start businesses nearly twice as much as U.S.-born Americans,” Crites said.

Speaking directly to refugees and asylees, he added: “Health and Human Services’ recent study found refugees and asylees alone had a $124 billion positive impact to the U.S. economy over 15 years.”

Finally, “immigrant workers pump billions of dollars annually into taxes, Social Security and Medicare.”

Both in terms of public and private sectors, refugees and asylees help support our country.

8 in 10 evangelicals voted for Trump

It may seem like a contradiction that an evangelical institution would speak out against President-elect Trump’s vision for the United States. After all, an estimated 8 in 10 white evangelicals supported Trump in 2020 and 2024.

One possibility for the discrepancy is voters look at a list of issues, and they knowingly vote for a person who will impact negatively one issue, but believe the candidate will be beneficial on a list of other issues.

Another possibility is many think a Trump administration would target only undocumented criminals, not legal refugees. Yet, Trump’s past policies and current proposals provide a different picture.

A closer look at Trump’s proposals

On Sept. 18, 2024, Vice President-elect JD Vance said Haitians on temporary protected status are “illegal aliens” who are here simply because “Kamala Harris waved the amnesty wand.”

On Sept.15, 2024, Trump stated, “I will immediately end the migrant invasion of America,” “terminate the Kamala phone app for smuggling illegals (CBP One App)” and “suspend refugee resettlement.”

Trump’s statement on X (formerly Twitter) paints a picture that the Biden-Harris administration created the Customs and Border Patrol One app as a way to traffic humans illegally into the United States. As part of this initiative, he said he would suspend the refugee resettlement program—a bipartisan program created in 1980.

On Sept. 25, 2024, Trump said those on humanitarian parole grants—issued by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services, should “get ready to leave … especially quickly if they are criminals.”

While border reforms and deporting criminals remain a must for national security, refugee status, temporary protected status and parole programs are not illegal programs. They are legal channels of permanent and temporary residency, which I will define in Part 2.

World Relief: Refugees are not illegals

Matthew Soerens, World Relief vice president of advocacy policy, reiterated the point refugees are not illegals, since “they’re admitted lawfully after a thorough vetting process overseas.”

Crites elaborated they have “long supported efforts to ensure a more secure, orderly border,” as well as “doing whatever is reasonably possible to prevent the entry of anyone seeking to harm the United States.”

Biblically speaking, it is difficult for any Christian organization to advocate for illegal entry into the United States, since it is a norm for Christians to obey their governing authorities (see Romans 13:1). While there are exceptions (see Acts 5:29), Soerens’ claim emphasizes the key point in this discussion: Refugees are not illegals. So, why is President-elect Trump saying they are?

George Harold Trudeau is the child safety coordinator at Missio Dei Church Raleigh, N.C., and a Master of Divinity student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

Si las más de 3,300 congregaciones hispanas de la Convención Bautista del Sur tuvieran su propia convención estatal, serían la cuarta convención más grande del país, detrás de las convenciones de Texas (Baptist Convention of Texas), Carolina del Norte y Georgia.

Puede que le sorprenda, como a mí, descubrir que este importante grupo no tiene representación en el Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC, ni en su personal, y no cuenta con recursos en el presupuesto de la SBC.

La Red Nacional Bautista Hispana viene a cubrir la urgente necesidad de liderazgo hispano a nivel nacional.

Un campo de misión en constante crecimiento

El crecimiento de la población estadounidense está impulsado por la comunidad hispana.

Según la investigación de Pew Research, entre 2010 y 2022, los hispanos representaron el 53 porcentaje del aumento de la población. Sin embargo, entre 2022 y 2023, «la población hispana representó algo menos del 71 porcentaje del crecimiento global de la población de Estados Unidos», según la Oficina del Censo estadounidense.

En 2023, los hispanos constituían casi el 20 porcentaje de la población, lo que los convertía en el segundo grupo más numeroso de los Estados Unidos.

Ver a esta comunidad como una vez Jesús vio a las multitudes y sintió compasión por ellas es declarar de acuerdo «La cosecha es abundante, pero los trabajadores son pocos» (Mateo 9:37).

Las iglesias hispanas en la SBC, aunque crecientes, también son pocas.

Desde 2011, la SBC tuvo una ganancia neta de 111 congregaciones hispanas, mientras que las congregaciones anglosajonas sufrieron una pérdida neta de 1,337 congregaciones.

No obstante, Bruno Molina, director ejecutivo de la Red Nacional Bautista Hispana señala que: «Aunque los hispanos representamos alrededor del 20 porcentaje de la población de la nación, sólo constituimos el 7 porciento de las iglesias de la Convención Bautista del Sur. Aunque un buen número de las iglesias de la SBC son iglesias hispanas, hay un déficit del 13 porcentaje en la representación hispana.»

Las congregaciones hispanas están a la vanguardia para alcanzar y ministrar a casi una quinta parte de la población del país.

Nunca en la historia de nuestra nación tan pocas congregaciones hispanas han tenido una oportunidad tan grande de ministerio.

En yuxtaposición a esta perspectiva evangelizadora histórica a la que se enfrentan las iglesias hispanas de la SBC, está el flagrante vacío de liderazgo hispano y de recursos a su disposición a nivel nacional.

Representación hispana en la SBC

No hay representación hispana en el Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC, el órgano de gobierno de la denominación compuesto por 86 representantes.

No hay representación hispana en el personal del Comité Ejecutivo de la convención. Esto significa que no hay hispanos en los equipos de la oficina del presidente, comunicaciones, finanzas, promoción y relaciones, o instalaciones.

Contrasta esto con el contexto más rico que vemos en el trabajo bautista aquí en Texas.

Texas Baptists (Convención Bautista General de Texas) tiene 48 empleados hispanos. Texas Baptists en Español, el departamento de la convención centrado en las iglesias y líderes hispanos, cuenta con tres empleados dedicados a sus esfuerzos. Cabe destacar que hay 14 directores hispanos en la Junta Ejecutiva de Texas Baptists.

SBTC en Español, la oficina correspondiente de la Convención Bautista del Sur de Texas, cuenta con cinco miembros del personal comprometidos con el servicio a sus iglesias hispanas.

La Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas tiene cuatro empleados dedicados a servir a las casi 1,100 iglesias bautistas hispanas del estado.

Las congregaciones hispanas de la SBC tampoco cuenta con recursos en el presupuesto anual.

En 2023, alegando «limitaciones presupuestarias actuales», la SBC suprimió el puesto de director ejecutivo de relaciones y movilización hispanas, el único hispano en el personal de la Comité Ejecutivo de la SBC.

En un presupuesto de SBC de 1,067 billones de dólares—lo que supone un aumento de 235.000 dólares respecto al presupuesto anterior—no hay financiación para los líderes de relaciones étnicas. No hay financiación para las reuniones anuales de los grupos étnicos. Y no hay fondos para contratar trabajadores que se relacionen con las iglesias hispanas, ni siquiera a tiempo parcial.

Entra la Red Nacional Bautista Hispana.

La Red Nacional Bautista Hispana

La Red Nacional Bautista Hispana se formó para llenar el vacío de liderazgo y representación a nivel nacional de las iglesias bautistas hispanas.

Las semillas de la red fueron plantadas por los esfuerzos del Dr. Daniel Sánchez (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) y el Dr. Bobby Sena (Midwestern Baptist Theologoical Seminary).

Su visión era crear un esfuerzo nacional formal y cohesivo que sirviera a las iglesias hispanas en la SBC. Durante varios años, reunieron a los líderes hispanos de varias convenciones estatales y organizaciones para compartir ideas sobre su trabajo y explorar el futuro de sus ministerios.

En diciembre de 2022, los líderes se organizaron formalmente y crearon la Red Nacional Bautista Hispana. La RNBH busca «llenar el vacío» del liderazgo nacional de la SBC cumpliendo su misión de conectarse en misión, contribuir y compartir recursos, y celebrar lo que Dios está haciendo entre los bautistas hispanos.

Además, la RNBH se enfocará en facilitar la comunicación y colaboración entre los pastores y líderes bautistas hispanos y las entidades de la SBC.

Texas se beneficia de tener dos convenciones estatales bautistas y la Convención Bautista Hispana más antigua y grande del país. Algunas convenciones bautistas estatales no cuentan con un solo hispano en su personal para todo el estado.

Donde existen estos vacíos estatales, la RNBH está ayudando a establecer compañerismos estatales hispanos para aumentar la colaboración de las congregaciones bautistas hispanas en la diseminación del evangelio, el discipulado y las donaciones del Programa Cooperativo.

La RNBH consta de varios equipos que sirven a la comunidad bautista hispana para cumplir el Gran Mandamiento y la Gran Comisión.

La Red ya tiene varios de estos equipos formados, incluyendo oración, evangelismo, discipulado, líderes emergentes, ministerio de mujeres, revitalización de iglesias, educación, finanzas, líderes estatales y plantación de iglesias.

Los equipos futuros incluyen movilización misionera, red de apoyo a pastores, ministerio infantil, ministerio masculino y ministerio de adoración.

¡Juntos podemos!

Insto a la SBC a reconocer la subrepresentación de los hispanos y a tomar medidas concretas para abordarla, dando representación hispana en el Comité Ejecutivo y su personal, y dotando adecuadamente de recursos el trabajo de los diversos grupos étnicos.

Mientras tanto, la RNBH seguirá adelante para equipar y servir a las congregaciones y líderes hispanos, a la vez que llega a comunidades más amplias.

Junto con las convenciones estatales, los seminarios de la SBC y las entidades relacionadas, la RNBH aprovechará las oportunidades de crecimiento y empoderará a las iglesias bautistas hispanas para compartir el evangelio, hacer discípulos y facilitar el florecimiento de la comunidad hispana.

¡Juntos podemos!

Jesse Rincones es presidente de la junta directiva de la Red Nacional Bautista Hispana, director ejecutivo de la Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas y miembro de la junta directiva de Baptist Standard.

If the more than 3,300 Hispanic congregations in the Southern Baptist Convention were their own state convention, they would be the fourth largest convention in the country, behind the Baptist General Convention of Texas and Baptist conventions in North Carolina and Georgia.

You might be surprised—as I was—to find out this important constituency has no representation on the SBC Executive Committee or its staff and no resourcing in the SBC budget.

Enter the National Hispanic Baptist Network to fill the urgent need for Hispanic leadership at the national level.

An ever-growing mission field

The growth of the U.S. population is driven by the Hispanic community.

According to Pew research, from 2010 to 2022, Hispanics accounted for 53 percent of the population increase. However, between 2022 and 2023, “the Hispanic population accounted for just under 71 percent of the overall growth of the United States population,” according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

By 2023, Hispanics comprised almost 20 percent of the population, making them the second largest group in the United States.

To see this community as Jesus once saw the crowds and felt compassion for them, is to declare in agreement: “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37).

The Hispanic churches in the SBC, though growing, are also few.

Since 2011, the SBC had a net gain of 111 Hispanic congregations, while Anglo congregations suffered a net loss of 1,337 congregations.

Nevertheless, Bruno Molina, executive director of the National Hispanic Baptist Network notes: “Although Hispanics make up about 20 percent of the nation’s population, we only make up 7 percent of the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention. Although a good number of SBC church plants are Hispanic churches, there is a 13 percent deficit in Hispanic representation.”

Hispanic congregations are at the forefront of reaching and ministering to almost one-fifth of the country’s population.

Never in our nation’s history, have so few Hispanic congregations had so great a ministry opportunity.

Juxtaposed to this historical evangelistic prospect facing Hispanic churches in the SBC is the glaring void of Hispanic leadership and resources available to them at the national level.

Hispanic representation in the SBC

There is no Hispanic representation on the SBC Executive Committee, the denominations governing body composed of 86 representatives.

There is no Hispanic representation on the SBC Executive Committee staff. This means no Hispanics are in the president’s office, communications, finance, advancement and relations, or facilities teams.

Contrast that with the richer context we see in Baptist work here in Texas.

Texas Baptists (BGCT) has 48 Hispanic employees. Texas Baptists en Español, the convention’s department focusing on Hispanic churches and leaders, has three staff dedicated to their efforts. Notably, there are 14 Hispanic directors on the Texas Baptists’ Executive Board.

SBTC en Español, the corresponding office of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, has five staff members committed to serving their Hispanic churches.

Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas—the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas—has four employees dedicated to serve the almost 1,100 Hispanic Baptist churches in the state.

The Hispanic constituency of the SBC is also absent from resourcing in the annual budget.

In 2023, citing “current budget constraints,” the SBC cut the position of the executive director of Hispanic relations and mobilization, the only Hispanic on the SBC Executive Committee staff.

In an SBC budget of $1.067 billion—which is a $235,000 increase from the previous budget—there is no funding for ethnic relations leaders. There is no funding for annual meeting gatherings of the ethnic groups. And there is no funding for contract workers to relate to the Hispanic churches even on a part-time basis.

Enter the Red Nacional Bautista Hispana.

The National Hispanic Baptist Network

The National Hispanic Baptist Network was formed to fill the leadership and representation void at the national level for Hispanic Baptist churches.

The seeds for the network were planted by the efforts of Daniel Sanchez (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) and Bobby Sena (Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary).

Their vision was to create a formal and cohesive national effort that would serve Hispanic churches in the SBC. For several years, they gathered the Hispanic leadership of various state conventions and organizations to share insights about their work and explore the future of their ministries.

In December 2022, the leaders formally organized and created the National Hispanic Baptist Network. NHBN seeks to “fill the gap” of national SBC leadership by fulfilling its mission to connect on mission, to contribute and share resources, and to celebrate what God is doing among Hispanic Baptists.

Additionally, the NHBN will focus on facilitating communication and collaboration among Hispanic Baptist pastors and leaders and the entities of the SBC.

Texas benefits from having two Baptist state conventions and the oldest and largest Hispanic Baptist Convention in the country. Some state Baptist conventions don’t have a single Hispanic on staff for the entire state.

Where these state voids exist, the NHBN is helping establish Hispanic state fellowships to increase Hispanic Baptist congregations’ collaboration in gospel dissemination, discipleship and Cooperative Program giving.

The NHBN consists of several teams that serve the Hispanic Baptist community to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

The Network already has several of these teams formed, including prayer, evangelism, discipleship, emerging leaders, women’s ministry, church revitalization, education, finance, state leaders and church planting. Future teams include missions mobilization, pastors’ support network, children’s ministry, men’s ministry and worship ministry.

¡Juntos podemos!

I urge the SBC to acknowledge the underrepresentation of Hispanics and take concrete steps to address it by providing Hispanic representation on the Executive Committee and its staff, and adequately resourcing the various ethnic groups’ work.

Meanwhile, the NHBN will move forward to equip and serve Hispanic congregations and leaders, while reaching out to broader communities.

Together with state conventions, SBC seminaries and related entities, the NHBN will embrace opportunities for growth and will empower Hispanic Baptist churches to share the gospel, make disciples and facilitate the flourishing of the Hispanic community.

Together we can. ¡Juntos podemos!

Jesse Rincones is board chair of the National Hispanic Baptist Network, executive director of Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas, and a member of the Baptist Standard board.

I still remember going to video rental stores as a kid, excited to get a movie, TV show or video game to enjoy. Of course, those days are over. The video rental store industry is essentially dead.

In an age of online streaming, most consumers simply do not want or think they need to rent physical media anymore. This illustrates a simple but vital principle of business: If you only push a product people do not want and/or do not think they need, your business will fail.

The local church is not a business, and we are not “pushing a product.” Nevertheless, the principle still applies. If your community does not want or think they need what your church has to offer, your church eventually will close.

The end of an era

There was a time in many regions of the United States when there was a widespread cultural custom that people should go to church. How personally devout you were, the details of your theology and your chosen denomination weren’t super important. You just needed to be a member and (somewhat regular) attender at a relatively mainstream church.

Why? Because widespread cultural Christianity in the United States resulted in strong social pressure to participate in local churches. If you wanted to be seen as a decent, respectable member of society, you went to church.

This norm affected the way churches did outreach and evangelism. Your church didn’t have to work too hard to convince people to come to church. You just had to convince them to come to your church.

But American culture has shifted dramatically in the past few decades. There no longer is this widespread cultural pressure to be part of a church. For many people now, going to church will actually cost you social status and respectability.

Coddling consumers

Most churches in the United States, even within the Bible Belt, are feeling the effects of this cultural shift. Churches are losing members and closing their doors. Many churches realize if they want to survive, they need to reach more people. But how? What does the local church have to offer that will make people want to come?

There are a number of “real-world” benefits to church attendance even some secular people have recognized: community, a support network, encouraging sermons, uplifting live music, various fun activities for people of all ages, community service opportunities and more.

Numerous churches around the country are growing precisely because they do a great job providing the benefits listed above. But there’s a problem: Churches aren’t the only organizations that can provide those benefits. You can find community, fun activities, service opportunities and so on in all sorts of places.

And being a faithful, committed member of a biblical church requires sacrificing time, energy, money and often social status.

If I can have fun with my friends just by staying out late at a bar with live music on a Friday or Saturday night, why get up early on Sunday morning to attend a comparatively boring church service, especially when many of my friends consider what my church teaches to be stupid, offensive and bigoted?

Naturally, as the Apostle Paul predicted, many churches therefore decide to water down the more difficult and offensive parts of the Bible and church life to keep people from leaving (2 Timothy 4:3).

The words of eternal life

Hopefully, readers will recognize watering down biblical truth is not a faithful option. But what should churches do then?

One solution is to try and draw people in with the real-world benefits described above, but then take the opportunity to evangelize them and teach them the truths of God’s word.

At first, that seems like a great idea. But it didn’t quite work out that way for Jesus. In John 6, Jesus is being followed by a massive crowd—literally thousands of people—after the feeding of the 5,000.

But then Jesus says this to the crowd: “You are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life” (John 6:26-27 CSB).

In other words, Jesus tells the crowd they are seeking him for the wrong reason: earthly, this-worldly benefits. Free food. Jesus says the real reason they should follow him is because he offers eternal life.

Jesus then starts teaching the crowd (6:28-59). But they get confused and angry over his teachings (6:41-42, 52, 60). However, Jesus just doubles down. By the time he’s done, the crowd and even a number of his closer followers have walked away, leaving only the Twelve (6:61-67).

When Jesus asks the Twelve if they plan to abandon him as well, Peter responds: “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (6:68-69).

Why does this small, ragtag group of followers stick with Jesus after everyone else has left? Just one reason: Jesus has the words of eternal life.

What the local church has to offer

Our churches might draw in a lot of people with fun activities, good music, community service and such. But if we stand firm on the hard parts of what Jesus and the Bible teach, we can expect to lose many—probably most—of those same people pretty quickly (Mark 4:13-20).

But here’s the good news: We have the words of eternal life. They have been entrusted to us by Jesus himself—the gospel message and the Scriptures. On top of that, Christ has given us the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). And these are more than sufficient.

There is one thing—and only one thing—the local church has to offer the world it can’t get somewhere else—the love of Jesus Christ (John 13:34-35, 1 John 4:7-21). By faithfully embracing, teaching and living out the words of eternal life given to us by Jesus, local churches can provide their communities with a “product” infinitely greater than any earthly good.

The people all around us need Jesus. They need his atoning death on the cross. They need his resurrection from the dead. They need his words—the Bible. They need the love of Jesus.

When we point people to Christ and demonstrate his love, we may not save every church from closing. We may not draw large crowds. But we will give people something they absolutely need, something no one else can give them.

Joshua Sharp is the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Orange, and a graduate of Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo., and Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary in Waco. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

(RNS)—In a House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing April 17 on antisemitism on campus, U.S. Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.), used a passage from the Book of Genesis to intimidate the president of Columbia University.

Allen insisted American universities teach their students about “what will happen under the wrath of God” if they do not support Israel.

Allen grossly misappropriated the 12th chapter of Genesis, in which God tells Abraham, who will be the father of the Israelites, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse.”

At one point, Allen asked the Egyptian-born President Nemat Shafik, “Do you want Columbia University to be cursed by God?”

His question not only implied divine judgment against Columbia, but it also overstepped his legislative role.

Undoubtedly, antisemitism is a horrific prejudice that has led to appalling atrocities. It must be condemned, not only at universities, but wherever it is found. I commend the House committee for its efforts to address this issue. However, I strongly condemn the use of the Bible as a tool for shaping U.S. policy or for suppressing civil political debate in academic settings.

Misuse of Genesis

When political Christians like Allen claim divine approval for their ideologies or views, they engage in what can be described as spiritual terrorism, using biblical texts to instill fear among non-Christians. This fundamentally contradicts our Christian faith.

Growing up in the West Bank, I often saw evangelical leaders deploying the ancient words of Genesis in support of the modern state of Israel. This conflation created serious confusion for me as a Christian Palestinian.

Though an expression of love for the Jewish people, their quotation of Genesis approved of a secular state that imposed oppressive military law on my family and severely restricted my access to churches in Jerusalem and other holy sites.

Israel unjustly prevented my wife, born in Gaza, from legally residing in the West Bank and hindered my wife and me from pursuing our desire to launch a ministry in Bethlehem.

Many theologians and Christian scholars have addressed the misuse of Genesis 12:3. In Christian readings, the blessings promised to Abraham are fulfilled through Christ’s sacrifice, as the Apostle Paul teaches in his Letter to the Galatians. Jesus, the one and true seed of Abraham, embodies the ultimate realization of these blessings.

To enjoy the Abrahamic blessings, we abide in Christ’s redemptive work, rather than blindly support geopolitical strategies.

Abrahamic faiths

The harsh reality of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank did not deter me from pursuing my God-given dream. Guided by a vision to share the gospel, I founded Levant Ministries, dedicated to sharing God’s love throughout the Middle East.

On April 12, near Alexandria, the birthplace of Dr. Shafik, I addressed more than 6,000 evangelical Christians from some 300-plus churches across Egypt and other Arab countries at a prayer conference led by my dear friend Pastor Sameh Maurice.

In my address, I highlighted the plight of Christians in Gaza, including members of my wife’s family who are still sheltering at two churches in Gaza. I also consoled Palestinian families mourning the immense loss of more than 34,000 lives, predominantly women and children.

Similarly, I extended my prayers for the innocent Jewish victims of the Oct. 7 attacks, emphasizing the overwhelming majority of people in the Middle East are not antisemitic. On the contrary, we seek to live in peace with our Jewish and Muslim neighbors, striving to ensure justice for all.

Far reach of God’s promise

As a Christian leader serving across the Middle East, I am guided principally by the example of the Jewish Messiah, who consistently challenged misguided theological frameworks and denounced spiritual terrorism throughout his ministry.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus condemned the idea of violent retaliation for disbelief, even among his own disciples, during an incident where the Samaritans denied him entry into their territories—possibly motivated by antisemitic sentiments.

When his disciples James and John suggested a deadly punishment—calling down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans—Jesus sharply rebuked them. He firmly dismissed any notion of divine justice.

This response underscores Jesus’ approach to overcoming prejudice and animosity through reconciliation, rather than through vengeance and violence. As followers of Christ, we must adopt this attitude of grace.

It’s important to recognize God’s promise to Abraham extended far beyond a mere strip of land. Manipulating Scripture to advance political agendas under the guise of divine wrath is a betrayal of our biblical core values.

By embodying the grace Jesus showed to all, including his adversaries, we honor our commitment to God in a world plagued by animosity and strife. This is our sacred calling as followers of Christ—a solemn responsibility we must fulfill as we live out our faith in a broken and divided world.

Fares Abraham, a Palestinian American born in Bethlehem, is the CEO of Levant Ministries and an adjunct professor at the Liberty University School of Business. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.

As a border community, El Paso always has been home to “migrants among us.” We live and breathe the same air, use the same water, walk on the same streets. We can worship the same God if we will remember we also are migrants making our way through this place called Earth.

The writer of Hebrews reminded us: “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13-14-16).

No matter how much we want to call our cities our home, in the bigger scheme of things, we aren’t home; we are strangers trying to fit in.

On any given day along the Rio Grande, you never know what possibilities are available for you to become a light in a dark place.

God’s view of migrants

For migrants arriving in El Paso, they have many choices to make as they navigate the downtown El Paso area on their own, arrive at one of the many NGOs helping the migrants, or are processed by the United States Customs and Border Patrol.

As citizens of El Paso, we also have many choices to make. We can ignore the migrant crisis or find a way to contribute to an immigration system we didn’t create.

For the Christ-follower, we have a lens through which we navigate our way in the world. We can see immigration as a way to love the stranger among us.

God told Moses how a migrant should be treated: “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34).

I know we no longer are under the Law but are under grace. But how does the law of grace eliminate the love for people? All God did was remind Moses of the treatment they received as migrants in a foreign land.

Ministering with God’s people

What is our part in all this? How can we possibly see the vastness of a seemingly endless flow of migrants and not feel a sense of helplessness? How do we place our puzzle piece to ensure the picture starts to come into focus? Where do we begin?

The place to start, I believe, is from a point of acknowledging, “There is no way I can do all of this,” because you aren’t required to do it all anyway.

There already are places you can join that are ministering to the migrants in our midst. The El Paso Baptist Association has a processing center—The El Paso Migrant Center—housed inside one of our community churches.

The El Paso Migrant Center ministers to approximately 60 migrants per week on Mondays and Tuesdays. They have a 24- to 36-hour turnaround helping migrants reach the destination of their choice and connecting them to their sponsor families.

Once arriving at the El Paso Migrant Center, migrants receive all the humanitarian help possible. They can take a hot shower and dry off with a clean towel, eat a hot meal, rest on a bed waiting for them with clean sheets. They also are given a fresh set of clothing, a new or gently used pair of shoes, and free access to the Wi-Fi so they can contact loved ones.

The best offer to the migrants coming to the El Paso Migrant Center is to receive a spiritual blessing. Migrants are prayed for, cared for and invited to participate in a time of worship.

During the worship, they are told about the love Jesus has for them, how he has caried them so far to this place, and how they can ask Jesus to be their own personal Lord.

More than 3,500 migrants have placed their lives into the trust and care of Jesus through the ministry of the El Paso Migrant Center.

Happiness and joy fill the room when we love the migrants among us. As we minister to their humanitarian needs, we never must forget to offer the peace only Jesus can give.

God commands us to love

God gave us 10 commands for living in harmony with him and each other. The first four commands focus on God. The last six focus on our relationship to each other.

For us to love others, we must love God first. When our love for others is steeped in the love we have for our Creator, we no longer see migrants, but we see people in need of God’s love.

Jesus was asked a simple question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law” (Matthew 22:36)? I don’t think the question was sincere but was believed to be unanswerable. They must have forgotten who they were asking.

Jesus had the perfect answer. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 37-39).

No one is without worth according to Jesus. The migrant among us is no different.

The next time you watch media coverage of the U.S.-Mexico border crisis, remember it’s not our home either. We are strangers awaiting our eternal home.

Do I wish things were different? I would like to say “yes,” but to those who have nowhere else to turn, I’m not so sure. Living in the El Paso community, I do what I was called to do, and that is to be a history maker, a difference maker and a person of peace for those seeking peace.

I hope you will be, too.

Larry Floyd is the executive director of the El Paso Baptist Association and a member of the Baptist Standard board of directors. The views expressed are those of the author.

Every Sunday morning, Apple releases weekly screen time reports to their users’ devices. This is a recent feature as tech companies seek to adjust to the increasing demand and desire for boundaries around the use of technology.

If you’re like me, this notification usually goes off while I am in church, and I often wonder what it means for me to interact faithfully with my phone.

When the numbers are consolidated and I see I’ve given more than a fifth of my day to my screen, I am challenged knowing our time on Earth is precious and finite. Like the Psalmist, I ask God to teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

Cons and pros of digital technology

The research is overwhelming: Our phones and devices are changing us. NeuLine Health Management reports social media has a vastly detrimental impact on the attention capacity and memory information processing of humans.

In a study conducted on cell phone addiction and psychological and physiological health of adolescents, the National Library of Medicine found “excessive use of smartphone paired with negative attitude and feeling of anxiety and dependency on gadgets may increase the risk of anxiety and depression” [sic].

We are not unaffected.

But is the research an overreaction? Phones allow us to call for help in cases of emergency, to navigate new cities and to work remotely.

With these same devices, people can watch edifying sermons or consume pornography. We can keep in touch with family or curse other humans in the comment section of a social media post.

The endless stream of news and content available to help us allows us to remain informed, yet also desensitizes us to horrors and tragedies. This should not be. The question becomes: How do we engage faithfully with digital technology to experience the benefits while resisting its potential pitfalls?

Three ways to relate to digital technology

The following list invites Christians to think critically about our relationship with technology and its impact on our discipleship with Jesus.

1. Divorce your discipleship and spiritual discipline from screens.

Don’t hate me. I’m not trying to kill your streak on your Bible app. Neither am I trying to keep you from the vast resources available to us online. I simply am arguing for us to take our Scripture reading, meditation prompts and other spiritual disciplines and practices offline.

Carry a physical Bible with you. Print off or write down your devotionals. Listen to the audio-only versions of sermons.

The reality is once we are on our devices, we are susceptible to the onslaught of notifications and distractions. We are tempted to multitask and can stray easily from our original intent of opening our devices. These temptations lure us away from Scripture, sermons and other spiritual practices. So, perhaps it would be beneficial to eliminate it altogether.

Our devices do bring benefits to our discipleship with Jesus, and technology is the cause of increasing accessibility for many around the world. More broadly, technology and screens function as an integral aspect for many within the disability community.

When technology serves as a tool, it can contribute toward human flourishing. I am not calling for a prohibition of technology, but to be honest about how its integration into our spiritual lives may be more harmful than helpful.

2. Consume screen time communally.

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to consume only long-form media with at least one other person.

I noticed my access to the unlimited amount of entertainment through streaming services made me feel like I needed to consume content as frequently as possible. As someone who studied cinema and television production, I appreciate the process and art of great storytelling and visually compelling products. However, were we created to consume entertainment endlessly?

Choosing to consume long-form media communally allows us to be more intentional about what we are consuming. You are now positioned to have conversations with those around you, connect with people in real life, and use the movie you just watched as a conversation starter. The media becomes a tool for connection with others instead of a tool for isolation, numbing or replacement.

Consuming long-form media in community highlighted the subtle ways I used media as an escape. When confronted with an insatiable desire to consume more when I am alone, this has been an invitation to invite God to search my heart and reveal my deepest need or the source of my restlessness.

Entertainment is good in its proper place. Consuming it communally allows us to keep it there.

3. Do a digital detox.

When Lent rolls around, we often hear of people deciding to “fast” from social media. The Christian tradition believes in the power of choosing to fast and forsake comfort for deeper connection and awareness of God. According to the Didache, the early church fasted from food every Wednesday.

Perhaps, as modern disciples, we should adopt a consistent rhythm of digital detoxing. This can look like daily limits on when you use your phone or a day when we are device-free. Like weekly or monthly rhythms of fasting or Sabbath, a digital detox rhythm reminds us of our physical existence and our need for God in the present.

Other resources

While these are preliminary considerations, many thoughtful Christian leaders have thought through what it looks like to integrate technology in our worlds faithfully. As you embark on this journey, my hope is you create the realistic boundaries that cause you to awaken further to the movement of God within you and around you.

Below is a list of resources to help spark your reconsideration of your relationship to digital technology:

• The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place by Andy Crouch.
• Device and Virtue Podcast.
• Faith for Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon by David Kinnaman, Mark Matlock and Aly Hawkins.
• Always On: Practicing Faith in a New Media Landscape by Angela Williams Gorrell.

Josepha Mbouma is a Master of Divinity student with a concentration in sports ministry and chaplaincy at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary. Mbouma grew up in Maryland and is originally from Douala, Cameroon. The views expressed are those of the author.