The word “immigration” stirs up controversy and strong feelings these days. Because of the polarized nature of the current debate on immigration in the U.S., many of us are simply turning away from this issue in frustration.
This is understandable.
But my concern is, have we also unintentionally turned away from immigrants themselves?
In my book, Loving the Stranger: Welcoming Immigrants in the Name of Jesus, I set aside controversy for a moment and draw the reader into a conversation about loving our neighbors well, regardless of our political opinions.
Even if U.S. borders were completely closed tomorrow so that no new immigrants could come through, we would still have millions of first-generation immigrants already living among us as our neighbors–this is a fact that we cannot ignore as followers of Jesus.
But how do we love strangers? There are many excellent books out there talking about a biblical theology of immigration, or the history of immigration, or the complexities of immigration legislation, but if you’re like me, you’re often left wanting just a little more, wanting really practical guidance to answer the question, “Ok, now what?”
- How does all this apply on Saturday morning at 10 am when I’m on my way to an apartment complex across town to visit with a family whose first language is not English and I’m really nervous?
- What does it look like to be there for a recently arrived immigrant family who is dealing with past trauma and trying to raise teenagers in an unfamiliar culture?
- How can I be open about my love for Jesus without unnecessarily offending those from other faiths?
- What does it look like to form a true cross-cultural friendship for the long haul?
If you want encouragement and practical tips for welcoming immigrants and building cross-cultural friendships, my book is for you. In it, we begin by putting ourselves in the shoes of immigrants of various backgrounds. From this starting point of empathy, we then move on to talk about braving cross-cultural awkwardness in order to get to the beautiful possibilities on the other side, how to use simple tools to love immigrants well, how to deepen cross-cultural friendships, and practical ways to welcome immigrants by simply inviting them into our daily (crazy-busy, ordinary) lives.
This book is perfect for you if you’re wanting to move from theoretical knowledge about immigration to building true intercultural friendships with immigrants in your community. Read the book for yourself, but also consider it for your Sunday school, book club, or ministry team to read and discuss using the discussion questions in the back. May God bless you as you seek to welcome strangers in his name.