Sometimes the immigrant church can be hard to love. With a penchant for unbiblical cultural traditions, insular thinking, once-trendy pragmatic approaches, and a reluctance to surrender meaningful authority, it’s easy for second-generation immigrant Christians to grow dissatisfied. This can be disorienting for second-generation believers. On one hand, they feel appreciation for the ministry of these churches; after all, it’s where many first heard the gospel. But a distaste for certain aspects of the church can fester, which makes it hard to love.
As an English-speaking pastor at an immigrant church who grew up in a similar environment, I can sympathize. But how can second-generation immigrant Christians grow not only to appreciate, but also to love deeply the immigrant church?
Here are three truths that have helped me.
1. Focusing on a people can be biblical.
Many second-generation immigrants struggle with their home church’s ethnocentric focus. Didn’t Jesus say we should make disciples of all nations? Why are we limiting ourselves? Why can’t we look like the ethnically diverse churches around us? Will my friends and co-workers feel uncomfortable if they don’t look like the majority of our members? Shouldn’t we be doing more to reach out to the English-speaking community
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