My last two articles addressed conversing about the immigrant church and its structure. Now let’s take a step back to look at the way we talk about the immigrant church.
Some in the immigrant-church conversation are tired and ready to quit. Others insist on immediate change. How should we approach this discussion? Rather than pushy or passive, what we need is patience.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 says, “We exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
We are to have a particular disposition depending on a person’s condition, whether it’s admonishing, comforting, or helping. And we are to have a general disposition of patience toward everyone. Our conversation about the immigrant church will be wasted without patience. God’s truth should be coupled with his patience.
PATIENCE DOESN’T DESPAIR
Patience requires hope. Immigrant-church conversations can be dominated by complaints about the church and overlook its blessings. Despair looks at flaws and ignores the good. But we should be slow to give up on the conversation. Many of us grew up, heard the gospel, and served in immigrant-church contexts. We should be hesitant to pronounce ichabod on our upbringing.
The flaws
To continue...read the full-length post originally published on this site.
