Serving Christ Through Montgomery Area Churches

,D

What is God doing in the Immigration Debates?

If you have followed the election process, you know that
immigration has been a major issue. How many foreign
born immigrants should America let in? What do we do
about undocumented immigrants? How do we fix our
broken immigration system? What about refugees from
war torn countries like Syria? These questions have
gripped and shaped the national political discussion and
many Christians have become caught up in it as well. As
followers of Jesus, we are required to look at this
situation from a different perspective. We are to see
Alan Cross,
everything through the lens of God's Kingdom. Instead
Multi-Housing Strategist
of just trying to figure it all out on the basis of what
benefits me and my "way of life" in an obvious sense, we have to ask, "What is
God doing in all of this?" Is God at work in this situation? I believe that God
is always working and always redeeming and seeking and saving the lost.
Could it be that God would use the movement of people around the world for
His salvation purposes? Scripture seems to indicate that.
Acts 17:24-28 says, "The God who made the world and everything in it, being
Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he
served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives
to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man
every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined
allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should
seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is
actually not far from each one of us, for In him we live and move and have
our being;as even some of your own poets have said, For we are indeed his
offspring.
If God determines the times and boundaries of the dwelling place of people
and if we know that God moves people from one place to another for His
purposes (Gen. 12:1-3; Matt. 28:18-20), then can we understand, at least in
part, the arrival of immigrants to our land from across the world as something
that God could use to bring His salvation to the ends of the earth?
Our state is a land full of churches. Alabama has over 3000 Southern Baptist
Churches. We also have 165,000 first generation foreign born immigrants in
Alabama. If God places people across the globe so they will reach out and find
Him; and, if there are tens of thousands of immigrants in a land full of
churches, then what should our attitude as Christians be toward people made
in God's image with God-given dignity and worth? How should we value
immigrant children and families? How should we see refugees who have come
here fleeing violence and persecution - many of whom are our brothers and
sisters in Christ? I contend that our response should be to run to immigrants
with God's love and the gospel. Our first response should not be political. It
should be a response of love and ministry. In Montgomery, a couple of
thousand Mixteco immigrants have come to us. The MBA has developed the
Mixteco Task Force to facilitate ministry to and among the Mixtec with the
goal of starting an indigenous Mixteco church in Montgomery. Please pray
with us for this. Please consider helping and working with the task force in
reaching this unreached people that has come to Montgomery. How can we
work together to help the people who have come here reach out and find
God, because He is not far from us? Let us pray and work for that.

,A

7, 2016

Upcoming Events
Ministers Conference
The Church at Pike Road
11123 - E Chantilly Parkway
Court, Pike Road, AL 36064

April 11 | 11:30 am
There will be an update on two
of the Associations church
plants.
RSVP to Jessica at 271-6227 or
jpalmer@mgmbaptists.org
by noon, April 8.

Montgomery Bap st
Golf Tournament

April 16
7:30 am
Montgomery
Baptist Association
RSVP to Jessica by noon on
Thursday, April 14.
Call 271-6227 or email
jplamer@mgmbaptists.org.

Thursday, May 5

Associational
Bible Drill

Registra on 11 am

Sunday, April 10

Lunch 11:30 am

1:30 pm

Tee Time 12:30 pm

Arrowhead Country Club

Eastmont
4505 Atlanta Highway

Pre-registra on by April 29 $70

Late Registra on by May 3 $75
www.mgmbap sts.org/golf

Thursday, April 14
12:00 pm

Associational
VBS Training
Leaders Training
April 21, 6:30 pm
Eastern Hills

State Capitol
decisionamericatour.com

Pre - Rally
Taylor Road Baptist
Wednesday, April 13
6:30 pm

The Montgomery Baptist Association 20 Interstate Park Dr. Montgomery, Alabama 36109 334-271-6227 www.mgmbaptists.org
This publication is made possible by your churches contributions to Associational Missions.