As the national political debate shifts to focus on immigration, some of the most influential evangelical women in the country are featured in a new video designed to remind Christians that immigration is more than a political, cultural or economic issue. It is also an important biblical theme.
In the short video produced by the non-profit organization World Relief, these women read the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 25:31-46
"But when the Son of Man* comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations* will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' "Then these righteous ones will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' "And the King will say, `I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,* you were doing it to me!' "Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, `Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.* For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn't give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn't give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' "Then they will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?' "And he will answer, `I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.' "And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
, with an emphasis on Jesus' words of identification with vulnerable foreigners.
"I was a stranger and you welcomed me."
- Matthew 25:31-46
"But when the Son of Man* comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations* will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' "Then these righteous ones will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' "And the King will say, `I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,* you were doing it to me!' "Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, `Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.* For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn't give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn't give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' "Then they will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?' "And he will answer, `I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.' "And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
The primary goal of the video is to encourage users to think in biblical terms when discussing the topic of immigration.
A new Bible study guide on immigration is also available at a special website.
The women featured in the video include Beth Moore, popular Bible teacher and founder of Living Proof Ministries; Ann Voskamp, bestselling author and co-founder of We Welcome Refugees; Bianca Juarez Olthoff, founder of In the Name of Love; Kay Warren, co-founder of Saddleback Church in California; Nikki Toyama-Szeto, executive director of Evangelicals for Social Action; and Christine Caine, founder of the A21 Campaign.
Several female leaders within evangelical denominations are also featured in the video, including Carla Sunberg, general superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene; Jo Anne Lyon, general superintendent emerita of The Wesleyan Church; and Trillia Newbell, director of community outreach for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
"While many think of refugees and immigration primarily as political issues, we want to challenge women within the church to approach the topic first and foremost from the perspective of Scripture, which speaks clearly and repeatedly to these topics," Jenny Yang, World Relief's senior vice president of advocacy and policy said in a press release. "Our hope is that they ultimately will apply the words of Jesus as they serve, learn from, and advocate with the immigrants within their communities."
World Relief is a global humanitarian relief and development organization that stands with the vulnerable and partners with local churches to end the cycle of suffering, transform lives and build sustainable communities. With over 70 years of experience, World Relief works in 20 countries worldwide through disaster response, health and child development, economic development and peacebuilding.
The organization also has offices in the United States that specialize in refugee and immigration services.
