HOW CHURCHES MAY FACE POPULATION SHIFTS:
A CASE STUDY
David F. D'Amico
Introduction
Churches of all denominations increasily in the Mid Atlantic and Southern regions of the United States are facing population shifts. According to updated US Census reports Hispanics have become one the largest minority in the population of some states. They used to concentrate in California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. Now they are present in different proportions in the majority of states. In some states like Texas they have surpassed African Americans as the largest minority population.
Few years ago, the maintenance workers union in Los Angeles demonstrated their political and economic clout when they led strike and their union has membership for persons living in the area regardless of their proper legal status.
The governor of Iowa, pressed by the fact that there are plenty of jobs in certain areas of the economy and few workers, was ready in the early part of this decade, to take drastic measures to allow Mexicans to come and work in the state regardless of their legal status. Our political leaders have dealt with the issue of immigration and there is a deadlock in Congress that even the influence of President George W. Bush could not resolve. It is a “hot button” issue in the current presidential election campaign.
The national media covers these events when economic interests of corporations and religious institutions become involved, or when social problems such as child labor, families’ dislocations, drug trafficking, ethnic conflict and illegal immigration is observed.
I. Background and Purpose
The case study is based on my experience at different times in my life on different geographical settings. The names of persons used in the study are fictitious but their experiences are common in the life of churches and communities of the United States. The purpose of this hypothetical case study is to alert mission-minded Christians to reflect about some practical principles and tactics to minister to persons of other cultures living in the United States.
II. Autobiographical note
I have been involved as a missionary, seminary professor and pastor with issues of cross cultural evangelization and mission for the last forty-five years.
Ministering in Texas, New York, New Jersey, Kentucky and North Carolina, I have served as a consultant for churches in Houston, New York metropolitan area, Kentucky and North Carolina and lately for 10 years with my wife Ana
we served as NGO representatives to the United Nations in New York.
III. Case study narrative
Once visiting with some friends from Virginia, they told me this story. It is an example of what is happening in suburbs and small cities of America and provides an excellent example of a hypothetical case study. They said:
“We have had an influx of Hispanics coming to our community. They have found jobs and are beginning to rent houses in certain areas of our city. Our neighborhood is changing. In our schools, our teachers have difficulty in communicating with the children who speak little English.
Our community is seeing some adaptation from the merchants that are stocking some foodstuffs that the Hispanics (fill in the blank for nationality) wish to buy. Otherwise, they are going to the next town where a Hispanic store started several years ago and has plenty of merchandise for them to buy. Some Hispanic stores add pool tables halls to their shop to provide leisure activities to single men.
The chicken processing plant cannot find steady workers who do not wish to work in conditions that may be deplorable but local authorities do not take time to inspect. The owner enlisted Hispanics who are working well and who are passing the word to their friends and relatives. We do not know whether these Hispanics are here legally or illegally. It seems that the owners of the chicken processing plant do not care about it except that the workers keep the plant going. It seems that special provisions are granted to farmers and merchants. An elderly person, a retired bank president, reflected: “What blacks used to do as migrants in the 1930s Hispanics have done from the 1960s to the present.”
The community hospital has been in a bind. There are many Hispanics young adults and some of the women are expecting. None of the physicians and nurses speaks Spanish and are limited in communicating with the patients. Some of the families have limited financial resources, some are on welfare. Others can pay because the chicken processing plant is providing limited medical insurance.
The civic leaders of the community have been trying to face the realities of the marketplace. Few of the low skilled workers of the community wish to do menial jobs. The children of long time farmers who go to college seldom return to the community. It seems that the only ones interested in yard work are Hispanic. In our few restaurants most of the secondary help are Hispanic. The waitresses are still local women but the bus boys and some of the cooks are Hispanic. The restaurant owner has introduced some "Mexican" entrees in the menu.
Joe Smith is a retired missionary. He has kept up with his connections with fellow missionaries in Mexico and because he and his wife served in that country for more than twenty-five years, they are still fluent in Spanish. He has a heart for missions and tells the missions committee of the church that "the church ought to do something to minister to the Hispanics in the community."
The pastor of the church, Rev. Brown, is at a loss. In seminary, there were few courses he took on missions and evangelism and none had to do with how to minister to persons of other cultures living in the US. Most of the courses, when they dealt with missions, related to how to do missions in China, Nigeria, Latin America or the Philippines but nothing about ministering to Chinese, Filipinos, Nigerians or Hispanics in the US.
Rev Brown shares the concern of former missionary Smith. Because the church has been in a plateau during the last two years, he is considering relocation and is discussing with his family whether to send his resume to other places. His wife Dotty is a school teacher. As a youth she committed her life to missions. She comes home daily telling the stories of the children in her school who cannot learn because the school district does not have a budget for a bilingual education teacher. She feels a social and educational responsibility that coupled with her mission commitment makes the pastor's life somewhat uncomfortable.
She tells him that she would like him to stay in the church. "Why don't we start a class of English as a second language for adults?" she suggests. "May be our teenagers, instead of going to town to have ice cream at the Dairy Queen, can tutor some of the children during Wednesday evenings while the choir rehearses." She volunteers her daughter Betty, a junior in high school who last year said that she wishes to be a missionary after the church summer camp.
Some of the lay persons of the church are worried that the community that has been homogenous, monolingual, and patriotic, may be invaded by some foreigners who may change the peace of the community. "You know," they say "when Hispanics come to the city they bring beer, marihuana, drugs and it is trouble all around." The finance committee chairman is proud that the church has a savings account in the bank for $50,000 “for a rainy day.” When the pastor hints that it could be used for a new mission initiative, some deacons are not enthusiastic.
After talking with his wife, Rev. Brown is convicted and the next day calls the regional denominational executive. He is somewhat defensive as he approaches Brother Wilkinson who has been director for more than ten years. Wilkinson, when he supplies the pulpit occasionally, tries to work in his sermons, besides the loyalty that the church ought to have for the support of the association and state convention, some missionary challenge.
Wilkinson says to Brown: "I am so glad you called me. I have been praying for a long time that FBC would consider some mission project." He says that he will call the state convention office to get the language consultant to come and to provide some guidance as to what the church can do and how the association and state convention can help with resources and perhaps some funding for an initial ministry to the Hispanics at FBC. Wilkinson suggests that perhaps the state consultant ought to come during a Wednesday evening and meet with the Missions Committee so that the laity would be involved from the beginning of the work and the ministry would not be "a pastor's project."
IV. Analysis
Amid all the economic, political, social, educational forces that a large population of Hispanics brings to the country, churches are awakening to the reality that Hispanics are a ripe mission field for the gospel. Many are already doing great work among them. Others are pondering how to do it. What is the congregation in your community doing?”