ChurchNext: Chris Yaw Interviews Jose Morales on Welcoming the Immigrant
Taken with permission from ChurchNext.tv
Very soon the demographics of America will see a major change: the European-American majority will become the new minority.
Welcoming America's new faces is an opportunity and challenge for U.S. churches, and one Jose Morales takes seriously. He's an executive with the Disciples of Christ, which is committed to planting and transforming 2, 000 congregations by 2020.
In this interview Jose gives a wake-up call to established churches to be more welcoming to immigrants - and tells us how to do it.
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Synopsis
Jose Morales has a passion for helping older congregations welcome new people - especially immigrants. Here are my notes from the interview:
New Life from New People
One of the biggest gifts the influx of immigrants into the U-S Church has given is to to energize it! Jose points to the sparks of life, that we always see with you people, that are writ large with the presence of today's immigrants.
Partners Not Landlords
It's common for immigrant congregations to rent space from established churches - but the landlord-tenant dynamics often leave immigrants feeling like second class citizens - or worse. Jose says true partners are needed.
Structure Is for Mission Not Structure
It's a common scenario: the new mission invests in a structure, then nurtures that structure, when the real reason for a structure is to nurture mission. In what ways does your place do that?
About Jose Morales
Born to missionary parents, José F. Morales Jr. currently resides in Denver, CO, where he serves as the Executive Regional Minister of the Central Rocky Mountain Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). José is a frequent keynote speaker/preacher and a freelance writer, and plays in mean game of ping-pong. He's also a house music DJ.
Books Jose Recommends:
Many Colors - Soong-Chan Rah
The Next Evangelicalism - Soong-Chan Rah
What's Theology Got to Do with It?- Anthony Robinson