One Challenge USA

April 17th Evangelical Day of Prayer for Immigration Reform

bobrasmu — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:19:27 +0000

I believe this is an opportune time in our country’s history to correct the broken system of immigration policy in the USA. I am including below a recent invitation and update from the Evangelical Immigration Table, an initiative of the National Association of Evangelicals. Please be praying for this event, and this crucial time in our history.

Bob Rasmussen

Director, One Challenge USA

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The moment to fix our broken immigration system and restore hope to millions by passing immigration reform has arrived. On April 17th, a unified evangelical voice will echo through the halls of Congress proclaiming a biblical vision for immigration reform that respects the rule of law, reunites families and upholds human dignity.

We hope that you will be able to join us next Wednesday, April 17th in Washington, D.C. for the Evangelical Day of Prayer and Action for Immigration Reform.

Evangelical Immigration Table [info@evangelicalimmigrationtable.com]

Speakers will include:

Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church
Dr. Richard Land, President, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
Dr. David Uth, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church Orlando
Rev. Gabriel Salguero, President, National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Rev. Lee de Leon, Pastor, Templo Calvario in Orange County, CA
Rev. David Beckmann, President, Bread for the World
Laurie Beshore, Global Missions Pastor, Mariners Church
Stephan Bauman, President, World Relief
Dr. David Anderson, Senior Pastor, Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, MD
Noel Castellanos, CEO, Christian Community Development Association
Sandra Van Opstal and Cedarville University’s OneVoice Gospel Choir will lead worship

Schedule:

11am-Noon: Worship at Church of the Reformation: 212 East Capitol Street, Washington, DC 20003
Noon-12:30pm: Lunch and Legislative Briefing
1pm-6pm: Meetings with legislators
6pm-8pm: Worship at Church of the Reformation: 212 East Capitol Street, Washington, DC 20003
Note: The Church of the Reformation is located 2 blocks from the U.S. Capitol

If you’re not able to join us in Washington, please join us online through social media.

Over the past two years, evangelical groups have played an increasingly prominent role advocating for compassionate and just immigration policies. Last June, we launched the Evangelical Immigration Table to coordinate our efforts and over 150 leading pastors, denominational heads, and thought leaders signed the Evangelical Statement of Principles for Immigration Reform. Following last November’s election, we penned open letters to the President and congressional leadership calling for action in the first 92 days of this Congress. Their time is almost up.

Responding to the “I Was A Stranger…” Challenge, thousands of people in churches throughout the country are reading 40 Bible verses related to immigrants and immigration over 40 days. We believe that God’s Word speaks powerfully to all who will pay attention. We are asking our elected leaders in Washington to take the Challenge themselves and to listen to their constituents who are taking it.

If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to come to the Capitol, this is it. April 17th will fall at a critical juncture in the process of enacting meaningful legislation. We believe that God could use your presence in Washington to help our nation reestablish a just and compassionate immigration system.

Sincerely,

The Evangelical Immigration Table

Everything multi-ethnic?

bobrasmu — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:40:06 +0000

Should all churches be multi-ethnic? Is intercultural worship the goal for every church? Dan Lagasse shares out of his recent experience. Click here for his thoughts and other postings on his visit to various churches in the Bay Area.

Black Churches Missing Missionaries

bobrasmu — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:13:35 +0000

“Another factor is most religious organizations still have racial divides, said Goatley. “The prospect of African Americans being part of Christian organizations with sending capacity is small.”

What can we do to change this?

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/april/missing-missionaries.html

OC colleague Ben Morrell returning to Seattle

bobrasmu — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:54:12 +0000

One of our colleagues, who has worked in our mobilization center in Colorado Springs, has been battling cancer for several years. There are no more treatments available to him, so he is returning here to the Seattle area to continue the journey of faith and allowing hospice care to surround him. Also, many family and friends will be able to love on him at close range.

Ben is a godly young man and an articulate writer. We encourage you to get a flavor of his faith in his blog. Here is a page where he reports on the hasty decision to leave Houston and come back to Seattle.

And here is an encouraging word to all of us to be faithful to Christ, for “We never know who is watching.” Ben didn’t until recently.

Please pray for Ben and Lisa, and their extended family during these important days.

Evangelical groups embrace immigration reform

bobrasmu — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:58:43 +0000

There has been a sea change among evangelicals regarding immigration reform! I see this as a welcome shift in sentiment which will hopefully lead to policy changes. I quote below from the Evangelical Immigration Table, found at www.EvangelicalImmigrationTable.com,

–Bob Rasmussen, Director, One Challenge USA

Our national immigration laws have created a moral, economic and political crisis in America. Initiati ves to remedy this crisis have led to polarization and name calling in which opponents have misrepresented each other’s positions as open borders and amnesty versus deportations of millions.

This false choice has led to an unacceptable political stalemate at the federal level at a tragic human cost.

As evangelical Christian leaders, we call for a bipartisan solution on immigration that:

Respects the God-given dignity of every person
Protects the unity of the immediate family
Respects the rule of law
Guarantees secure national borders
Ensures fairness to taxpayers
Establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents

We urge our nation’s leaders to work together with the American people to pass immigration reform that embodies these key principles and that will make our nation proud.

A full list of prominent signatories to this statement can be found online at www.EvangelicalImmigrationTable.com

Ethnic Ministries Summit coming soon

bobrasmu — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:05:27 +0000

Theme: Mission on our Doorstep! Check out the details. This annual summit is always a highlight for those living in North America who realize what an opportunity and responsibility God has given to the Church to reach out with the love of Christ to the nations and cultures that reside here.

http://www.missiononourdoorsteps.com/

Parks commissioned to South LA

bobrasmu — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:17:09 +0000

Praise God for the partnership with Young Nak Celebration Church as they have agreed to commission Bowen and Sunhee Park as full-time missionaries to South Los Angeles! It is encouraging to see a local church that recognizes the need to impact our urban areas with good news! The Parks are committed to living intentionally in their urban neighborhood and building friendships with international students at USC. Check out their “prayer driving” strategy on their blog.

Welcome the Stranger

bobrasmu — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 19:04:07 +0000

According to polling by the Pew Research Center, just 12% of white evangelical Christians say that their views on immigration are primarily influenced by their Christian faith. Only 16% say they have ever heard their pastor discuss the topic.

Diverse voices of our brothers and sisters call us to view the immigration issue facing our country through the eyes of Jesus. Watch this brief video.

Pray for Muslims in America!

bobrasmu — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 04:22:45 +0000

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World is a handy tool for helping believers learn about and pray for our fellow human beings who live within the Islamic culture and religion. I have been using it personally over the last few weeks. This morning I read about “Turks in Berlin” and how they encounter culture shock as they leave their familiar surroundings in Turkey and face the radically different way of life in Germany. Many are disillusioned by how difficult it is to realize their economic dreams in their new city. As numbers of their own nationality have increased, they have gathered together in parts of the city (in this case, the district of Kreuzberg) and formed Muslim communities where their traditions are practiced and even enforced. For example, if someone desired to visit a Christian book store, they would be pressured by the community to stay faithful to Islam, just like they would back home.

In spite of this, quite a few Turks in Berlin have become believers, and are meeting in homes or other venues.

The reason I mentioned this is that as I read the suggested prayers in the 30 Day guide, it dawned on me that this is the same way we pray (or need to pray) for our immigrant communities in the USA. Given the number of Muslims (and Hindus, Buddhists etc) we have in our country, we have similar opportunities here as do European countries. Here are the suggested prayers for the Turks in Berlin. Let’s pray them for the people in our cities, and for the believers there too:

Pray for closer contacts between believers in Berlin and their Turkish neighbors so they can learn of the love of God and hear clear testimonies of Turks who have come to Jesus.

Pray for love, authority, and effective witness of the believers who actually have contact with Turks. Motivated believers are especially needed to reach out to the second- and third-generation Turkish migrants.

This is our global reality, presenting believers with the opportunity and responsibility to reach across the street to make a friend for Jesus’ sake!

–Bob Rasmussen

New OC Website

bobrasmu — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:40:03 +0000

Our international organization has launched a new website with updated news and video. Check it out at http://www.onechallenge.org/