Missions Ministry Team

Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Cross-Culture Ministry

Ways the Cumberland Presbyterian Church can reach out to immigrants in the United States of America

  

1. REACH OUT Through a Local Church Ministry.

The goal is to reach out to Hispanics, Koreans, Japanese, etc... in the area of your church by  meeting needs, both Spiritual and Social through a ministry of the local church.

Program ideas:

 - English Class in the Church. By means of this activity one is able to make contact and develop a relationship. For example, it is not necessary that the teacher speak Spanish to teach English. Volunteers with the right materials can teach conversational English. Part of the class would involve a Spanish Speaker coming to a special class and share the Gospel message.

- Food Pantry.  Require that people who receive food attend a one hour conference on something like: - Healthy family life; US customs, culture and religion; The importance of Faith, etc... Once again the idea is finding a time and place where the Gospel message could be presented.

- Housing and Job search service. Immigrants need someone to help them fill out forms and applications and find affordable housing. Church volunteers could provide this service. Part of the service might involve a prayer service that deals with the needs these people are trying to meet.

The goal in the above cases is to make contact, show compassion and open doors so someone who does not speak English very well. Any social ministry should have a plan that involves providing Bibles, literature and an opportunity to hear the gospel message in the language of the new immigrant.

2. REACH OUT Through a non-English speaking Ministry in a Local church.

For example; a local church might employ a Hispanic Christian (part time or full time) to be a church staff person to reach out to Hispanics in a target area around the Church. This person would be much like a youth director, CE director, or minister to third age people as far as a church staff position. This would be a local church internal staff position staffed by a Hispanic Christian. The Hispanics would be part of the Anglo church and would have their own special Hispanic activities.

If the non-English speaking group grows and matures, it is important that the church be willing to let the immigrant group develop into a church of their language.

3.  REACH OUT By Establishing a Church for a Particular Language Group

Employ a Hispanic, Korean, Japanese, etc... Pastor (part time or full time) to reach out to a certain language group in your area. This could be a NCD effort by a local Presbytery, Synod and/or Missions Ministry Team.

There are several options one can consider:

A. Use an Anglo Church building and have  parallel churches in one church building.

B. Attempt to establish a separate non-English Church in their own building.

4. REACH OUT By Assimilating an Independent non-English Group or Church.

Discover existing non-English groups or churches that do not have a denominational church affiliation and attempt to bring them into the CP Church.

A. Bring a church or group into a local Presbytery.

B. Form a Cross-Cultural Presbytery.

  

The Missions Ministry Team (MMT) has experience in all of these areas of Cross-Culture Outreach.  Contact the MMT if you would like more information.