Missions can no longer be viewed as a distant enterprise; the global mission field has arrived at our doorstep. Building on a long history of immigration, the New York metropolitan area welcomed roughly 1.5-2 million new arrivals from Asia, Africa, and South America over the past 25 years. Today, one in three residents of Passaic and Bergen counties is an immigrant
This inflow means that vibrant, diverse communities with distinct traditions, languages, and worldviews are now living in our neighborhoods, turning cities across the U.S. into gateways for people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds who have never encountered the gospel. Local churches no longer need to travel far away to engage in cross-cultural
missions; calling believers to cultivate an active, missional presence in their own communities.
In our case, just 20 minutes from GRC, there are more than 200,000 Hispanic residents, with majority-Hispanic cities like Prospect Park, Passaic, and Paterson, where most of the people at Father’s Cupboard (our Food Pantry, which serves the community with food and items every two weeks) come from. We serve them not only with food assistance, but also
through discipleship in Spanish. Over coffee, chocolate, and cookies, we build relationships, learn their stories, and share the gospel. As a direct result, five people from Father’s Cupboard are now attending our weekly Spanish Discipleship group on Saturdays. So …
- How can we actively engage in prayer and support for our local missional efforts? And what is God calling us to do right now to reach the Hispanic community around us?
Something to keep in mind, quoting Bill Easum:
“Following Jesus into the mission field is either impossible or extremely difficult for the vast majority of congregations in the Western world because of one thing: They have a systems story that will not allow them to take the first step out of the institution into the mission field even though the mission field is just outside the door of the congregation.”
To go, perhaps we need to change our personal or baseline narrative, the story telling us that reaching Hispanics is impossible because most of us don’t speak Spanish and we are culturally different. A story of grace shows us how simple actions break barriers. One man was deeply moved while waiting in the Father’s Cupboard distribution line, when he saw a GRC
member (who doesn’t speak Spanish) take off his own coat and place it over a woman shivering in the cold. That act of care opened his heart to Christ’s love, paving the way for him to hear and receive the gospel.
Jesus commanded us to go! Mathew 28:18-20. Is there a systems story holding you back?
Two realities should stir our hearts and awaken us to the need for the gospel among our Hispanic neighbors: First, many are caught in extreme charismatic practices or heavy legalism, yearning for the freedom and peace of the gospel. Second, many have left behind their families and roots, and are searching for a place where they can experience genuine community.
For these reasons and because they live at our front door, this is a wonderful opportunity to explore together how God is calling us to respond. Come to our Town Hall meeting on Sunday, September 13, to hear what God is doing, discover our vision for reaching the surrounding Hispanic community, and explore how you can be a part of this local mission.
Camilo Martinez serves as the Director of Hispanic Ministries at GRC.Â