National Movement of “Churches of Welcome” Launches to Live Out Biblical Embrace of Immigrants

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ATLANTA, GA (October 18, 2024)  – Today, dozens of churches joined World Relief to launch “Churches of Welcome” in response to the number of people forcibly displaced from their homes reaching the highest point in recorded history.  

Churches of Welcome is a national movement of churches, all with different backgrounds and histories, embarking on a discipleship journey to engage one of the greatest humanitarian crises of our time—global mass displacement. By receiving some of the world’s most vulnerable people into their community, churches are fulfilling both the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. Any church in America can participate in Churches of Welcome by engaging in immigrant and refugee ministry—particularly through small group curriculum and training, raising awareness, and refugee sponsorship.

“While refugee and immigration issues are obviously a heated political issue at the moment, for the church, this is first and foremost a missional opportunity, a chance to faithfully obey God’s commands to love our neighbors, to practice hospitality and to make disciples of all nations,” said Daniel Yang, National Director of Churches of Welcome. 

Charter members of Churches of Welcome represent the broad diversity of American churches in terms of geography, size, ethnic composition and theological tradition. In addition, several influential churches have partnered with World Relief to launch this movement, including Northland Church in Orlando, FL, New Life Church of Virginia Beach, VA, and Northwood Church in Keller, TX which has partnered with World Relief Texas since 2011.

Other charter members are congregations pastored by and/or composed primarily of first- or second-generation immigrants. Philadelphia International Church is a multicultural church in Upper Darby, PA, pastored by Pastor Clay Katongo, who is also a former refugee. Their church is currently in the process of sponsoring a refugee through World Relief’s Good Neighbor Team model which utilizes the federally recognized program, Welcome Corps, allowing any group of Americans to privately sponsor refugees.

Denominations like The Christian & Missionary Alliance are also collaborating with World Relief on this initiative to mobilize a hundred of their churches to engage in immigrant and refugee ministry through Churches of Welcome.

Churches of Welcome was formally launched today at the MyBLVD Conference in Atlanta, which focuses on issues faced by urban churches and communities. This is a part of their effort to invite churches across the United States to resettle more globally displaced people, and to improve the conversations around immigration at both national and local levels.

The movement is spearheaded by World Relief, which as the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals has been partnering with local churches to welcome and serve refugees and other immigrants for decades. “Our mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church, and today there is no crisis greater than the displacement of more than 120 million individuals, each of whom we believe is made in God’s image,” said Myal Greene, president & CEO of World Relief. “Churches of Welcome creates a vital pathway for those who come to the United States to be welcomed by a church.” 

Congregations anywhere in the United States interested in joining Churches of Welcome can learn more at www.ChurchesofWelcome.org.