Houston Evangelical Leaders Call For a Vote on Immigration Reform
Local Pastors Preview Tuesday Meetings with Congress
HOUSTON, APRIL 24, 2014 — Top Texas evangelical leaders met for a press conference today to highlight the biblical call to welcome the stranger and urge Congress to move forward with a vote on immigration reform.
The press conference will featured local pastors and leaders who discussed the moral imperatives for immigration reform, their efforts during the April congressional recess and their April 29 #Pray4Reform trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with their members of Congress. It follows Tuesday’s Texas statewide press call.
The following quotes are from pastors at today’s press conference:
Rev. Harvey Clemons Jr., Pastor, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Houston:
“As Christians, we see the need for comprehensive immigration reform arriving from Jesus’ teachings to see him in the least of these. For too long, a broken immigration system has hurt our country by fracturing our families and excluding the intellect, gifts and talent of our undocumented young people from our workforce and our communities. It is time for our national leaders to form compassionate and balanced policies that treat immigrants with the dignity due to all God’s children and that help our nation realize our hopes for a more perfect union.”
Pastor Roy Guel, Pastor, Sagemont en Español, Houston:
“I am overwhelmed by the needs of many Hispanics in our community. They have sacrificed much to get to our great country of opportunity. They come fleeing both economic hardship and, many times, physical harm and danger. Every face has a story behind it and every person matters. Immigration reform transcends politics and simple economics. These people have lived in the shadows in the most powerful, prosperous and free country. In the day of judgment, how will our country be judged as we have allowed these forgotten people to live off the scraps that fall from our collective tables?”
Brenda Kirk, Church Mobilizer, Evangelical Immigration Table, Atascocita:
“I pray that every Christian joins us in prayer and action, encouraging Congress to vote on immigration reform this year. God calls us to love the stranger in our midst and to treat them as native born (Leviticus 19:33-34). Many biblical teachings guide Christians on this issue of immigration. We have encouraged pastors to address immigration within their churches, and they have. The education and prayers are moving us forward.”
Pastor Tim Moore, Senior Pastor, Walk Worthy Baptist Church; Legislative Liaison, Southern Baptists of Texas Commission, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Round Rock:
“I don’t want to be on the wrong side of history. More importantly, I don’t want to be on the wrong side of the Gospel. The heart of God is always forgiveness and reconciliation. It’s time for a vote on immigration reform.”
Join the conversation on Twitter using #Pray4Reform and #VoteOnReform.
