What happens when the beliefs meant to unify Christians become points of contention? How do we navigate conversations with family, friends, and congregants who hold divergent opinions on our deeply held values? 

These questions have felt heightened for many churches recently as we navigate hot-button topics. Conversations about refugees and immigrants are no exception. While America has historically experienced widespread support for those who were forced to flee their countries due to war or persecution, conversations about welcoming refugees have become polarized. 

The mission of Exodus World Service is to mobilize the Christian community to welcome and befriend refugees. In our partnerships with churches from many backgrounds and traditions, we’ve seen that we have more in common than we think. 

This research shows a vision for common ground in our conversations. 

According to a 2025 study from Lifeway Research, the majority of Americans have expressed a desire to see immigration policies that accomplish two things. First, they want America to continue its history of being a welcoming country. In addition, they want to see immigration that is safe and orderly. Research has shown that this is the desire of those in the Christian community as well. 

This research shows a vision for common ground in our conversations. We may disagree with how welcome, order, and safety are accomplished and which policies achieve those goals. These discussions are extremely nuanced, and often there can be more than one answer to many of these issues. You may be facing the complexity of these conversations in your personal life. Perhaps members of your family or church community hold different thoughts and conclusions from you. Can we enter into conversations with an open mind to consider how we as Christians think about welcoming the stranger? 

Indisputably, Jesus also calls us to care for those in vulnerable positions. 

For example, one Chicagoland pastor wanted to encourage his church to have Biblically based, generous, and informed conversations about newcomers. He saw how these conversations were being shaped by larger culture, sometimes leading to contentious interactions among congregants and in the church members’ broader communities. His experience reflects those of many Christian leaders today. 

It’s a comfort to know these conversations are not new to the Church. Jesus faced a complex social, ethnic, and religious landscape during his ministry in the Ancient Near East. When a lawyer once asked Jesus what the most important commands were, Jesus told him to love God and love his neighbor. The questioner asked for further clarity, saying, “Who is my neighbor?” Knowing his audience well, Jesus responded with a story. 

Jesus tells his listeners the story of “The Good Samaritan”, recorded in Luke 10:25-37. First, a Jewish priest and then a Levite pass by a wounded man and walk by on the other side of the road. Then a Samaritan walks by, sees the man, and helps him even though their backgrounds, cultures, and faiths are different. Jesus ended the story by turning the question back to the lawyer and asking, ”Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man?” The man replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus responded, saying, “Go and do likewise.”

A religious and cultural “outsider” becoming the heroic neighbor in this story was likely a shocking twist for this Jewish audience. Living in a culture that highly values hospitality, they might have already considered themselves excellent neighbors. But what about those who didn’t share their same faith and culture? What about those who were vulnerable? Those who might never be able to repay the help they received? 

In His call to neighborly faith, Jesus asks us to also love those who may look, act, and speak differently from us. And indisputably, He also calls us to care for those in vulnerable positions. 

The Chicagoland pastor in our example partnered with Exodus World Service to encourage dialogue around these issues. He reached out to other pastors in his community and invited their congregations to join them in pursuing thoughtful conversation. 

Your community may be facing complex conversations about faith and immigration. 

These churches gathered, explored Scripture, and learned basic information about immigrant populations. They were invited to have open conversations about their fears and anxieties regarding immigration. While the conversations were sometimes challenging, participants were given a safe and respectful space to feel heard and wrestle with the complexity of immigration. 

This theologically diverse group is just one example of dozens of churches Exodus is helping come together over conversations on immigration. There is a movement of people who are coming to the table with fears of being judged by a neighbor, and leaving with a better understanding of immigration, God’s heart for newcomers, and each other. 

Your community may be facing complex conversations about faith and immigration. This is when the powerful teaching of Christ becomes more important than ever. Christians may not come to the same conclusions, but they can still come together. 

To learn how to have similar conversations within your communities, join us on May 15 for an event co-hosted by Thrive and Exodus World Service. Learn more about Finding Hope in Hospitality: Faith-Based Conversations on Welcoming the Stranger and register here! 

Photo provided by the author.