Pastor Says Church Needs to Step up and Help Refugees

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Sep 18, 2015

Pastor Says Church Needs to Step up and Help Refugees

Global Strategic Alliance (GSA) is calling on Christian churches to address the refugee crisis and to take in refugees.

The ministry’s president, Reverend Kevin Jessip, said that Christians are being severely persecuted in the Middle East and are being denied visas in the United States, and the body of Christ needs to step up and offer aid.

“It's inappropriate for the United States of America to discriminate against a minority religion who is in dire need of asylum. These are proven cases at the UNHCR that we've seen of people who have been denied, and are in jeopardy of losing their lives," Jessip told the Christian Post in an interview.

The Christian Post reports that some Europeans countries have been taking in refugees. Germany has offered refuge to 800,000 to 1 million. Pope Francis has even welcomed two refugee families into the Vatican.

The United States will allow 10,000 refugees into America in 2016, but Jessip says it’s not enough.

“[T]he U.S. can be doing much more,” Jessip said. “It is an incredible opportunity for the body of Christ to awaken, arise, take action, and help these people,” he added.

GSA hopes to enroll at least 1,000 American churches to take in refugees. Jessip reported that several churches in the U.S. have already volunteered to help. “These proclamations will be submitted to the U.S. State Department, letting them know that these churches are ready to subsize the cost for any and all resettlement, rather than burdening the U.S. taxpayers,” Jessip stated.

There has been some controversy over discriminating against Muslim or Christian refugees.

Jessip stated that he believes both Muslims and Christians should be helped equally, but acknowledged that the media often does not cover the persecution and discrimination against Christians.

Jessip believes it is a Christian responsibility to reach out to all of the refugees.

"I believe that we are in a kairos moment. And we have very little time to react to that. I think that we have to be obedient to the word of God, and begin to awaken this Church," he said.

More information on how people can get involved to help is available on the GSA website.

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Publication date: September 18, 2015



Pastor Says Church Needs to Step up and Help Refugees