G92 Immigration Conference Blog

G92 Endorsed by John Perkins' CCDA

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:07:00 -0400

John Perkins’ Christian Community Development Association is the latest prominent national organization to endorse Cedarville University’s G92 immigration conference. Other endorsements include World Relief, Conservatives for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC, and others.

Registration Now Open and Endorsements Continue to Accumulate

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:06:00 -0400

Online registration for G92 is now open and numerous universities have expressed an intention to participate in October. Free housing will be provided on campus for the first 250 college students to register.

Meanwhile, support for this conference among national organizations continues to grow. The most recent group to endorse this event is Conservatives for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CfCIR). Several G92 speakers and participants are listed as members of CfCIR including Richard Land, Carlos Campo, Jenny Yang, and Galen Carey. Members of CfCIM have united behind the principles articulated in the Evangelical Call for Bipartisan Immigration Reform.

Groups/individuals that have endorsed G92: Equipping the Next Generation for an Effective Biblical Response to Immigration now include:

Conservatives for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Esperanza
Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
Immigrant Hope
Matthew Soerens and Jenny Hwang Yang, Co-authors of Welcoming the Stranger: Justice , Compassion and Truth in the Immigration Debate
National Association of Evangelicals
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Regent University
William J. Hamel, President of the Evangelical Free Church of America
World Relief

Other groups that wish to support the event should contact Dr. Carl Ruby at Cedarville University.

Another National Endorsement for G92 from Luis Cortes' Esperanza

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 15:56:00 -0400

Esperanza is the latest national organization to officially endorse G92: Equipping the Next Generation for and Effective Biblical Response to Immigration.

Esperanza was established in 1987 when the Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, led by the Reverend Luis Cortés, Jr., saw the need to be proactive to the needs of the Latino community of this city. Since then Esperanza has become a major national organization with over 200 employees devoted to the biblical mandate of service and advocacy for Hispanic communities. Their mission statement notes their dependence on the transformative power of Jesus Christ to create change and provide hope for vulnerable and marginalized members of the Hispanic community.

Service to immigrants is one of the many ministries provided by Esperanza. Their ministry includes the following services.

Family reunification
Green card applications
Citizenship and naturalization
Assistance for victims of domestic violence
Assistance for victims of human trafficking
Visas for crime victims
Renewal of employment authorization

Esperanza is a model of effective ministry and a valuable partner for any church or organization devoted to a biblical approach to immigration. Other national organizations that have endorsed G92: Equipping the Next Generation for and Effective Biblical Response to Immigration include:

Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
National Association of Evangelicals
World Relief
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Immigrant Hope
Regent University
The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
William J. Hamel, President of the Evangelical Free Church of America
Matthew Soerens and Jenny Hwang, authors of Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate.

New York Times cites Keynote Speaker Richard Land in Recent Southern Baptist Call for Immigration Reform

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:54:00 -0400

The New York Times cited Richard Land, President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, in their analysis of the Southern Baptist Church's recent call for immigration reform. According to the New York Times article, "Richard Land, president of the Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission in Washington, described the move as "a really classic illustration of Gospel love and Gospel witness."

According to a Baptist Press account of the SBC decision to support immigration reform, Land stated, "The immigration crisis is fanning the flames of hostility and animosity and distrust between various elements in our society, and it is time for our representatives in Congress and our president to put aside partisanship, to put aside narrow political interests and do what is best for the country."

Another Times article lists Kenneth Blackwell, Bill Hybels, Samuel Rodriquez, Matt Staver, Leith Anderson, and Jay Sekulow among prominent evangelical who have come out in support of immigration reform.

Recommended Resources, Organizations, and Articles

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:50:00 -0400

These are few of the resources, organizations, and articles that we have found to be particularly helpful. Please feel free to suggest others.

Resources

Evangelical Call for Bipartisan Immigration Reform
Immigration Education Toolbox Created by Matthew Soerens Includes videos, brochures, fact sheets, articles, sermons, and sample PowerPoint group presentations. Excellent slide shows designed for short or longer presentations. Upload and edit them to fit your presentation.
White House Immigration Page Includes President Obama’s White House Blueprint for Immigration Reform.
A Just Immigration Strategy – Presented by National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Undocumented Powerful multimedia tools, great video for church or community presentations, blog, and other resources

Organizations (These organizations also provide a wealth of helpful resources)

Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Current news stories. Very good resource page. Good immigration blog and links to other blogs devoted to immigration issues.
Conservatives for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Articles

Other articles to be added. Feel free to recommend articles that you have found helpful.

Evangelical Call for Bipartisan Immigration Reform

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:49:00 -0400

Several prominent evangelicals including Richard Land, Michael Gerson, Sammy Rodriguez, Bill Hybels, John Perkins, and others have produced a document called the Evangelical Call for Bipartisan Immigration Reform. The document calls for immigration reform that:

Respects the God-given dignity of every person
Protects the unity of the immediate family
Respects the rule of law
Guarantees secure national borders
Ensures fairness to taxpayers
Establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents

G92 has used this document as a framework for addressing the issue of immigration.

New Endorsement from the Council for Christian Colleges And Universities (CCCU)

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:46:00 -0400

The CCCU is the latest prominent national organization to officially endorse G92. The CCCU is an international organization of evangelical, faith-based colleges and universities. Each CCCU institution will be invited to send a team of students and faculty to this event. Teams will return to their campuses equipped to start new student ministries or student organizations devoted to ministry, evangelism, and advocacy for the immigrants and undocumented workers who live and serve near each campus.

Other endorsments include:

Other endorsements are pending.

Why Should College Students Attend G92

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:45:00 -0400

While this event is designed to attract a wide range of participants, it is designed specifically with college students, and those who minister with them, in mind. You will get to interact with some of the leading evangelicals who are working on immigration issues. You’ll also get to meet lots of other college students with a similar vision and meet Shane Claiborne, who will be delivering a special charge to college students on the opening night of the event (afterwards he’ll be hanging out at a party featuring Latino music, coffee, good food, and testimonies from people who have been affected first hand by our current immigration policies.) Then, on Friday we have a powerhouse line up of keynote addresses and on Saturday morning we will feature workshops that will equip you to go back to your campus to set up ministries and student organizations devoted to ministry and advocacy for immigrants.

Good food. Good friends. Great speakers. Hang our with the coolest faculty from your university. Take home a free t-shirt made by Shane’s friends at The Simple Way. What more can I say?