Merry Christmas from M2M3

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,
glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
--John 1:14

December 24, 2024

As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and the love and hope offered through the cross, we pause to reflect on how He is moving among the diaspora. In 2024, some 281 million people are known to be living outside their country of birth. Many are followers of Christ. Of those who are not, most are living within reach of those who are. Our task for the past decade has been to understand the dynamics behind these movements… and to help the church become a conduit of His love and hope.

2024 has been a busy year. We have traveled some 175,000 miles, visited over 18 countries, and engaged with diaspora leaders, pastors, and migrants. In each context, we have sought to help people understand how they can impact the lives of their immigrant neighbors. Take a close look at the illustration below. As you do, pay particular attention to the circles.

Start with the blue circle. This represents all of the known international migrants in the world. As in most things, 281 million is true, but it is not accurate! It represents only those who have been recorded, recognizing that many governments either do not track migration or they do so very casually. Significantly, it does not represent illegal movements. For all we know, the total number could be much larger. But… it gives us a place to start.

Within the blue is the cream circle. This represents nearly 46 million people who have been forcibly displaced and crossed an international border. As in the blue circle, this is probably a gross misrepresentation. Within that number is a rose circle, representing over 35 million refugees and asylum seekers. Of all the numbers, that one is accurate. Governments closely monitor these individuals, making their statistics much more reliable.

I offer this illustration to make a point. Most of those reading this article will not engage those in the rose circle. Very few in the local church will ever have a significant relational connection with a refugee, asylum seeker, or even an undocumented immigrant. I wish this were different, but I know that most of your current or potential connections are in the blue circle. That is OK! They are guests in your country. They came by invitation with a passport, a visa, a work permit, or a university scholarship. More importantly, these are your neighbors!

Take it from me: landing in a foreign country can be isolating. The greater the cultural and language differences, the greater the isolation. Most have family and friends back home… and there are seasons when home seems very far away. In those contexts, people become open to new friends, new ideas, and messages of love and hope. Developing a relationship with lonely, isolated people does not take much effort.

Christmas was made for a time and a place like this.

So, what does all of this mean for you… and what does it mean for the local church? At every level, it creates incredible opportunities. If you think about it, the gospel almost always moves through relationships. People share the hope of Christ with people they know and care about. People hear the message from people they know and trust. If you take a moment to look around, you may discover that you are next to someone from that blue circle above. Let me encourage you to become proactive. How might you do that? Allow me to offer a few suggestions.

• Become involved in ethnic ministries at your church and make an effort to receive those who visit.
• Make regular visits to small, owner-operated ethnic restaurants. Focus on those you like and where the staff respond to your curiosity.
• Invite university students into your home. Be particularly attentive to new arrivals, school breaks, and cultural holidays… yours and theirs.
• Get to know your neighbors. Be prepared to minister to needs as they become apparent. Be particularly attentive to those who are fellow believers.
• Employ those immigrants who are local and working legally.
• Support local ministries that are working with immigrant populations.
• Encourage others to subscribe and support our blog site, www.m2m3.org.

The goal of all of these connections is to forge relationships. You want to know more than just their name. You want to learn about them, their families, cultures, curiosities, struggles, and fears. As trust builds, you will discover that you can encourage those who are Christians and have credibility with those who are not. There was once a day when a missionary had to leave their home to share the gospel with a lost world. Today, it is as simple as loving your neighbor.

May God bless you richly this Christmas Season!