For citizens of the U.S., immigration is deeply polarizing right now.
As I write this, U.S. Marines have been sent to Los Angeles, where I live, to respond to unrest over immigration. But for citizens of God’s Kingdom, “immigrant Christians represent one of the greatest hopes for the renewal of the city and the church in North America,” as the Diaspora Network points out.
In a time when the U.S. church is losing both attenders and credibility, one of the ways God is working is through immigrant believers.
In contrast with the Pharisees, Jesus’ heart was always for the outsider and the foreigner, whether it was calling Matthew the tax collector as a disciple, transforming the scandalous Samaritan woman into the first evangelist, or praising the Roman centurion as having greater faith than any in Israel.
So even though we can and should have robust conversations about immigration reform, let us consider the power and possibilities of church planting for and by immigrants, rather than blaming and scapegoating them.
Here are four reasons why immigrant church planting matters for all missional leaders. As you’ll see, immigrant church planting refers not merely to U.S.-born planters reaching immigrants through new churches, but immigrants reaching and renewing the church.
1. Immigrants are the future of the church.
In prior articles, we’ve explored the major demographic shifts reshaping the U.S., and how they’re already transforming the landscape of American Christianity. So much so that Tish Harrison Warren wrote in The New York Times, “The future of American Christianity now appears to be a multiethnic community that is largely led by immigrants or the children of immigrants.”
I’m deeply encouraged by the ministry of the Diaspora Network – a movement that centers and supports immigrant church planters. This fall, they’re hosting the Diaspora National Conference in Houston, the most ethnically diverse city in America.
The conference theme, “Diaspora Church Planting and the Renewal of the City,” points to a powerful spiritual truth: The renewal of our cities will not come solely from established churches and institutions, but from Spirit-led communities often planted at the margins.
Jonathan Kindred, founder of the Diaspora Network, describes the “quiet revolution” taking place as immigrants are shaping the North American church from the moment they arrive on U.S. soil. Their presence isn’t just a trend – it’s a movement of the Spirit.
For example, a 2025 Pew survey shows that 58% of immigrants to the U.S. identify as Christian. Even among those who come from non-Christian backgrounds, many arrive far more open to the gospel than they were in their countries of origin. Some were persecuted at home for even considering Christianity. Others, especially refugees and displaced families, find that the trauma and dislocation of migration has opened their hearts to the hope and healing of Christ.
The implications are clear: Immigrant church planters are not just part of the church’s future – they are at the forefront.
If we want to see the American church renewed in our generation, we must build relationships with, learn from, invest in, and follow the leadership of immigrant believers who are expanding and diversifying the church in America. Revelation 7:9 is coming to a neighborhood near you!
2. Immigrants are evangelizing North America.
In the past, the work of global missions was largely one-directional: Western churches sent missionaries abroad. But today, that flow has shifted in the other direction.
Even as Western Christians become more apprehensive and even apologetic about missions, the global diaspora is sending missionaries (which is another name for church planters) to the West. The mission field has now become the mission force. After the U.S., the countries sending the most missionaries are Brazil, South Korea, the Philippines, and Nigeria – countries once considered mission destinations.
The shift to this new missions reality is often described with the phrase “from everywhere to everywhere.” This polycentric model of mission reverses colonial patterns and honors the contributions of the global majority church in God’s unfolding story. For example:
- Nigerian pastors are starting vibrant Pentecostal churches in U.S. cities and training American-born youth in prayer and evangelism.
- Korean missionaries are planting churches in places where Western denominations have closed theirs.
- Brazilian missionaries are launching outreach initiatives in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods, bridging cultures with gospel fluency.
- Filipino believers are forming workplace Bible studies and hospital chaplaincy networks in places where traditional churches have no presence.
These movements are largely underfunded, under-reported, and underestimated, but they are undeniably impactful. The Holy Spirit is breathing life into tired ecclesial structures through immigrant passion, experiences of persecution, and global perspectives.
As Sam George observes, “Christianity at the beginning of the 21st century is the most global, the most diverse, and the most dispersed faith.”
3. Immigrants are eager for community.
Arriving in a new country – navigating unfamiliar language, customs, and cultural expectations – can be profoundly isolating. Many immigrants experience a deep longing for connection, belonging, and a sense of home. The church has a unique opportunity to meet that need, offering not only community and care but also the hope of the gospel.
On a recent walking tour of L.A.’s Chinatown, I learned how First Chinese Baptist Church, planted in 1952, became a spiritual and relational anchor for generations of immigrants from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries.
Over time, it expanded to offer worship services in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English and has planted several other churches, becoming a vital part of the neighborhood’s social, cultural, and spiritual fabric.
Immigrant churches often meet the felt needs for belonging and community, while meeting the real need for a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. They become a place of fellowship for the immigrant believers, a community center for those lacking community, and an evangelistic beacon for unbelievers.
My friends Gio and Indra Garcia planted La Casa Church in Glendora, CA, helping middle-class Spanish-speaking immigrants find Christ and get baptized, and serving as a place of refuge and spiritual renewal for those new to the country.
4. Immigrant church plants seek partnerships with domestic churches.
Jesus himself said, “I was a stranger and you invited me in” (Matt. 25:35), reminding us that hospitality to the outsider is a mark of genuine discipleship. Both new and established churches can partner with immigrant church plants and both congregations can come away changed by the experience.
My friend Daniel Yang, from whom I have learned most of what I know about immigrant church planting, comes from a Hmong immigrant family and was led to faith through the witness of a local church.
In God’s redemptive plan, today he leads World Relief’s Churches of Welcome initiative, which equips congregations to care for the growing number of refugees and immigrants displaced from their homelands.
Domestic churches have a huge role to play – not just in providing resources, buildings, or volunteers, but in forming mutual partnerships that honor the leadership, theology, and missional strength of immigrant congregations. When these partnerships are built on trust, equity, and shared purpose, they become a powerful witness to the reconciling work of the gospel and a reflection of the multiethnic family of God.
In closing, let me quote Diaspora Network once more: “The Global Majority Church is thriving and expanding. Immigrant Christians are arriving in North America and bringing with them gifts of passionate prayer, resilience in suffering, a deep commitment to evangelism in addition to a rich tapestry of languages and cultures.”
