Voices of the EFCA: How Long, O Lord?

Unless you live in New York City, Washington D.C. or Los Angeles, I suspect it is uncommon to see your hometown mentioned in the national news—let alone as the featured story. Yet, for me and my neighbors throughout the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, this is exactly what we’ve experienced since the start of the new year. 

The news—regardless of your preferred outlet—paints an unsettling and chaotic picture. From protests and a disrupted worship service to shootings and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations across the region, the events in the Twin Cities weigh heavy on our nation. Beyond Minnesota, communities across the U.S. have experienced increased immigration enforcement efforts, protests, violence and anxiety about the days ahead. These realities burden our souls and leave us in profound grief about the state of our country. 

I am no exception to this reality. The recent events in my city grieve me deeply. I am sad about the loss of life. I am sad about the trauma immigrants are feeling, including those who are legal residents. I am sad about the disrespect for law enforcement. I am sad to see immigrants and others afraid to leave their homes. I am sad that the actions of some federal agents have broken trust within our community. To see a church become the target of protests breaks my heart. I am sad to see citizens of our country detained until they can prove their citizenship. 

As I was leaving my house for work recently, I wondered whether I, too, should carry my passport with me at all times. I am sad that we find ourselves mired in another season of trauma for the Twin Cities and our country as a whole.  

The task of navigating such complex times and issues—like legal and illegal immigration, for example—feels monumental. The work ahead reminds us of our dependence on God and our frailty as created beings. Civil unrest. Violence. Anger. Division. Anxiety. Fear. Sin and death. These issues are real and unrelenting, and they highlight our need for God to move powerfully in our time. 

Like many of you, I have spent the last few weeks returning to David’s helpful refrain from Psalm 13:  

These issues—and their impact—are not new. David’s words have echoed throughout time in response to these same burdens. Even within our movement, EFCA leaders have spoken on political violence, justice and immigration. Yet still, we continue to ask: "How long, O Lord?”

Our common mission 

Given the complexity and political nature of many of these issues, it would be easy to get caught up in any one specific event from the last few weeks. But I want to ground us in the central issue that has led us to our current cultural moment: our world desperately needs the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

No human effort can remedy the brokenness in which our communities are currently mired, nor would those efforts gain us any additional favor with our holy and sovereign God. This truth is captured in Article 5 (“The Work of Christ”) in the EFCA Statement of Faith: 

“We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.” 

We need a transforming encounter with the risen and reigning Christ. Thanks be to God for His gift of grace for all who believe. 

Yet, as the headlines clearly indicate, there are issues followers of Christ can't ignore and challenges we must face as agents of God’s grace in our world. Article 8 (“Christian Living”) of the Statement of Faith reminds us:  

“We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.” 

With this in mind, let us not lose sight of our calling and purpose. As a movement of churches, let’s remain biblical and missional. Let’s fulfill the Great Commission in these times where our cities, our country and humanity are so desperately calling out for a Savior. Together, let’s glorify God by multiplying transformational churches among all people.

Transformed through relationship 

As I’ve said before, Christianity is about relationship. It’s a relational religion. When the Pharisees asked Jesus about the greatest commandment in the Law, He said: 

“'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:37-40) 

As people of the Book, this passage highlights the importance of relationship as we seek “to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed” (Article 8, EFCA SOF) and follow the Great Commission in our local contexts. Yes, there is a time and place for the left-brained, intellectual side of evangelicalism—well-studied stances on every theological and cultural issue—but in my experience, stances are not what change people. Our biblically grounded orthodoxy, and the likeness of Christ in us, should drive believers toward the lost, full of grace and truth. True transformation happens in the context of trusting relationships.

In my own life and ministry, I’ve found that conversations with believers—and non-believers alike—are an enlightening way to create new relationships and deepen existing ones. When we move toward people—especially those different from us—we begin to understand the experiences of others, remember our common need for a Savior and be slowly transformed into the likeness of Christ. Let’s all do the hard work of feeling what it is like to not be ourselves.  

EFCA family, this is a season where we must remember the humanity of others and the image of God they bear. Relationship will help us recognize the significance of this cultural moment for our churches as well as our relationship with immigrants in our midst.   

An EFCA pastor’s perspective 

In light of this, I reached out to Pastor Hector Franco, who serves in a multiethnic EFCA church outside of the Twin Cities, to share his perspective on recent events. Today, I pray that hearing from Hector will give you a better sense of how EFCA churches might faithfully and confidently navigate this season of ministry:

I came to the United States from Mexico at the age of 14, knowing no English, and I have been deeply shaped by the local church along the way. In Nebraska, my home church was entirely Spanish-speaking and made up largely of migrant families from various Latin American countries, shaping my understanding of the church as a place of belonging and care. My time at Nebraska Christian College in Norfolk, Nebraska, was formative, sharpening my theological understanding and ministry skills.  

It was there I met my wife, Sarah. After graduating, we moved to Minnesota, where Sarah is from, though I initially hoped to move farther south to a warmer climate. The Lord had other plans. A few years later, we learned that Morris Evangelical Free Church (EFCA) was exploring the launch of a Spanish-speaking service. In 2010, I volunteered to help with that effort, was later asked to lead the Latino ministry, and eventually served as associate pastor before being called to serve as senior pastor.

Sarah and I have been ministering in Morris, Minnesota, for the past 16 years, building deep relationships across the community, including within the immigrant community. In recent weeks, I’ve sensed a heightened level of concern and fear among many of our Latino friends, both in the wider community and within our church, with reports of U.S. citizens being detained, often with the common factor being their brown skin color. As a result, many are now carrying immigration papers or U.S. passports, even those who were born here. 

Personally, I struggle to process this. I tell myself, “I’m not going to give in to fear,” yet I still wonder whether I should carry my passport the next time I travel to Minneapolis, just in case. My white brothers and sisters hear these stories too and ask what I know. As far as I understand, ICE is targeting undocumented immigrants with serious criminal backgrounds. Yet, when I speak with my Latino friends, I hear a different story—one marked by fear and uncertainty. 

I live in that tension. I am both an immigrant and a U.S. citizen. I believe a country has the right to enforce its laws, and at the same time, I don’t want to see civil rights violated. I often feel caught in the middle. One week, someone asks, “What do we do if ICE comes to our church?” The next week, another asks, “What do we do if anti-ICE protesters come to our church?” 

In the midst of this, I see the church at its best. Our congregation is learning how to care for one another in tangible ways. Recently, a Latino church member shared her fears for her family during our Wednesday Connect program. A white church member listened with compassion and later texted, offering to pick up an online grocery order if needed. I regularly have conversations with white brothers, sisters and neighbors who are genuinely curious about ICE raids. While I don’t have all the answers, I continue to see genuine love and care shared across our church family. 

Like many pastors, we feel the weight of this moment. Please pray we would faithfully point people to Christ and to His coming kingdom, marked by everlasting peace and righteousness. Pray also that we, as a church, would wisely use these opportunities to share the hope we have in Him.

Entering the pain of others  

EFCA family, our body is hurting. Our communities are hurting. Our nation is hurting. Perhaps your community hasn’t been featured on national news, but as the body of Christ and a movement of interdependent churches, how should we respond when one part of our family is suffering?  

I believe God has prepared our movement for this moment, and we can reach the lost and broken with the hope of the gospel as we cultivate relationships and move toward one another in Christian love. I encourage you to ask yourself:  

• Who, in my own community, is hurting right now? 
• Who needs the love and encouragement of Christ, regardless of their circumstance? 
• How might I—my church, my community—“bear witness to the gospel in word and deed” (Article 8, EFCA SOF) through trusting relationships? 

In the days ahead, I also offer this encouragement: 

• Pastor, love and lead your congregation. Don’t let fear or anger hinder your faithful and missional presence in your community. Stay grounded in God’s Word, mission and love, and reflect the heart of Jesus in the days to come.  
• Congregant, you are an agent of God’s grace and mercy in our world. Move toward the members of your community who are hurting and share the love, compassion and peace of Christ with them. 
• Immigrant, you are seen and known by your heavenly Father, and you matter to your brothers and sisters in the EFCA. You are created in the image of God, and there is a place for you here. 
• EFCA churches, be salt and light. Bear with one another in love and proclaim the resurrected Christ. May our unity be evidence of gospel transformation in our fractured and divided world. 

As I’ve reflected on the state of our world in recent days, I’ve regularly returned to the Book of Revelation. In chapter 7, John paints a poignant picture: members of every tribe, tongue and nation gathered around the throne in worship. This is what we can expect from our good and faithful God as we consider His ultimate ends—even as we cry out, day after day, “How long, O Lord?” 

Together, we faithfully pray Jesus’ words from Matthew 6: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”