The Indonesian pastor’s cell number is 911
Beny Krisbianto, Nations Worshipkrisbianto2004@yahoo.com
In 1998 a riot happened in Indonesia. Christians and Chinese were targets of rioting, persecution, killing and robbery. The chaos allowed many ethnic-minority Chinese and religious-minority Christians to be killed, raped and lose their businesses. After that year, it was impossible for Chinese Christians to start businesses.In 1999, there were not many Indonesian peoples living in city of Philadelphia, Pa. But in between the years of 2000-2002, the numbers escalated to around 10,000. Right now, half of them remain and half have returned to Indonesia. The Indonesian churches in Philadelphia were formed by the immigrants who were affected by the Indonesian riots.There are 12 Indonesian churches in Philadelphia where 95% of the members are immigrants. I believe the church should be God’s transformational agent. Those of us who remain in the United States do not face an easy task. Big challenges emerged for us in the decision to pursue American dreams. Families are often separated in deportation raids. We face discrimination and intimidation at work. We cannot buy houses, are treated unfairly by neighbors (face robberies), experience prejudice from other new immigrants, lack access to health care and access to the US American university system. Indonesian immigrants will call their pastor for many reasons. If they need to find a job, a home/apartment, health care, education for their kids or have a problem with immigration paper work they’ll call the pastor. The Indonesian pastor’s cell phone number became more important than 911.Many of these problems arise because of a lack of ability to speak English. The problems also arise because some are still working through their legal status. It takes a long time to process. Immigration seems like a big job that will never be finished. However, Indonesian Church members in Philadelphia are dependent on U.S. Immigration policy. When raids happen our attendance drops 50% from the norm. For example, 600 people ordered tickets to go back to Indonesia in May. Over 90% of our ministry issues as urban pastors are related with immigration and how to help immigrants to survive in this country.Since September 11, 2001, the immigration process has become more complicated. Those of us who find a way to stay are those who prove to the immigration judges that they were actually persecuted in Indonesia; have skills, degrees and sponsorship from big companies in the U.S.; are wealthy and own big businesses; or are married to U.S. citizens.The biggest problem we face in immigrant ministry is when people who are striving to be good citizens do not receive permission from the government to stay in the U.S. They are often not ready to go back to their country. This has been difficult.What does Anabaptist Theology have to say about Immigration policies? I believe the church also has the right to believe with and address immigration issues according toThe Word of God. From what I have learned, the Anabaptist perspective has something different to say about immigration than the law of the state.In my studies at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, I have realized that Anabaptist perspectives highlight:
- Paul’s teaching on equality between Jews and Gentiles, everyone needs to be treated the same, no matter where you are from, what language you speak and what you look like. We are all God’s children. Justice belongs to every human being. Justice is the action of love, the effort to correct a problem in loving concern.
- There’s oneness in the Kingdom of God. Borders are human inventions. Our citizenship is in heaven. John 17:16 says we are in the world, but are not of the world any more than Jesus was of the world. In The Myth of a Christian Nation, Gregory Boyd called believers “holy resident aliens who march to the beat of a different drummer.”Compassion for refugees, remembering that Jesus was a refugee.
- Loving one another as they are God’s people and as God loves them.
- Welcoming the stranger.
- Following Jesus’ example of helping the poor and oppressed.
- In The Robe of God, Myron S. Augsburger states, “Reconciliation calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to seek the best for others, to move across all racial barriers, to assist the powerless and lift the fallen, to serve others in the love of Christ, and to share with them the meaning of life in Christ. When we seek justice for others, we extend the love of God in action.”
It is our job to help and minister to our Indonesian brothers and sisters in Philadelphia. Some of them lost everything they had in the riots in Indonesia. It’s hard for them to go back to Indonesia and start anew when nothing is left in their home country.Anabaptist people are called to live differently from the worldly style. Harold S. Bender once wrote that the Anabaptists were concerned most of all about “a true Christian life,” that is, a life patterned after the teaching and example of Christ. My learnings have inspired me to teach my congregation the true definition of success. Donald B.Kraybill said, “Success is the condition of when we have shalom, no ambition and, in our center, the perfect will of God. Following His will and being free from worldly views and worldly standards.” Some of the people I minister to believe if they can achieve American dreams, they are a successful person. The Anabaptist perspective says that success is not about money, home, position. It’s just really simple, active obedience to follow The Will of God (The Cross of Jesus).I also encourage them to be part of the community that is also God’s representative. We need to encourage our congregations to become good members of the community beyond themselves. Immigrants came here not just for their personal purpose but also for the purpose of God. As believers, wherever we go, we have to be the light of the world. Mark Thiesen Nation says, “It is God’s salvation that makes it possible for us to be participants in the human experience; that particular way of living for God in the world and being used as living instruments of God. God called us to discipleship and wholeness of salvation, which is not simply something done for us out there, but is done to us through us.”Myron S. Augsburger states, “Community is the social and spiritual dynamic of reconciliation, It is not a partisanship created around a stance either to the right or to the left; it is a Third way, a community that desires to know the priorities of the reign of God”. Some of the people rejected and persecuted in their country are also frustrated because they were also rejected here in the United States. So as Pastor, we have to build our church as a community of Christ where every body is welcomed and becomes part of us. Our church strives to be place of reconciliation, a place of healing from hurting hearts and a place for transformation of God’s peoples.As a pastor of an urban immigrant church I realize that I cannot work on these issues by myself. The issues are so complex, it is not easy task. We all have to connect with other churches, or other organizations, like Mennonite Central Committee, and create links and a strong team toward transformation, welcome and new life.Beny Krisbianto is a leader at Nations Worship both in Philadelphia and in Silver Spring, Maryland. Beny is a full-time student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary studying Anabaptist leadership.