In Leviticus, the Lord requires of his people: “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (Lev 19:33-34)

Paul declares explicitly of us Gentiles in Ephesians that, like the Israelites before us, we, too, were strangers to Christ, alienated from God and his people: “Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, … were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:11-13)

Since the alienation from which God redeemed us in Christ is that much greater, how much greater must be the call to love the stranger that they, too, may “be brought near”? For this reason, we believe, the Lord has equipped us to be a blessing to the “strangers” who, according to God’s good providence, are sojourning in our land among His people.

Currently, we offer English as Second Language (ESL) classes to those whose first language is one other than English in order that they may 1) feel welcomed, 2) be better equipped to live in this land, and 3) encounter the reality of God’s grace in His living Son at work among His people.