GC2 Summit – Great Commandment, Great Commission

Scott Gustafson

Had the privilege to attend the GC2 Summit today and spend time with Christian leaders who are overwhelmingly calling the church to engage in the refugee crisis. Check out these common foundations, that are a joint declaration to be made public shortly:

  1. Refugees possess the image of God and, as such, are infinitely valuable to God and to us.
  2. We are commanded to love our neighbor, and it is our privilege to love refugees.
  3. As Christians we must care sacrificially for the refugee, the foreigner, and the stranger.
  4. We will motivate and prepare our churches and movements to care for refugees.
  5. We will not be motivated by fear, but by love for God and others.
  6. Christians are called to grace filled and humble speech about this issue.
GC2 Summit
GC2 Summit

Look for a public release of the full statement tomorrow, and pass it on. Here’s some quotes that highlight the day:

“When the wrong people with wrong beliefs are in trouble… the church has reacted in fear. The fear narrative is not a Christian one. The Christian narrative is a Faith narrative.” -Ed Stetzer

“75% of American evangelicals say they’ve never been challenged by their local church to engage with refugees, but 7 in 10 say they’d like to hear what the Bible has to say about it” -Matthew Sorens, World Relief

“77% of evangelical insiders do not support the closing of doors to Muslim migration” -Ed Stetzer

“Let us speak the Gospel clearly… Let us pray to God earnestly…  Let us act justly – not talk justice, but do justice… Let us love sacrificially… and let us hope confidently.” -Dr. David Platt, President International Mission Board

“If American churches and charities are not relevant here they are irrelevant” -Michael Gerson, Washington Post

“How wil the church be remembered in the greatest refugee crisis since WWII?” -Richard Sterns, President, World Vision

“We’ve confused our politics with our faith, as if they’re the same thing…” -Richard Sterns, President World Vision

“This moment will define the church for the next generation”  –Stephen Bauman, President World Relief

“Refugee resettlement is missional, most come from countries of the persecuted church” –Stephen Bauman – President World Relief

More Resources:

GC2 Migrant Resource Kit: www.gmi.org/connections/gc2summit

About Scott Gustafson

Scott Gustafson has extensive experience in the Middle East as a practitioner and consultant with faith-based charities and churches in humanitarian relief and mission work. He earned his PhD in Religion and Theology from the Vrije Universteit and researched the religious conversion phenomenon among former Muslim refugees in the Levant and the de-radicalization of some violent extremists among them. He is a member of the Extreme Beliefs/Strong Religion working group at the VU, funded by the European Research Council and is the Ambassador Warren Clark Fellow at Churches for Middle East Peace. He earned an MA in Intercultural Studies/Middle East Studies from Moody Graduate School, and a BA in Nursing and Biology from Western Michigan University. He studied Arabic at the University of Jordan and holds a certification through the Cultural Intelligence Centre as a CQ Certified Facilitator. Scott advises large funding agencies as well as indigenous organizations in the Middle East and is an advocate for peace. He speaks to groups about mission, Islam, the Middle East and countering extremism and radicalization. He also helps run a non-profit cycling team. Scott and his wife have 2 children and they live in Grand Rapids, MI. Follow his Substack.
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