Are migrant churches missional? A case for expanding our geography of missions

Abstract

Many church leaders conclude that immigrant churches are not engaged in missions, based on a limited view of the geographic scope of missions. The “going principle” assumes that mission activity involves cross-cultural engagement, while the “staying principle” refers to embracing the local neighborhood where the church is located. While useful, both principles limit our vision of missional engagement. It is helpful to employ the theory of transnationalism to expand the notion of place and geography, allowing us to capture the full scope of missional engagement by many immigrant churches. The article concludes with a case study of Kerala Pentecostal churches.