Remain Standing by Joel Ramirez

In the wake of the ICE enforcement surge promised ending, our immigrant neighbors will need sustained Christian presence in the months ahead as they rebuild their lives, overcome their fears, heal from trauma, and recover financially.

Pastor Joel Ramirez, long-time pastor of Iglesia Centro Cristiano de Minneapolis, and board member of Converge North Central shared this pastoral call to action to a gathering of 260 evangelical pastors and leaders in Minneapolis.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to reflect together on what the Church is being called to become in this moment, especially as we walk alongside vulnerable immigrant families in our community.

1) The challenge for the Church is long-term presence, not short-term reaction.
In moments of crisis, it is easy for churches to mobilize quickly with emergency responses. However, what immigrant families will need is not a burst of activity for a few days, but a steady, faithful presence for months and even years. The real ministry begins after the urgency fades.

2) Trust will not return because fear ends. Trust returns because presence remains.
Fear may decrease over time, but trust is not rebuilt automatically. Trust grows when people see that we are still there—still visiting, still calling, still caring—long after the initial crisis has passed.

3) Trust will be rebuilt when churches stay after the headlines are gone.
When media attention moves on, families are often left alone with the consequences of trauma. If the Church remains when no one else is watching, that is when credibility and trust are restored.

4) Pastors need to learn not what to preach, but how to listen—without correcting, advising, or preaching.
In seasons of trauma, people do not first need sermons; they need space to be heard. Listening without trying to fix, correct, or instruct becomes a powerful pastoral act of healing.

5) Meals for months, not only for days.
Practical support must be sustained. Families will struggle with income loss, instability, and emotional exhaustion for a long time. Consistent provision communicates love in a language everyone understands.

6) The real crisis will begin when the news cameras leave.
Because the fear will remain, the trauma will remain, and the church will be the only institution still standing in their lives. Public attention is temporary, but the emotional and social consequences are not. When systems disappear, the Church often becomes the last and only support structure families can rely on.

7) This is not a moment for the church to do something. This is a moment for the church to become something — a long-term refuge for wounded immigrant families.This is about identity, not activity. The Church is being invited to embody refuge, stability, and hope as part of who we are, not just what we do.

8.) Immigrant families will not remember what churches posted or what churches said. They will remember who visited, who stayed, and who walked with them for months after everyone else moved on. Trust is rebuilt at the speed of presence. Social media posts and public statements are quickly forgotten. Personal presence, consistent companionship, and quiet faithfulness are what leave lasting impact.

Thank you for your attention, and even more, for your willingness to walk alongside the weary, to give drink to the thirsty, food to the hungry, and shelter to those who may be at risk of losing their homes.