SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ —

What:
Evangelicals support a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants living in the United States according to a new LifeWay Research study, but they do not associate their opinions with their faith. To help evangelicals better understand the Biblical perspective, Dr. Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference/CONEL (NHCLC/CONEL), is encouraging pastors to preach on the issue of a biblical response to immigration.

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“God cares more about people than immigration reform. First and foremost, immigrants are created in the image of God, and we have a responsibility to love and care for them,” said Rodriguez. “Immigration reform is necessary to heal our communities and usher in peace and promote righteousness and justice.” 

In its recent study, LifeWay Researchers asked evangelicals to list which factor has most influenced their beliefs about immigration. Approximately 12 percent chose the Bible, and only 2 percent named their church. Two-thirds of evangelicals say their church has never encouraged them to reach out to immigrants.

The study did find that evangelicals are interested in what their faith says on immigration reform. Two-thirds (68 percent) say they would value hearing a sermon about the Bible’s views on immigration.

“It is important for Christians to associate their faith with their political beliefs. I encourage pastors to take on subjects like immigration reform, offering biblical truths on hot-button issues,” said Rodriguez.

Who:
Dr. Samuel Rodriguez is the president of the NHCLC/CONEL, the largest Hispanic Christian organization serving as a representative voice for the more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals assembled in over 40,000 U.S. churches and another 500,000 congregations spread throughout the Spanish-speaking community.

Where:
In studio, by Skype or by phone.

Details:
NHCLC/CONEL Seeks to reconcile evangelist Billy Graham’s message of salvation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s march of prophetic activism, the NHCLC/CONEL emphasizes “7 Directives” of Life, Family, Compassionate Evangelism, Stewardship, Justice, Education and Youth. For additional information, visit http://www.nhclc.org.