The ABCNJ Council met on Saturday, May 11 at the Central Baptist Church in Atlantic Highlands.  Among a number of significant decisions, the Council revised and passed (with just one abstention which had nothing to do with the content of the statement), the following Statement of Concern on Immigration Reform.  This statement is not binding on any local church or member, but represents the conviction of the Council.  It is intended to encourage churches to consider the issues raised from a Christian perspective and provide authorization for our leadership to speak to this issue.  

ABCNJ Council Statement of Concern

Immigration Reform



Approved by Council on May 11, 2013

America is experiencing a moral, economic and political crisis regarding immigration. Therefore, we call for a compassionate bipartisan national solution on immigration that:

▪   Respects the God-given dignity of every person

▪   Protects the unity of the immediate family

▪   Respects the rule of law

▪   Guarantees secure national borders

▪   Ensures fairness to taxpayers

▪   Establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents

We urge our nation’s leaders to work together with the American people to pass immigration reform that embodies these key principles and that will make our nation proud.

The ABCNJ Council authorizes the Public Mission Committee to send this Statement of Concern to the New Jersey Congressional Delegation and authorizes our Executive Minister and Senior Regional Pastor to add his signature to the Evangelical Statement of Principles for Immigration Reform, from which the above statement was adapted (http://evangelicalimmigrationtable.com).