Using English Classes to Build Relationships for Evangelism
It all began when my wife and I moved to New England at the end of July 2014, we started to reach people through Bible studies, discipleship, and prayer gatherings. We brought a passion from Brazil: Bless Boston! However, it was only when we started to focus on serving our neighbors through a free ESL (English as Second Language) Class as our church plant strategy that things began to happen. River of Life Worship Center was launched in May 2015 with 40 people attending our services because of our ESL ministry. This was the tool that God used to shape the birth of our congregation. Now our ESL classes are giving us more opportunities to meet new people every week and inspiring other churches to start an ESL ministry to reach people in their communities.
New England is a melting pot, there are about 120 languages spoken and people groups. It is a great opportunity to reach the world with the Gospel because the nations have come to us! More than half of our BCNE churches minister in another language. According to data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau in the 2020 American Community Survey, America is becoming more international. The number of foreign-born people in the United States is at an all-time high, at 45 million - an increase of about 14 million since the 2000 census. The 2020 census put the total U.S. population at almost 330 million.
God wants to guide and lead our hearts to reach internationals. It is necessary to understand people groups by obtaining the most accurate and up-to-date information available about them. One factor that will greatly determine our success in reaching internationals in North America is understanding how receptive they might be to the message of Jesus Christ if we meet their needs. Once we can empower them with the tool of language, they can change their reality. Internationals that do not speak English have difficulties with employment, receiving adequate health care, helping children with homework, and building relationships. Imagine a person in “our world” today that can’t read or speak English!
In New England, internationals aren’t far from us - are you listening to your neighbor? He may not be able to read or speak English. It’s time for you intentionally share the Gospel. You can put your faith into action, build relationships with people in your community, and physically demonstrate Christ’s love. Are you listening? Our neighbors are in need.
Lierte Soares serves the Baptist Churches of New England as the Vice President. He is a pastor, educator, and missionary with a passion for evangelism & discipleship. He has been married for 19 years and the father of 2 children. A graduate in Theology and Law, he also holds a master's degree with a concentration in Cross-Cultural Missions from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, and is currently working on his doctorate in evangelism and missions at the same seminary.
