How Global Trade Expands God’s Kingdom
By Executive Editor John Yoder
In our previous blog, I shared how throughout the Bible and church history God used involuntary migration such as persecution to expand the Kingdom. In this blog I want to share how God uses voluntary migration in the same way. Involuntary migration refers to leaving one’s homeland to escape war, persecution or natural disasters. Voluntary migration refers to leaving one’s homeland for better work or educational opportunities, or to be reunited with family members.
One Bible example of global trade expanding the Kingdom is the story of Aquila and Priscilla. Acts 18:1-3 “After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.”
Aquila was a Jewish native of Turkey (Pontus) who held an international job in Italy (Rome) for some time, but had to relocate to Greece (Corinth) because of persecution. Aquila was a tentmaker, a trade that might be comparable to an airplane mechanic or pipefitter today. Since Rome was the center of the Western world at that time, it’s likely tradespeople earned a higher wage there than in their homelands.
Aquila and Priscilla became some of Paul’s closest ministry teammates. Acts 18:26 tells us they gave Bible instruction to Apollos. 1 Corinthians 16:19 says they held church services in their home. In Romans 16:3, Paul calls them fellow workers who had impacted all the nearby Gentile churches.
There are numerous other Bible examples where God used voluntary migration to expand the Kingdom:
- Abram left Ur to ultimately inherit the Promised Land
- Lydia conducted international trade in textile dyes, leaving her native Turkey (Thyatira) to conduct business in Greece (Philippi)
- Apollos traveled from Egypt (Alexandria) and proclaimed a powerful gospel message in Greece (Ephesus)
Today, people from around the world flock to wealthier nations for better work or educational opportunities, or to be reunited with family. In many cases, extended families choose their brightest and healthiest members to move abroad, hoping that they will wire part of their salaries home as remittances. Economists debate whether immigration is good or bad for the economy of the receiving nation. What we do know is that when devout Christians move to any country, they make the Body of Christ in that country stronger.
How should we native-born Christians treat fellow believers who come to our countries to take advantage of better opportunities? Let me repeat what I said in our previous blog about those who come due to persecution.
The short letter of Third John offers an idea. 3 John 5-8 “Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the Gentiles. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.”
It strengthens the church in any nation when Christians from another nation move among them. It is only wise, and maybe even a bit self-serving, to help them adjust to life in their new homeland. Of course, Christians are commanded to love all foreigners (Leviticus 19:33-34), but there is a particular benefit to the church when we help fellow believers adjust to our systems and customs. If you are concerned for the spiritual future of America, one of the wisest steps you can take is to assist believers from other lands who are new to your community.