When Fear Comes to Church: Hector Alfaro on Pastoring Chicago’s Immigrant Congregations | PT 151

What does ministry look like when your people are afraid to leave their homes? In this heartfelt conversation, Pastor Hector Alfaro joins Tara Beth Leach and Mark Quanstrom to share what Hispanic churches in Chicago are experiencing as ICE activity intensifies. From families torn apart to churches emptied in a matter of weeks, Pastor Hector offers a raw, front-line perspective on shepherding undocumented and mixed-status communities living under daily threat — and the hope the Church must offer in this moment. 🎙️ In This Episode: Hector’s journey from Guatemala to Chicago at age 17The explosive growth of Hispanic churches — and why everything changedHow immigrants encountered Jesus on the journey northWhat ICE presence has done to church attendance, jobs, and daily lifeHow pastors are caring for families living in fearWhy the wider Church must step in with courage, compassion, and resources ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome & introduction to Pastor Hector 01:00 – Leaving Guatemala and adapting to American culture 04:00 – His father’s call to plant Spanish-speaking churches 06:00 – Multinational, multiethnic Hispanic congregations 08:00 – The unique challenges of pastoring undocumented families 10:00 – Immigrants meeting Jesus on the journey north 12:00 – Discipling new believers from Venezuela & Central America 15:00 – ICE presence and fear reshaping entire neighborhoods 17:00 – Families choosing deportation over living in fear 20:00 – Churches providing food, visits, and emergency support 23:00 – Pastors carrying passports — and heavy pastoral burdens 26:00 – Navigating work, danger, and survival 30:00 – How it changes the way a pastor preaches and shepherds 31:30 – A call for the wider Church to step in Pastor Hector reminds us that the Body of Christ is not whole unless we carry one another’s burdens. When some churches worship in fear, the whole Church is called to respond with prayer, presence, and sacrificial love.