Why Are Churches Afraid to Engage the Refugee Crisis?

Fear is preventing more Christian churches in America from helping refugees coming into the country.

World Relief reports that there are some 20 million refugees in the world, including 4 million from Syria.

According to a new survey by LifeWay Research, Protestant churches and their pastors want to help refugees but are afraid.

"Pastors believe Scripture tells Christians to care for refugees and foreigners," said Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research.

The telephone survey of 1,000 senior pastors, was conducted in January and was sponsored by World Relief.

It found more than 8 in 10 (86 percent) agree that Christians should "care sacrificially for refugees and foreigners."

One in 10 disagreed.

Eighty percent of pastors consider it a privilege to care for refugees while 13 percent disagree.

Two-thirds (67 percent) said the United States can balance national security interests with compassion when assisting refugees. About 28 percent are skeptical. Six percent said they are not sure.

But the research did show that some churches are helping the displaced.

One in 5 pastors in the United States said their church is helping refugees overseas and 1 in 3 have addressed the Syrian refugee crisis rom the pulpit.

Forty-four percent believe there is a sense of fear in their congregations surrounding refugees entering the U.S.