Trends is Spanish Language Capability Among Immigrant Children: Effects on Evangelism

Abstract

One challenge for multicultural congregational outreach is the language barrier. Spanish is a growing language in the United States and is also on the rise within WELS congregations. As the church works with Latinos, it is unwise to assume that the Spanish language will always be the default mode of operation. Although immigrants will continue to come to the United States, there has been a shift in the growth of the Hispanic population. The majority of Latinos living in the United States have been born here. These generations that have been born in the U.S. also have their own preference and ability when it comes to speaking Spanish. This thesis looks at the data that has been collected throughout the U.S. shows the trends in Spanish-speaking capability among the subsequent generations of immigrant children. Once these trends are observed and factors determined, the church can have a better idea how to reach out to U.S.-born Latinos with the gospel.