One of the things that has really been bothering me over the past month is the issue of class within the church, triggered by a particular comment by a friend, well, a month ago. I know the church already has issues with racial integration and reconciliation, but at least there are efforts in that way to improve that situation. The thing that strikes me, however, is how it is still integration only in a "horizontal", not a "vertical" fashion. How does one move "vertically" without appearing patronizing, or, worse yet, that one is "participating in ministry"? I haven't been able to figure out a way to genuinely and authentically break down class barriers, without it appearing terribly contrived.
This is also combined with being disturbed by the notion that churches have "target markets", that is, certain ethnic groups, or the "young urban professional", or students, or homeless people, or what have you. Is this what we're really all about? If I serve a God that prefers the poor and the oppressed (which, by and large, I am neither, and indeed, I do serve a God who does have that inclination), then how am I actively promoting His views, or am I actively standing in His way? Are we all about reaching "our own" "more effectively" by delineating our "target market"? Are we really reflecting the nature of Kingdom when we do?
I do worry that I (that is to say, an educated, upper-middle class urban professional) perhaps may be part of the problem; that perhaps I am being Pharasaical, in that my "elite class", whether on purpose or not, I exclude, I disinvite, people from the wedding feast...
Of course, this is all my luxury, that I can have existential angst about all of this...
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Interesting comment. The phrase you used "effective ministry" made my thoughts go off on a tangent. What do they mean by "effective" ministry and what does that look like? I mean, Christ didn't call us to be "effective" but called us to be in community, which is more often than not, fairly ineffective.
Living in community with each other AND the other is more real, but certainly slow going. Almost, you may wonder, if living in community is "effective" at all, or is it just teaching us valuable lessons in the little/otherwise overlooked ways?
I do hope though, for true integration of ethnicity, economic and gender diversity in church leadership. We will only have this when power is used with an open handed approach and more people are given a voice. Who do we see in leadership in the church? Whose names are important enough to be printed on the bulletin? Are women in roles other than teaching Sunday school and leading worship?
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