The church has long been a symbol of hope, a refuge for those in need. Yet, we must ask ourselves – are we really living up to our calling to care for the poor and oppressed as God’s people? Or are we unconsciously excluding the marginalised from our congregations? Let’s think about what it means to love and include the stranger1.
The Uncomfortable Truth
In 2015 Barna research revealed that over 80% of practising Christians in England have a university education or an equivalent professional qualification. This finding confirms what many of us have seen or instinctively felt – the poor and marginalised are not well represented in our churches.
This means the disadvantage faced in marginalised communities is frequently misjudged, under-appreciated, or only understood intellectually by those from the outside. It is unsurprising that many of us feel ill-equipped to share Jesus and build relationships in marginalised communities. As some churches close in marginalised communities it can even appear that churches are retreating to the safety of the suburbs as our influence declines and our models feel unsustainable.
A Charitable service or a Family to join?
Christians and churches have a rich evangelical heritage and continue to be at the forefront of justice and care issues. However, while many benefit from outreach programs like food banks and language classes, they rarely become an integral part of the church family. We tend to operate more like a charitable service than a part of the family. We have kept the marginalised at arm’s length, offering a hand-out rather than our hand up and out of their struggles.
Our outreach, intended to help, can engender feelings of shame, unworthiness and an ‘us and them’ mindset. Differences become more apparent, and the cultural distance makes building relationships more daunting. We have created spaces for the marginalised but relational barriers have hindered missional progress, we need a shift in our practice.
A Fresh Perspective
- Inclusion over Care - Caring for the marginalised cannot be achieved from a distance. God liberated the oppressed from slavery2 and established protection and provision for the poor and foreigner within community3. Jesus demonstrated and proclaimed good news for the poor, freedom for the oppressed and sight for the blind4. Like Jesus’ first followers, our responsibility is to include marginalised people in our church families5.
- Commitment over Comfort – This prospect can be unsettling because we fear inconvenience in our comfort. Relationships take time, especially where culture and values are different. The attitudes and actions we encounter can push the boundaries of relationships and cause conflict. We must resist the temptation to choose the comfort of our own homogeneous communities
- Counting the Cost – Jesus’ association with marginalised people was costly. As Jesus allowed a sinful woman to wash his feet6 and ate at the home of a tax collector7, his reputation among the religious elite was damaged. Jesus stops the travelling crowd when he is touched by an unclean woman, she is healed because of her faith and Jesus acknowledges her publicly, not to shame her, but to restore her status among the community8. As Jesus associates with the marginalised there is a cost to his status and reputation but in doing so, he elevates those who have been marginalised into roles of service and discipleship. Reputational damage may be part of the cost, but we are in good company with Jesus.
- Changing Church – The deeper we appreciate the needs of marginalised people the more willing we will be to accommodate them within church life by changing or adapting the way we do things. Like the reformers who made sure the people could hear and read the bible in their own language we must translate the indecipherable parts of our church services. It’s about hospitality for unchurched people where a worship service may be a new experience in a ‘strange building, among unfamiliar people to hear a mysterious message’ B. Accommodation may include sign-posting elements of church services and faith; changing words or phrases to make them more easily understandable; not expecting prior knowledge or experience; and making the atmosphere more sensitive to unchurched people.
Being Part of the Solution
Undoubtedly these represent significant challenges to our traditional models of mission, our comfort, and even our church gatherings but ‘being with at-risk people is not an optional extra but a vital expression of Christian discipleship, just as it was a vital part of Jesus’ ministry on earth’ C.
We can step out in faith and obedience into who God has called and created us to be. As we journey with marginalised people our hearts will be changed, we will advocate for them in prayer and to those around us. We will want to change to accommodate brothers and sisters from marginalised communities in a shared faith community. Only then, will we respond holistically as we understand their needs and we will be enriched in life and faith as we see the ways God is using their stories and gifts in our lives.
FOOTNOTES
A Talking Jesus Report 2015, pg7, Barna Group
B Mind the (Mission) Gap, 2019, Neil Harrison, Presbyterian Church in Ireland Blog
C ’At Risk’ People – Lausanne Occasional Paper 34, 2004
BIBLE REFERENCES
(1) Lev 19.34, (2) Ex. 3:7-10, (3) Ps. 82:3-4; Ex. 19:9,33-34, (4) Luke 4:18-19, (5) James.1:27, (6) Luke 7:39, (7) Mark 2:13-17, (8) Luke 8:43-48.