I recently wrote a story for The Chronicle about a new church that has just recently begun to rent space in a theater complex housed inside a retail complex on the north end of Chehalis. If you got the Saturday paper, I’m sure you read it.

For those of you that didn’t, or would like a recap: the Lord blessed a small church of around 20 with the perfect space, the perfect location and the perfect opportunity to minister to their target demographic.

This didn’t make it into the article, but the target demographic was the poor, destitute and people suffering from general spiritual emptiness — those who need Christ’s salvation. My interview with their pastor provided me with some really good insight into his heart and vision for the community, and frankly I thought it was one every leader should have in their community. Not only to shepherd their church, but to also further the Gospel in the community by actively reaching out to those who have few possessions, barely any money and little to no social status.

I had a chance to sit in and listen to the message when I visited the church, and it was great to see the Word being shared among a small group in an intimate setting. I saw firsthand the people being ministered one to another, and people walked out of the service changed and blessed.

Two years ago, I attended a church that boasted the third-largest church attendance of any in the United States. The sermons were dynamic, the music was loud and jumpin’, the video production was awesome, and the atmosphere was — dare I say, opulent. The Word being preached was the same, the doctrine was similar, but the environment was different.

The church had SO MANY PEOPLE. I felt uncomfortable in such a large crowd, but I noticed one major thing.

Everyone who had any sort of a leadership position, or position of visibility in the church, looked the same. Dressed the same way, thought the same way, spoke the same way. From the young people up to the senior leadership, they all had money, were attractive and always spoke sing-songy positive words about the church and their fellow leaders as if they were part of some elite group that everyone should look up to. It was as if they were all programmed.

I began to befriend many in the church, and in my time doing so, I realized another major truth shaping up in front of my eyes.

Those who wanted to attain the same social standing began to emulate the actions, dress and speech of the most visible people. The church had successfully, outside of preaching the truth, created a subculture that glorified social status.

I wondered if I was back in high school. I eventually left that church because I couldn’t bear the thought of what those who couldn’t afford the same lifestyle but still wanted to attain a leadership position were putting themselves through. Many people in the church were desensitized to what was going on around them because the Word was still being preached, yet they were caught up in “keeping up with the Joneses” so to speak.

Now hear me out: the above were two extreme examples of churches that preach the same message, but the atmosphere and spirit surrounding that message are what make or break it.

This is true for me, and I would bet you a good amount the same would hold true for the spiritually empty in our communities: Christ’s message resonates more coming from the mouth of someone who doesn’t possess much on this earth. In fact, as a person, I’ve always had a tough time making a connection with people who are well off financially and showcase that fact.

Ultimately, the message of the cross is not lost on anyone, no matter who preaches it. I get that. But why do we have to jostle so hard for social status in the place such action should not be tolerated?

By doing so, we are glorifying ourselves more than we ought to. We’re striving for a better lifestyle, more respect among our friends and more influence among the “lesser among us” rather than faith in Christ.

Shame on us.

The kingdom of God is a place that should accept whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord. But in many places, it’s become an atmosphere that welcomes putting on our best appearance and working for the superficial just as much, if not more, than the spiritual.

And we all wonder why the body of Christ is so ineffective at enacting global change for the harvest.

It is my prayer that we all work to think less of ourselves and more about those around us when ministering in any corporate church environment. Then, and only then, will we experience a major growth beyond what we’ve all experienced in the past.

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Comments ( 3 )

This was really good, Chris. I didn’t really pick up on the social status subculture of JRA until after I started attending the church I’m at now and noticed the difference between the two. It was a bit startling, especially when I realized how caught up I was in trying to be in the “cool crowd” at church. Where I’m at now, there’s less pressure to “keep up with the Joneses” and more focus on ministering to whoever walks through the door.

Charlotte added these pithy words on Apr 26 10 at 10:21 pm

Solid, man. Very solid. The quest for social status is pandemic in the American church today. I’ve seen it in the smallest churches…not just the giant behemoths along major highway roads around the country. The “haves” and the “have nots” are established quickly and don’t change readily.

Jason added these pithy words on Apr 28 10 at 8:34 am

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