Why are our congregations made up of the middle class, but not the poor?
by Rupen Das, Christian Today:
Today, in the 21st century, there are still more than a billion people living on less than a dollar a day. Indeed, more than half of the total population of humanity are still living on less than 10 dollars a day. Even in the UK, around a third of children in the North are now living below the poverty line, with this number actually due to increase in the coming years.
For most of us reading this article, our position of relative privilege has not allowed us to see the world through the eyes of the poor. With little material wealth, the poor are almost always the most vulnerable group within any demographic. You would be forgiven for thinking that this would turn them away from God, citing His apparent lack of concern for their welfare. But you would be mistaken, as multiple surveys have found that the poor are likely to be more religious than even the richest in society.
The question is, why? Why would they turn to a God who has, at least from their perspective, seemingly betrayed them and ignored their destitution? Whilst there are all sorts of research and statistics from Majority World and Western missiologists that we could cite to answer this, one voice lies deafeningly silent on the matter – the poor themselves.
And therein lies the real question: why has the Church failed to ask those living below the poverty line why they believe in Jesus? Why do our congregations continue to be made up primarily of the middle classes?
[Editor’s note: It’s important to add that this question is more relevant in affluent societies than in poorer countries. In much of the global south, churches have come into being and thrive without any input from well-off people “reaching out” to them. Why does this happen in the slums of Africa, Latin America and East Asia, but not in western Europe, US or Australia?]
Related Posts
Tags
Share This
