Adam McLane

The Gospel is Social

As I mentioned in my post last night, my head is spinning a little as I think about today’s evangelical church.

And yet I know that simply by saying that the evangelical church should stop doing church the way they currently that some people will instantly categorize my thought as “social gospel” in order to ignore what God is doing in my heart.

Here’s the thing. The gospel a social gospel. Pure and simple. Jesus didn’t just come to make a way for us to experience salvation. He also came that we may “do good works” to help bring the Kingdom of God to the people. This means bringing justice and mercy to people who experience injustice and no mercy.

This is what I’m really asking. Is there any way that the church can stop discriminating? Is there any way we can try to reach all people? Or are we doomed to see the evangelical church target rich white people for another generation? And will that generation tolerate classism towards everyone who is not rich & white?

What do you think?

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3 responses to “The Gospel is Social”

  1. Matt Cleaver Avatar
    Matt Cleaver

    The only way we can stop targeting rich white people is to fundamentally change our ecclesiology. Our churches operate on way too tight of margins, have too much money tied up in property and staff, and still don’t grasp our calling. I’m sick of hearing people calling giving to churches “giving to God” when that money goes to pay the youth pastor so your kids will be good kids, to pay the pastor who preaches good sermons, to buy the coffee and donuts you like to drink and eat on Sunday mornings, to build the cushy buildings you like to sit in, and on and on.

    Here’s one way for churches to radically shift the way they operate: begin to shift your budget so that 50% of your intake goes outside of the church. That will force people to rethink mission, discipleship, justice, what it means to be the church, and a whole host of other things. As long as 95% of the tithe stays inside the church, we’re just spinning our wheels.

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  2. adam mclane Avatar
    adam mclane

    Preach Matt. Seriously, I look at 90% of the stuff churches spend money on and I get sick. I truly think a lot of churches need to sell their properties… for them, it’s more an idol that holds them back than a facility that makes them better.

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  3. Kevin I Avatar
    Kevin I

    It takes a mantra of “Church isn’t about me” start making a distinction between what are things you stand for and what are matters of personal preference you cling to. Let a lot of that stuff become fluid, the programs, music, styles, facility usage etc.

    That way you can reach out to the actual community you are in instead of building a secret sub-community inside of likeminded people.

    I think that goes a long way to not discriminating when it becomes about Christ and the Gospel and less about our own pet preferences.

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