INVISIBLE DIVIDES:
Class, culture and barriers to the church
By Natalie Williams and Paul Brown
SPCK. 168 pages. £9.99
ISBN 978 0 281 085 200
The UK church has got in a muddle about class. The muddle is complicated by widespread denial.
This book suggests that one of the reasons is that invisible divides exist in our churches concerning class. Until this is seen as a serious challenge, people are not going to do anything about it. The co-authors, who are both from working-class backgrounds, explore three areas that need to be addressed: Leadership, Discipleship and Preaching.
On Leadership, the authors ask the provocative question: ‘Maybe we should also ask ourselves: would I be as confident in my church leader if his background was as a factory worker or a bricklayer, not a banker or a schoolteacher?’
On Discipleship, I was interested to read the following comment: ‘It is common to see people from poorer backgrounds – people like me – saved and baptised, but not ‘added’ (Acts 2.47)’ Natalie Williams writes about how difficult it can be to fit in if you are different, find navigating the Christian world a struggle, or are a slow work in progress.
On Preaching, the authors suggest that preachers need to think through the language and illustrations used in preaching, so that they will land well for all types of people.
I grew up on a council estate, so reading this book stirred up memories of my first visits to church; it made me think, smile, laugh and cry. Williams and Brown write with awareness, clarity and compassion. Read Invisible Divides praying to see the divides and do something to demolish them. Doing so will be like putting a huge neon welcome sign over your church door!
