What if churches fail to see the biggest shifts shaping ministry by 2030? Trend #5 – Increasing inequality and social injustice

I’ve asked ChatGPT to suggest the Top Ten Disruptive Trends for Ministry by 2030, and some strategies to address them. This is an experiment in seeing how we might use ChatGPT in ministry (See more here). Everything in this post is generated by me, 100%, apart from the Chat GPT response which I’ve highlighted in blue.

I asked: I want you to be my research assistant. I am the pastor of an evangelical church in London. From the vantage point of 2030, what will be the ten most disruptive trends for churches and pastors? Bear in mind that the UK, and London in particular, is very different from North America. For each one, give me some actionable strategies.

Here’s the next issue: Economic Inequality and Social Justice

• Trend: London’s wealth gap will likely continue to widen, exacerbating housing crises, food poverty, and social exclusion.
• Disruption: Churches will face increasing expectations to serve as hubs of social support, while also addressing systemic injustices prophetically.

Challenge: Addressing deep social and economic divides in an unequal city.

1. Be a Hub for Practical Support:

• Run food banks, financial literacy workshops, and affordable childcare programs.

• Partner with local charities and social services.

2. Advocate Prophetically for Justice:

• Speak out against systemic injustices such as exploitative housing or wage practices.

• Empower congregants to be advocates in their workplaces and communities.

3. Foster Economic Inclusion Within the Church:

• Offer sponsorships for church events and retreats for those who can’t afford them.

• Create job support networks within the congregation.

The Trend: A Widening Wealth Gap

You know, I think this is true, and if we’re not careful we won’t spot it.

‘We’ in that sentence means, broadly, established, evangelical/charismatic churches. Why we may not spot the economic issues, probably has three roots.

We look elsewhere

First, we tend look in a different direction.  Our focus might be on heavenly or spiritual realities, the engagement in worship, the faithfulness and relevance of our teaching.  Or maybe it’s on something more visible, like the quality of our fellowship, the fervency of our prayer life, the nature and patterns of discipleship.  

Those are all essential.  But it is essential we do them fully. So to pray, teach and strategise over the richness of our fellowship, but not to consider the tensions caused by economic disparity would actually be to fail in considering fellowship properly. ‘Fellowship’ cannot be merely a matter of bible study, because our bible study ought to make us consider wider ramifications (See James 2, for instance). So too prayer, worship, and all our other essential activities.

The false divide

Second, and connected, because we tend to lean into that direction, we’ve tended to associate those who lean in a different direction with those more practically-based actions. Put bluntly, we think liberal churches have lost the gospel, and replaced the gospel with social action. And we think that engaging in social action is therefore a mark of losing the gospel.

I know that’s a caricature, but is it recognisable?

One of the great gifts Tim Keller gave us, was a refusal to cave in before false choices.  He insisted on evangelism and mercy ministries.  Biblical faithfulness and cultural relevance.  The blessings that come from both ends of the political spectrum.  (If Keller is new to you, I recommend his overview Center Church, and his more focussed Mercy Ministries).

The Affluence Factor

And the third, most uncomfortable reason, is that what I’ve broadly called ‘established, evangelical/charismatic churches’ tend to be placed in areas of relative affluence.  Now this is tricky to maintain, because if you look at the very largest churches in London, it’s obvious that several of them do not fit this pattern.  Although since they gather people from across the city, their precise location on Sundays might be less relevant

And it’s also true that if you travel round, you’ll see buildings with signs that indicate a good socio-economic spread. However if you step into one on Sundays, you’ll find that many (most?) are on the very small scale, and almost permanently on the edge of closure.

I’d still maintain that in general, overall, the kind of churches I’m talking about tend to flow to areas of relative posterity.  Relative, because I’m not suggesting that Christians flock to where the money is! But the difficult truth is that establishing and maintaining a congregation with a staff team, good facilities and a full programme tends to need a critical mass not just of people, but of their giving.

And that might simply mean that we are socially distant from many of the rougher areas of town. Our sisters and brothers.

In case anyone is wondering, I don’t think that is a good plan.

You see, if Chat GPT is right, that  London’s wealth gap will likely continue to widen, exacerbating housing crises, food poverty, and social exclusion, then that will drive us further apart.  And we won’t even see that challenges that many of our brothers and sisters are facing.

If London’s wealth gap widens, exacerbating housing crises, food poverty, and social exclusion, then that will drive us further apart.

I’ll throw a fourth reason into the pot as a bonus.  For all sorts of reasons, clothes hide this.  The casual, easy style that is now our default, serves to mask disparities in prosperity.  A wealthy solicitor turns up to church in a pair of jeans and a jumper.  So does a single dad who is struggling to make ends meet.  In fact, he probably feels a pressure to mask his financial needs, by smartening up a bit, and the solicitor won’t wear the kind of outfit she wears to the office, or even the smart-casual that works for drinks with her colleagues. 

Now, ChatGPT’s solutions are all a bit blunt, I think, and need first their explicit gospel base.  We need to establish that encase we are the household of God, and if one suffers we all suffer.  So off with the masks, and let’s be honest.

Chat GPT’s suggested strategies

Now let’s look at Chat GPT’s strategies

1. Be a Hub for Practical Support:

• Run food banks, financial literacy workshops, and affordable childcare programs.

• Partner with local charities and social services.

2. Advocate Prophetically for Justice:

• Speak out against systemic injustices such as exploitative housing or wage practices.

• Empower congregants to be advocates in their workplaces and communities.

3. Foster Economic Inclusion Within the Church:

• Offer sponsorships for church events and retreats for those who can’t afford them.

• Create job support networks within the congregation.

I find that a stimulating list.  Why so?  Because when I agree with them, I have to ask myself what it would take to put them into action.  And when I disagree with any, I need to justify with myself why that is so.

For myself, I’m in strong sympathy with everything under points 1 and 3, but sit more uncomfortably with point 2.  I think that’s because points 1 and 3 are much more relational in tone, as well as being less polarising.  The points under 2 tend to be outward facing and declarative, and I don’t tend to feel that’s my role as a local pastor.

What have I learnt?

That ChatGPT has again alerted me to a trend, and in this case one that is not on a straight line.  There will likely be increasing wealth inequality within the church family over the next five years, and our concern must be that the ones bearing the increasing burden should have that ameliorated as much as possible.  Certainly our expected habits (books to be bought, weekends away to be attended) should be planned with an eye to the affordability for most members, and help given to the remainder.

What I’m also learning is that ChatGPT works best when you engage with it as if you were in a conversation.  Task it to drill down further into one of its suggestions.  What would be the principal reason for and against?  Are there any alternatives?  How might it be implemented?

Treating it as an endlessly willing and patient, but slightly dim, assistant can pay real dividends.

Have you noticed economic disparity within your own church? How is it shaping your ministry?

Pile in!