Where are the odd-shaped people?

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Where are the odd-shaped people?

This church had old pseudo-gothic buildings with sunlight streaming through the stain-glass windows. Up front was the band that is now standard in evangelical churches, pumping out the usual range of contemporary Christian songs. Their work was competent, well-rehearsed and well-presented. Likewise for the worship leader and preacher. However, something jarred. Everyone up front was youngish, healthy, trim, bright-eyed and Caucasian. That was not true of the congregation who were of “all sorts and conditions of men (and women)” as the old prayer book puts it.

Another church had modern purpose-built facilities with an expansive foyer that included an information booth, video displays of current information, comfy lounges and a full-on café. Bravo! The auditorium had a theatre-like feel with sloping floors focussed down to an expansive stage with all the latest in A-V facilities. Again, the music team, worship leader and preacher were well prepared and competent in execution. But once again they were youngish, healthy, trim, bright-eyed and Caucasian.

Here’s another church. It meets in space rented by the hour from a public school, which means a weekly rush to set up and adapt to compromised physical surrounds with patched-up A-V arrangements that sometimes work and sometimes don’t. The music team had some young adults of mixed origins, an older man and was good enough for purpose. A grey-haired Asian man led the service and the Caucasian preacher had an obvious physical disability. The thing is, the people up front reflected the congregation of mixed age, ethnicity and ability and also reflected the surrounding community.

I get it that churches want high standards for those up front in order to lead well-presented and smooth-running worship gatherings.

However, where are the people who reflect the normal range of human beings in age, ethnicity, ability and body-type? Where are the foolish and weak of the world who are not wise and not of high birth, but who instead are lowly and despised (1 Cor 1:26-28)? Where are the people who reflect the Noah’s ark range of God’s church and human society? Where are the odd shaped people?