Who Are We Chasing?

"Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? " (James 2:5)

"But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. " (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

A few years back I remember being given the book "The Fuel and the Flame" by Steve Shadrach to read. To be frank, I wouldn't recommend it; while he seemed genuinely well-intentioned, the author couldn't have written a better guidebook for methodologically-driven, flesh-based campus ministry. However, one particular idea has stuck with me as particularly dangerous and symptomatic of how we view Christianity today. Shadrach discusses three groups of people on campus, the "influencer", the "interested" and the "isolated." He argues that we ought to focus out ministry on individuals which are influencers -- the cool people, the happening people, the people everyone wants to be like. The natural assumption is that by seeking to win over the most desirable college students, the tag-alongs and losers will follow suite.

It seems to me that Scripture presents the exact opposite idea. We aren't supposed to aim at the cool people; James reserves harsh words for those who show this sort of "partiality." Instead, Christians are called to minister and pursue the rejected, the downtrodden, and the shamed. Christ wouldn't have spent his time chasing "Saddleback Sam," as Rick Warren calls the influencers of his church (and incidentally is primary target demographic); instead, the aim of his ministry would be to show gentle love to "Homeless Hank" or "Prostitute Penny". A Christ-like ministry doesn't try to reach the world through the hip and influential; it seeks to reach it through the shamed and despised.

Does this seem like a foolish way to do ministry? Absolutely. But that's the point. As 1 Corinthians points out, God uses the foolish in the world "so that no one may boast before Him." If God used "influencers" to reach "Saddleback Sams," we would be able to stand before Him and say something like, "Gee Lord, good thing I came along, or there's no way You could have done this well." But instead the Lord uses weak vessels to display his power; jars of clay to show that the power and glory belong to Him and not to us.

This sounds great in theory, but giving it feet is hard. Part of me still really wants to be called to minister to the sexy, savvy people rather than the socially dysfunctional ones. This is where my pride shines forth: the real reason I want to minister to "influencers" is not to achieve the most glory for God; its to be glorified myself. I want Jesus to be cool with these people because I want to be cool with them.

However, when I look to those I know in my heart truly need to be ministered th, the spiritually sick and hurting, my pride cringes. Weekly I encounter these people: they're dorky, or dirty. They have few friends. They're mocked and ostrasized by their peers, and often this drives them even deeper into their particular problem. Truth be told, I usually don't want to love these people. Not up close, not personally. Sure, I'll love them from a distance, from inside a group or across a soup kitchen counter. But I don't want them to be my friends, my social group. Yet this is truly Christian love: serving and appreciating someone who can bring you no benefit, no advantage, no honor or service in return. This is precisely the sort of love God shows for us.

So may I, and may we as Christ's body seek to pursue and embrace these people. Let us build our churches out of them and revel in their company. Let us realize, too, that we are not so unlike these people; that if our sins and secrets were as clear to the eye as theirs, that we would be in no less lowly of estates. The Lord is faithful and sovereign, and will accomplish the fullness of His work through such vessels as these. Let us rejoice in Him as he uses frail vessels like us in His service.