Just Congregations

More and more Christian writers and speakers are highlighting the theme of justice in the Bible as they express concerns about poverty, human trafficking, consumerism, discrimination, racism and the environment. Young people are fired up by a Christian mission that takes social justice more seriously and provides a platform of credibility and relevance in sharing Christian faith with their generation.

The roots of evangelicalism have a deep concern for injustice, seeing it as sin that needs the redemptive work of Christ. This is a foundational belief for The Salvation Army. In correspondence between the co-founders of The Salvation Army in 1890, William Booth stated his position to wife Catherine: ‘Why all this apparatus of temples and meeting houses to save men from perdition in a world which is to come, while never stretching out to save them from the inferno of their present life?’

But despite increasing enthusiasm toward social justice, evangelical congregations—including our own Salvation Army corps (churches)—often seem to judge the strength and effectiveness of their congregational life on markers more relevant to the era of the 1960s to 1980s. This is unfortunate, and there is a real need to assess the effectiveness and quality of congregational life in a way that ensures the gospel challenge to create a more socially just world is being met through our churches.

The biblical call to justice is clear. As the prophet Micah says:

He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 (RSV)

What then are some markers of a 21st century congregation that incorporates into its life the biblical call to justice?

A congregation answering the call to biblical justice will be inclusive. There will be no place for exclusiveness in any of its acts of service or worship. The good news of justice rejects attitudes or activities that would exclude people because of their race, sexual orientation, social position, abilities, biblical interpretation, mental health, or indeed any other criteria. Social justice in a congregation celebrates ‘the whosoever’ with total integrity.

In their teaching, such congregations will give a central place to the exploration and exposition of the theme of justice in the Bible and in Christian theology. Teaching that will enable people to live justly in every aspect of their lives, including families, business, leisure and politics.

The worship and prayer of a just congregation will connect to the realities of normal life by focusing on attitudes and actions that equip people to be responsible global citizens. Prayers that incorporate global, national and community concerns. Music that helps people feel the injustice of others, while building a determination to personally act in a more socially just way. The God worshipped by these congregations will be a God capable of redeeming the greatest injustice in the world.

Such congregations will have activities that specifically support and strengthen the neighbourhoods and people within their geographical boundaries who are the victims of marginalisation and poverty.

Their biggest contribution, however, will not be the social needs addressed from their building or activities. Rather, it will be the empowerment of people to go out into their communities, workplaces, sports clubs and schools to challenge injustice, living and working to support the most vulnerable. The emphasis will be ministry in the community, not ministry in the congregation.

The suffering of the world will be a constant driver of congre-gational life. It will drive prayer, worship, study and action. Not a localised community church, but a global church where all suffering people are regarded as sons and daughters of the congregation.

The money spent in a congregation that is committed to following the biblical call of justice will be governed not by the need of that congregation to worship and gather, but by a deep desire to see evil defeated and justice restored in the community and the wider world. The first call on money, resources and plant will be to redeem sin in the lives and institutions of the world. Where choice exists, there will be a bias toward those in the greatest need.

Church growth will not usually be measured by the number of people in membership or the attendance at worship, but by the effectiveness of the congregation in bringing redemption to people both the sinned against and the sinners.

With renewed understanding of the evangelical emphasis of a three-dimensional relationship with God—a personal faith walk with God, loving others as we love ourselves, and acting justly—a healthy congregation will measure its effectiveness to ensure it really matters in the world. Matters because it impacts the community by offering the light of justice to those whose world is often made dark by the sin of injustice.

By Campbell Roberts

Major Campbell Roberts is the Director of The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit.  Go to www.salvationarmy.org.nz/socialpolicy for more on the unit’s work to eradicate poverty in NZ.