The Cost of Discipleship

This isn't a post about Bonhoeffer's book... or anything to do with it... it's a bit of a rant!

Why is everything in the Christian world so expensive!?  It worries me that we are perpetuating the middle classness of the Church here in the UK, by pricing people out of participation... something like Spring Harvest for example will cost a family of four (2 Adults 2 Kids) somewhere in the region of £630 - more than we pay for our annual family Holiday!... The kind of venues Churches use for weekends away can cost £50 pre night per person... training courses cost a fortune etc. etc.  I appreciate that things like residentials are good for building community, but can't we find more inclusive ways of going away together?  We for example only go to places that are self-catering, we use hostel type accommodation, in future we might even camp!  Greenbelt for us as a community is only really possible because we contribute and therefore get free passes to the festival.  I'm pleased to say that the gatherings of emerging communities network tend to try to keep the cost down (thanks to the hard work of folk like Jonny Baker) - including pitching in, serving each other, not having key-note speakers, using accessible and cheap places etc.  But so often this seems not to be the case.  I know many Churches will offset the cost for some who cannot afford it, but even this makes me feel a bit uncomfortable - doesn't it, even with the best intentions turn some into "charity cases"... what does this do for people self-esteem etc. ?  I guess we (Middle Class Christians) have become too comfortable, we expect a certain level of luxury, a good standard of accommodation etc. etc. but in our niceness aren't we making involvement in our communities exclusive?

I wonder if it's time for a rethink... maybe change the culture from the bottom up... to put ourselves out to be much more inclusive and respectful to people who do not have quite the disposable income that the average Church member has!

Technorati Tags: Cash: Church: Community: Culture: Emerging Church

Comments

[Carole]

You are so right. Can I join in? We did Spring Harvest a couple of times and in the end we just couldn't justify the expense. I was new to church activities and when I arrived at Minehead the whole thing, as much as I enjoyed it, was tainted with the air of an exclusive middle class club - oh, it was all such amazing fun, roughing it at Butlins like the great unwashed! When I was a kid I used to aspire to hols at Butlins! But as expensive as it is, there is never a shortage of takers.

There is an expectation that as a Christian you can constantly shell out for things. The fact is, a lot of people on low incomes these days don't look particularly impoverished and that leads to wrong assumptions about disposable income. We all cry off a night out occasionally because of lack of funds - but church shouldn't get like that, should it?

[gareth]

couldn't agree more mark... we struggled with this at moot for our weekends away - with some having no problem paying £150 for 2 nights, and other struggling to pay £40. It's a tough one - but I feel the emerging church for all its talk of inclusiveness still struggles to get away from comfortably looking after your self at the cost of the company – fellowship/koinonia – with others. I feel this even more now as a skint student.

I am hoping the oxford gathering will be accommodating to people who would benefit from being there but cannot afford the £100+ that it could potentially cost - bring on a YHA again eh :-)

[chris]

Bang on target Mark!

I suppose the danger for all of us is that Christian community becomes a middle class life style choice, rich with consumer-driven decisions about books, CDs, technological toys, and ultimately, expensive retreat destinations...

That is not to say that folk should not be allowed to make a living who run such things- and they can be expensive. But I reckon that we are so used to having experiences laid on for us fully catered- that we forget that time spent together, listening and loving is the aim- not the wisdom of a minor emerging celebrity, nor the obscure artistry from some other place, that we borrow to bring meaning.

Camping- it's good for the soul (if not the lumbago!)

Or borrow a slice of plastic paradise- a caravan...

Or perhaps I go too far!

[Simon Cross]

Preach it brother.

I was encouraged recently reading TSK's write up of the Slot festival over the water, and I have been thinking and beginning to blog about the practicalities of trying to facilitate something similar over here. Fancy joining forces?

[Matybigfro]

amen brother

If you think spring harvest is expensive think about the new wine system where you don't even get accommodation and its still soo expensive and poor kids get dragged along as their only holiday that summer

I've attended as a skint kid both expensive and non expensive christian stuff

as a early teen my mom would apply to crusader bursaries to pay for me to go on the holidays which i totally loved and appreciated and at the time totally dug that someone gave money to help me go (although i noticed more that it was still very hard for my mom to scrimp and save the rest of the money need for me to go as she was on benefits) i guess now i would feel a little patronized which is probably why i never applied to the bursaries that were available to help raise the cost's of the year out I took (and instead took generous donations from my very rich church happily)

I think what i noticed and struggled with more as the kid of a single parent was just the being poor compared to (in my opinion) richer kids i was with and to be honest there was probably less of difference in my church peers to my school ones but more noticable difference in groups like crusaders, boy's brigade and other churches. It came down most to thinks like clothes and possessions (not having a computer, sky TV or the latest games machine) and sometimes not getting to go on the trips and so I was often more thankful that i could just get in on it.

The big difference was relationship when someone I knew said don't worry about money we'll take care of it there was no shame and no scrutiny and felt soo good. Filling in forms proving that you were deserving enough and writing off and having to ask is humiliating and dehumanizing and i think it is that side of the system that is really hurtful.

So viva La cheap
Which reminds me of 'cultural shift' run by folks to do with 24\7 prayer and roger ellis lot. it was one of the conference's i attended at the end of my teen's during a second year out(read ultra skint) while i was totally obsessed by youth churchness and still very charismatic. anyway i think it was like less than 50 quid for the weekend might have even been 25 and cos it was hosted in Southampton community church they lett bums like me crash in the building upstairs for like a tenner or less. I mucho liked.

cheapo is the future