Is the Church Middle-Class?

What a question!  But is she?  Does she favour the well educated above the less well educated, and does she do that by promoting the educated to the virtual exclusion of others?  When elders are to be appointed, who do church members naturally go for?  The farmers, doctors, solicitors, and other professionals, regardless of whether or not they meet the biblical qualifications for that office, as taught by Paul in 1 Tim.3:1-7 and in Titus 1.

Why is it that young people are taught that the way to show that they are good [denominational name] members, they must do well in their school work and in the terminal examinations?  Whilst I have had the privilege of a good education, and would not despise such, it has almost got to the point where this is preferred over most other things!  A good education together with a 'clean nose' (ecclesiastically speaking) will ensure that you are admitted to full church membership.  It does not seem to matter much if the individual does not have a genuine spiritual experience to profess, so long as s/he is upright, decent and moral.

This is one of the things that has contributed to the middle class image of large tracts of the Christian church in these islands.  She seems to have totally forgotten that Paul tells us that through the death of Christ, the middle wall of partition has been broken down between the various parts of society and church.  But no.  These are now being erected again by the church which Christ has purchased with His own blood.  Indeed, Paul would have been most welcome into church leadership, and Luke the doctor, and Matthew the inland revenue man; but would Peter the fisherman, or James or John? 

How many churches today have well educated people in the leadership, but no less well educated?  I admit that a gifted Christian person is a great asset to the life and work of the church.  But as Robert Murray McCheyne reminds us, "It is not great gifts that God uses, but great likeness to Jesus.  A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God."

When considering people for church leadership, do we look for Christlikeness as we ought?  Do we do it at all?  Is this the only essential qualification for church leadership?  Timothy's list of qualifications for the church's eldership can be boiled down to "great likeness to Jesus."  Where this is the determining qualification and possession of potential leaders, the church has a glorious future because God's blueprint for the church's life and witness is being followed.  But where this is not being followed, the church can only look on in despair at what will be its lot.