Natalie Williams & Paul Brown 
Invisible Divides 
Class, culture and barriers to belonging in the Church

We’re called to be like Jesus, not like each other – so why are most Western churches predominantly middle class? Could it be that we’re reaching out to people in poverty, but struggling to connect them into church life?




Natalie Williams and Paul Brown know all too well that those saved from working-class backgrounds often find themselves discipled effectively – but into middle classism rather than authentic Christianity. Drawing on their own experiences, and mixing theory with practical application, they explore the invisible divides that prevent churches from becoming places of true inclusion and keep poor and working-class people on the edges of faith.




Packed full of surprising insights and helpful advice,  
Invisible Divides
 will change the way you see church life. Essential reading for anyone concerned with the class divide within the church, it will challenge you to look at the ways in which we inadvertently exclude, alienate and offend people who aren’t like us, and equip you to start working towards making church a more open, inclusive space for everyone.




Jesus calls for us all to follow him, no matter our background; together, we can break down the invisible divides between us so that people from all walks of life can come to know Christ and find family in our churches.

Table of Content

Contents


Acknowledgements vii




Part 1


IS CLASS AN ISSUE? Introduction 3


1 The missing class 17


2 The call to discipleship 32




Part 2


DIFFERENT WAYS WE THINK AND ACT


3 Faith 43


4 Communication 52


5 Hospitality 61


6 Money and generosity 71


7 Community 80


8 Us and them: attitudes to authority 91


9 Motivations 100


10 Aspirations 108




Part 3


CHURCH LIFE


11 Diverse, not divided 121


12 Meetings 125


13 Leadership 138


Conclusion 151


About Jubilee+ 155


Notes 156


Bibliography 163

About the author

Paul Brown is the son of a lorry driver who left school at 16, and is now minister of a thriving church in Southwark, reaching out to predominantly working class communities. Paul has spoken on the relationship between the church and the white working class at conferences and churches and to different forums of community leaders and members of Parliament. Invisible Divides is his first book.