In Jesus never spoke to prostitutes, one of the members of the UK’s Dream Worship Network points out what all of us know deep down: there is no room for big shots in the body of Christ! It’s a chorus that’s getting louder and more clearly discernible within alternative movements in the Christian community.

Jesus started a new community where there are no VIPs. Where children, the homeless and the elderly get as much status as doctors, directors, and archbishops. In the early days they took it really seriously. They even made the rich people sit in the worst seats as a reminder.

But soon the rot began to creep back in. Those who were leaders (Jesus had called them ’servants’—the cleaners and cooks for the community) reinvented priesthood—or gave it new names like ’senior pastor’. Those who were followers happily colluded, welcoming the chance to confirm their nobody-ness and escape the responsibilities of “ministry”.

Now the real problem, since I tend to view things—might I dare say “more prophetically” without others picking up stones—is that we see just the opposite in our contemporary Christian context. There may be a few places in the world that would be blessed exceptions to this sweeping generalization, but why in God’s name do we continue to perpetuate just the opposite model? Why? Are we afraid? Does it take fire and brimstone to get our attention? Are we so unbelievably compromised that we’re not willing to walk away from status and elitism and benefits and retirement accounts, hoping that God really doesn’t mind all that much?