Is Your Ministry Built On Privilege?

As a white man who grew up in an affluent area of the country, I have to remind myself often that I’m privileged. There are decisions I’ve never had to made or things I’ve never had to consider because of who I am. While it’s something I’ve been working on in my personal life over the years, recent events and conversations have made me wonder, “How privileged is the ministry I’m running?”

I’ve always worked in suburbia, and both parishes have been predominantly white. While my current parish has a growing Hispanic population, it’s easy for me to default to a strategy that isn’t accessible for everyone. When we don’t ask the question, “Am I running a ministry of privilege?” then we can easily find ourselves feeding into sinful systems like racism, xenophobia, and chauvinism.

Maybe I’m a little harsh, but the reality is if we don’t take the time to analyze:

What we do

Why we do what we do

Who we impact  

then we’re going to unintentionally create broken systems that will lead to disaffiliation and fraction within our parishes. While it’s best to take this time to analyze what you do as a ministry, you might not know where to start. So consider looking at:

REGISTRATION FEES AND MINISTRY COSTS

Some experiences and opportunities are worth the costs; the problem is that the prices are not accessible to everyone. When it comes to the question, “What should I charge?” it’s difficult because you don’t want to price people out; yet, can’t put the parish in debt. If your congregation can afford to send your teens to specific experiences, then take advantage, but also realize that not every Church has the ability to do the same. 

If your parish serves a diverse community, then it’s essential to make sure that what you charge does not price out a particular demographic. Unfortunately, some experiences are too expensive and, therefore, are not worth it. Before you design your ideal ministry, make sure you know what’s realistic. If an opportunity is too good to pass, but teens can’t afford it, then you, as a leader, need to raise the majority of the funds because putting it on the teens will make it clear who the HAVES are and who are the HAVE NOTS.

The best longterm solution is to speak with your pastor about increasing the giving at the parish. Tithing goes a long way and is less distracting than traditional fundraising. As leaders in our parish, we should be talking more about giving. While not everyone can give the same, it can go to fund efforts that would not single out participants based on demographics.

WHO YOU DESIGNATE AS LEADERS AND ROLE MODELS

When you look at your leaders, do they represent who you are trying to reach, or do they only represent the privileged? The adult and student leaders in your ministry are given a responsibility that others do not have. If they only represent a particular demographic or culture, it can communicate the wrong message. Teens need to see someone like them speaking or leading; if they don’t, they will feel like the Church has nothing to offer them.

To grow and diversify, your ministry team means going beyond your office walls and meeting people in your congregation. It’s planting the vision you have for young people in their hearts and minds and inviting them to be a part of something bigger. This change takes time, and it requires stepping out of your comfort zone; however, your efforts are worth it because you’ll expand your ministry’s capacity in ways you could not do on your own.

It’s also important to consider this when asking people to share a witness talk or teach on a subject. Is their voice different from yours? Who may they reach that you haven’t been able to before? Don’t let convenience get in the way of showing teens how the Church is Universal.

THE COMMUNICATED PURPOSE AND VALUE OF OUTREACH

Outreach and mission trips are meant to share God’s love and bring healing to a broken world. Unfortunately, there are times when our role in the process gets misconstrued. We want to help others; however, sometimes, our helping can do more damage. When you come from a place of privilege, it’s easy to believe that you have all the answers and solutions to people’s problems. The reality is that service is more of an opportunity for humility and solidarity than it is for problem-solving.

As you develop an outreach strategy in your youth ministry, make sure your teaching teens that while they can be a part of the solution that they aren’t the total answer. Show your students that walking into a community that is different from theirs is an opportunity for them to learn and grow to know Christ. Remind them that the relationships they form will lead to the healing everyone involved needs.

Recognizing privilege is difficult because it can bring us out of our comfort zones. It takes humility to create a ministry that is accessible and inclusive. It’s a process of discernment to make sure our decisions don’t unfairly limit who can and cannot participate. Take this time to examine your ministry systems and structures. Ask the tough questions, and don’t be afraid to make the necessary changes to building an accessible and welcoming youth ministry.

What are other areas of privilege we can create in our ministries?