Overcoming Favoritism in the Church: Embracing Hospitality and True Community (James 2)
Understanding Favoritism: Lessons from James 2
When Mahatma Gandhi was a young student, he considered becoming a Christian. Moved by the Gospels, he visited a local church one Sunday, hoping to speak with the pastor about salvation. But when he entered, the ushers refused to give him a seat, telling him to "go worship with his people." Gandhi left and never returned, later saying, "If Christians have caste differences also, I might as well remain a Hindu." (Adapted from "The Story of My Experiments with Truth,” by M.K. Gandhi).
This heartbreaking story illustrates precisely what James warns against in James 2:1-13:
"My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism."
It's a straightforward command that many churches still struggle with today. But what exactly is favoritism in church, and why does it matter to God?
Imagine walking into a church service. A well-dressed businessman enters at the same time as a teenager with torn jeans and piercings. Observe. Who gets the warmer welcome? Who gets directed to the front rows? Who gets invited to coffee after service? James describes this scenario in his letter, contrasting how people treat someone wearing expensive clothes versus someone in shabby clothes.
Today, favoritism might look different, but it feels just as painful:
The social media influencer who gets special attention
The wealthy donor who receives preferential treatment
The family "from the right side of town" who gets immediate inclusion
The professional with the impressive job title who gets fast-tracked to leadership
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Why Favoritism Matters: God's Perspective
James gives us three compelling reasons why favoritism is wrong:
First, it denies God's sovereignty.
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? (James 2:5).
When we decide who deserves our attention and respect, we play God. We're saying we know better than Him about who belongs in His family.
Second, it violates God's royal law.
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers (James 2:8-9).
There's no loophole here. You can't claim to love God while discriminating against the people He created.
Third, it contradicts God's mercy.
Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! (James 2:13).
Do you remember how much mercy God showed you? That should transform how you treat others. So, how do we fight favoritism in our hearts and churches?
Recognizing Our Biases: Self-Reflection for Change
Let's be brutally honest with ourselves for a moment. What's your first thought when someone walks in with tattoos covering their arms? When you hear someone speaking broken English, what assumptions rush your mind? When you learn someone is unemployed – or conversely, that they're a CEO – how does it affect your treatment of them? These split-second reactions reveal what's in our hearts, and it's time for deep self-reflection.
These split-second reactions reveal what's really in our hearts. Maybe you tense up when someone dressed in worn-out clothes sits beside you. Perhaps you unconsciously smile bigger at the person wearing designer labels. Or you might speak more slowly to someone with an accent, assuming they won't understand you.
Take a moment right now and ask yourself these searching questions:
Do I give more weight to the opinions of wealthy church members?
Do I unconsciously avoid sitting next to certain types of people?
Would I be equally excited about my child's friend coming from a mansion or a homeless shelter?
Do I treat the janitor with the same respect as the senior pastor?
Recognition isn't just the first step toward change; it's a powerful catalyst for repentance and transformation. When we expose these biases to the light of God's truth, we begin to see people as He sees them: image-bearers of infinite worth, each one purchased with the precious blood of Jesus. This recognition is enlightening; it opens our eyes to the actual value of every individual.
Jesus didn't check bank accounts before healing people, verify social status before offering living water, or examine résumés before calling disciples. And if we're honest, we would not qualify for God's favor based on external criteria (we’ve all sinned and come up short, right).
Paul’s words to the Corinthians ring out:
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the world's foolish things to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 1:26-27)
Expanding Your Circle: Building Genuine Connections
Let's be bold: When did you last share a meal with someone who makes you uncomfortable? I'm not talking about polite small talk in the church foyer – I mean genuine, heart-to-heart connection with someone whose life looks radically different from yours. This is not just a suggestion; it's a call to action.
Jesus was notorious for crossing social boundaries. He dined with tax collectors, touched lepers, spoke with Samaritan women, and welcomed children. His critics called Him a "friend of sinners" – and He took it as a compliment. Yet somehow, we've created Christian bubbles where everyone looks, thinks, and lives just like us.
It's time to burst that bubble!
Start with simple steps that push you out of your comfort zone:
Invite that single mom and her rowdy kids over for Sunday lunch
Join a small group in a different part of town
Volunteer at a local shelter or community center
Strike up conversations with people you'd normally walk past
Accept invitations to homes and neighborhoods that feel "different"
But here's the crucial part: Don't approach these connections as ministry projects or good deeds. Come as a learner, a friend, an equal. You'll likely discover that the people you've been avoiding have incredible stories of God's faithfulness, wisdom you never expected, and perspectives that could transform your faith journey.
The early church was revolutionary precisely because it brought together people who would never usually associate with— slaves and masters, Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, men and women. When we segregate ourselves – even unintentionally – we rob the gospel of its power to break down walls.
The Kingdom of God isn't a country club for people who have it all together. It's a family reunion where former strangers become brothers and sisters. Isn't it time your circle reflected that reality?
Practicing Radical Hospitality: Welcoming All
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2).
This verse isn't just about being polite – it's about understanding that every encounter holds divine potential.
Think about this: The same Jesus with nowhere to lay His head relies on us to be His welcoming committee. When someone steps into our church, they're not just entering a building but potentially encountering the living God. How devastating would it be if our cold shoulders or dismissive glances became a barrier between someone and Jesus?
Let's get practical about biblical welcoming:
Arrive at church early specifically to look for newcomers
Leave comfortable conversations with your friends to sit with someone alone
Save the best seats for guests, not your usual spot
Invite people into your home - yes, even when it's messy
Remember names and details from previous conversations
Follow-up with people who've visited - a text or call can mean everything
But here's the heart behind these actions: Remember your own story. Remember when you were the outsider? Remember when you needed grace. As Paul writes,
You were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:12-13).
The early church was known for its radical hospitality. It shared meals daily, opened its homes, and made room at its tables for everyone. This wasn't just good behavior to earn merit with God—it was a revolutionary act that demonstrated the boundary-breaking power of the gospel.
When we practice biblical hospitality, we're not just being friendly. No! We're participating in God's reconciling work. We declare that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. We're proclaiming that in God's house, there are no strangers – only family we haven't met yet.
Here's the beautiful truth: You're living out the gospel story every time you welcome someone. Just as Christ welcomed you when you were still a sinner, your welcome could be what God uses to draw someone into His family. Your smile, invitation, and genuine interest in someone's story aren't small things. They're compelling echoes of God's welcome to all who come to Him.
Examine Church Systems: Leaders, This One's On Us
Church leaders, we need to have an honest conversation. While individual hearts matter, the systems we create and maintain can break down or reinforce barriers to genuine hospitality. As James makes clear when we create environments where some feel more valued than others, we're not just being unfriendly – we're sinning against God's design for His church.
The uncomfortable truth is that many of our church structures subtly reinforce favoritism. Our leadership teams often reflect our comfort zones rather than our communities. Our ministry requirements – from time commitments to financial expectations to dress codes – may inadvertently exclude the poor, single parents, or shift workers.
Even our church budgets can reveal preferential treatment, while our small groups quietly segregate along socioeconomic lines. Service times, worship styles, and locations often make assumptions about who we want to reach, creating unwritten rules about who gets to serve, lead, or participate in key decisions.
The prophet Isaiah thundered God's rebuke to religious leaders who maintained systems that oppressed:
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6).
As leaders, we can't just preach against favoritism – we must actively dismantle it.
When was the last time your leadership team examined these issues? Most churches have never thoroughly audited policies through the lens of biblical hospitality, rarely ask marginalized members about their experience, or evaluate whether their choice of leaders reflects the broader community. We seldom question whether our church's location and facilities are accessible to all or consider how our financial expectations might create invisible barriers.
Dismantling Barriers: Upholding Biblical Truth in a Welcoming Church
Let me be crystal clear: This call for examination isn't about compromising biblical truth or watering down the gospel. The message of Christ's crucified will always be a stumbling block to some (1 Corinthians 1:23). The reality of sin, the necessity of repentance, and the lordship of Christ are non-negotiable truths that will offend. However, we must ensure that when people stumble over our ministry, they're stumbling over the cross of Christ and not over our human-made barriers, cultural assumptions, or unconscious biases.
Too often, we blame the offense of the gospel when people might be reacting to our unwelcoming spirits, our cultural blindness, or our institutional rigidity. As shepherds of God's flock, we must carefully distinguish between protecting biblical principles and our preferences. The gospel itself is scandalous enough—we don't need to add any unnecessary stumbling blocks through our structures or systems. Our role is to clear the path to the cross, not complicate it with our own cultural or institutional obstacles.
The beautiful vision of Revelation 7:9 showing "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne" isn't just a future reality – it's our present mandate. If our churches don't reflect this vision, we're not just falling short of an ideal but actively resisting God's revealed will for His church.
Paul didn't mince words:
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).
Leaders, it's time to build churches that look like this. The world is watching, heaven is waiting, and God is asking: Will we be faithful stewards of His kingdom?
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