Invisible Divides explores why believing is not the same as belonging - and how we ensure church is a place for everyone, including people of different social classes.

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.

'Natalie writes with the raw honesty and authenticity... This book will inspire and challenge you to rediscover that mercy is at the heart of our spiritual formation.'

Olivia Amartey, Elim

In a world of polarising politics, cancel culture and social media virtue signalling, we risk losing any sense of what it means to have mercy. And yet Jesus calls us to 'be merciful, just as your Father is merciful' (Luke 6.36).

In this thoughtful and practical book, Natalie Williams explores what it means to be a true mercy-bringer. First, we need to develop a deep appreciation of the mercy of God, which is more astonishing than we dare to believe. As the old hymn says, 'tis mercy all when it comes to God's dealings with his children. Once we have understood that, it will transform the way we see God, ourselves and the world around us. We will be drawn closer to Jesus and, as a result, we will reflect his mercy to a world that desperately needs it.

'Challenging yet encouraging, moving yet refreshing, and theologically rich yet practically accessible.'

Andrew Wilson, King’s Church London

'A much-needed book from an important voice for our times.'

Graham Miller, London City Mission

Contents

Introduction

Part 1: 'A God Merciful'

Part 2: Our struggle to 'love mercy'

Part 3: Merciful thinking

Part 4: Merciful actions

Conclusion

A practical tool for individual, churches, and small groups, and incorporating discussion questions and accompanying videos, A Call to Act demonstrates that, in order to engage with poverty and need, we must re-evaluate our own attitudes and adopt a poverty-busting lifestyle.

There are undoubted challenges to embracing a life of simplicity but these are broken down into ideas for action.

Whether getting up close to poverty, rejecting comfort in favour of compassion, or living with a more poverty-focused lifestyle, churches and individuals will be empowered to live out Jesus' principles of justice, mercy, and the care of creation within their own communities and the wider world.

Recent years have witnessed dramatic growth in churches across Britain finding ways to care for the poorest in their communities. Motivated by genuine concern, dedicated volunteers responded to the call to action and millions of pounds have been invested to support those most in need. However, the culture of many churches fails to attract those they are helping to the very faith that motivates this compassion. Even when people from poorer or working class backgrounds start on a journey of faith, many churches struggle to create an inclusive environment where they can feel welcomed and at home.

With biblical insight and practical examples A Church for the Poor, by Martin Charlesworth and Natalie Williams, presents a vision of the church as a place where people from all sections of society can find a home and play a part. It is a call to rethink our traditions and transform the church to reach the poor in Britain today.

Martin Charlesworth lives in Shrewsbury with his wife Jane and has three grown-up daughters. He holds degrees in history and theology, and worked as a teacher and in business before becoming a church leader. Martin led Barnabas Community Church Shrewsbury from 1994 to 2014 and helped develop its strong emphasis on social action and community engagement.

Martin now leads Jubilee+ whose vision is to see the Church in the UK be a champion of the poor and a means to healthy communities across the nation.

In his spare time, Martin enjoys cycling, squash and mountaineering. He is an enthusiastic traveller, having previously lived in Pakistan and South Africa.

Natalie Williams grew up in a working class family in Hastings, one of the most deprived areas of Britain. She was the first person in her family to go to university. After graduating, she worked as a journalist in London and Beijing. She has an MA in Political Communications.

Natalie now works for King's Church Hastings, where she oversees communications and social action, and for Jubilee+ as communications coordinator. She is passionate about Christians and churches being a force for good in their communities and actively demonstrating the mercy of God to those in need.

'I gladly commend this book to you because it has something urgent and important to say to the UK church which we desperately need to hear. More than theory alone, this comes from their heart, is biblical and offers meaningful ways forward. They are practitioners of what they preach. Be prepared to be deeply challenged!' - Roy Godwin, author of The Grace Outpouring and The Way of Blessing.

Mercy isn't a common word in our world today. In fact, between our polarizing politics, celebrity cancel culture and social media virtue signalling, mercy itself isn't all that common full stop.

And yet, as rare as this age-old virtue can feel today, mercy is rife in the Bible. With Christians worshipping a God who is so rich of mercy, surely, we should look different to the world around us? And yet, so often we can find it all too hard to show mercy to ourselves and to others. We love justice and hate mercy.

In this thought-provoking and practical book, Natalie Williams invites you to cultivate the often-overlooked discipline of mercy that our world today so desperately needs. Diving into the scriptures, we explore why we struggle to grasp God's astonishing mercy and see that when we do, it has the power to transform how we see God, ourselves and those around us.

Discover the life-changing discipline of mercy as we learn that when it comes to our lives and what the world desperately needs, it really 'Tis Mercy All'.

'Natalie writes with the raw honesty and authenticity... This book will inspire and challenge you to rediscover that mercy is at the heart of our spiritual formation.'

Olivia Amartey, Elim

In a world of polarising politics, cancel culture and social media virtue signalling, we risk losing any sense of what it means to have mercy. And yet Jesus calls us to 'be merciful, just as your Father is merciful' (Luke 6.36).

In this thoughtful and practical book, Natalie Williams explores what it means to be a true mercy-bringer. First, we need to develop a deep appreciation of the mercy of God, which is more astonishing than we dare to believe. As the old hymn says, 'tis mercy all when it comes to God's dealings with his children. Once we have understood that, it will transform the way we see God, ourselves and the world around us. We will be drawn closer to Jesus and, as a result, we will reflect his mercy to a world that desperately needs it.

'Challenging yet encouraging, moving yet refreshing, and theologically rich yet practically accessible.'

Andrew Wilson, King’s Church London

'A much-needed book from an important voice for our times.'

Graham Miller, London City Mission

Contents

Introduction

Part 1: 'A God Merciful'

Part 2: Our struggle to 'love mercy'

Part 3: Merciful thinking

Part 4: Merciful actions

Conclusion