When I think about it, I have heard (and myself used) the verse “I have become all things to all people, that by any means, I might save some.” (1 Cor 9:22b) as cause to hyper-focus on a demographic in ministry. i.e., becoming a “rock-and-roll” church…
But isn’t this “becoming some things to some people” while alienating many others?
Shouldn’t I become a punk to the punks, a geek to the geeks, a jock to the jocks, formal to the formalists, white collar to the white collars, blue collar to the blue collars, in order to “save” (short hand for reach) some of all of them? In other words, shouldn’t I conduct my ministry in a way that has something to say, and shows love, care for, and identification with, all of them, without alienating others?
This would capture the heart of Christ and the apostles better than hyper-specialization, no?
(Hat tip to Mike McKinley in his excellent, brief, and challenging book “Church Planting is For Wimps” (that’s an affiliate link) for sparking this thought, which I’m certain is no new thought.)