Thinking a lot about class, leadership, & discipleship recently & realized we need a category of "upper working class"--folks who have roots in poverty or lower working class but aspire to middle class.
Something really distinct is happening in this group, especially as it relates to establishment culture & their own attempts to advance in it.
Class differences aren't simply about economics & education. They also reflect access (or lack of access) to the social institutions & broader system.
When a person is trying to move from working for the system (working class) to managing or having power within the system (middle class), they will be the last to question the system or want to see it changed.
IOW, if you're trying to climb the ladder, you value a stable ladder.
It's been my anectdotal observation that most ardent supporters of a message like Make America Great Again are (white) upper working class people. People who see themselves & their families on the rise & need the system to remain entact so they can climb it.
But b/c roots are in working class, they also bring working class sensibilities about power & leadership. Trump's authoritarism makes complete sense to them b/c they've worked under similar leadership in their jobs. That's just what a good leader looks like.
At the same time, broader economic trends are frustrating upper working class's ability to move into middle class--higher ed costs, shifts in types of jobs, shrinking middle,etc
So you've got this set that's desperately trying to move into space of more autonomy, more power in social system, but feel like the rules of the game are changing as they do.
The promise that you could reset the game & move back to a time before the rules changed would be *very* appealing to this group.
In terms of discipleship, upper working class people face distinct hurdles--even from their working class counterparts who aren't necessarily advancing.
Andectoally, I've seen significant empathy gap btwn those who are moving up the ladder & those who aren't. Those who see themselves as succeeding struggle to understand why their peers aren't. They often chalk it up to laziness & lack of will.
Also, upper working class people HUSTLE. They are super busy, not just w/ work, but w/ trying to give kids middle class experience, trying to move them into the spaces that system tells them are important.
This means that church involvement (& all the time it takes) becomes a luxury of those already established in middle-upper class life.
All that to say, PASTORS, KNOW YOUR PEOPLE. Know & understand the rhythms & shaping forces of their lives. Don't classify them, but do recognize that their place in society presents unique challenges to their spiritual growth. Watch, observe, & adjust accordingly.
