Grandstanding?

Sometimes I wish I didn't think the things I do, because those things sometimes get me into trouble. Like what I'm about to say here. :)

Whenever I read about some church- or faith- based organization that is deep in the throes of community service in an effort to be "missional" - feeding the hungry, helping homeless families, or advocating for children - the first thing I do is visit the website of the organization. Now, that in and of itself probably isn't that strange. In today's technologically advanced society, the first thing many people do when hearing about something new is to visit the website of the new thing. It's a great way to get information, find out locations and times, or find contact information.

However, those aren't the reasons I do it.

I do it to look for ONE thing:

Are there any WOMEN on their pastoral staff, leadership board or as deacons or elders?

Because in my somewhat heretical mind, I struggle not to see the group as hypocritical, regardless of what kinds of good they do in society, if there are no women seen in a distinct leadership role. If they marginalize half the population, I see their good works as something less than missional if they can't be that in their own midst.

Now, whatever good they are doing is good. There is no doubt about that in my mind. However, looking deeper at the belief system of the group is something I cannot avoid. How is it that a group can see their goal as being outreach to the marginalized of our society (meaning impoverished, hungry, abused, homeless) if they cannot see that the largest minority population in the world is being treated unequally right there in their own organization.

I don't know if it is only my twisted mind that sees this...but it equates to me the same as a church that spends thousands of dollars sending mission groups to third-world countries, yet ignores the hungry who belong to their group or live in their community. It seems entirely like grandstanding to me. 'Look at us, look how great we are for the good things we do; don't mind the man behind the curtain, he means nothing.'

On another level, but something that is far more difficult to see evidence of by looking at a website, many of these same organizations who are serving meals to the homeless have members of their church whose children are eating nothing but ramen noodles, or who are on the brink of homelessness, or who are abused in their own home. For a church not to be caring for it's own before it cares for the world, well, that's a shame.

Sigh, I don't know. It's just broken.