BYSTEVE CORBETT

AND BRIAN FIKKERT

CO-AUTHORS OF WHEN HELPING HURTS: HOW TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY

WITHOUT HURTING THE POOR…AND YOURSELF

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2009

WWW.WHENHELPINGHURTS.ORG

WWW.CHALMERS.ORG

The Church and the Concept of Poverty

I John 3:17-18

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of

God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with

actions and in truth.

Some Implications of I John 3:17-18

Some Implications of I John 3:17-18

What’s the Answer for Both Groups 1 and 2?

• It’s a slippery slope on both sides of the hill! (See James 2:18)

• While the kingdom is cosmic in scope, we fully believe that humans only experience the full benefits of the kingdom if they come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Q1: Can’t all of this emphasis on the kingdom lead us down the slippery slope of the social

gospel?

• The Implications of this are enormous:• Verbal Proclamation of the gospel is non-negotiable

in poverty alleviation, because “faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:14)

• It is essential that frontline staff are Christians.

• The church has a central role to play, because the gospel has been committed to the church.

Q1: Can’t all of this emphasis on the kingdom lead us down the slippery slope of the social

gospel?

• Sometimes “yes” and sometimes “no.”• We do NOT believe the parachurch is inherently a

bad thing. See p. 46 of book.• It takes wisdom to know when particular ministries

should be housed directly under the authority of the local church.

• We do believe that parachurch agencies must be very intentional about building and empowering the local church.

• Some parachurch ministries—and some churches too—are really doing some lousy things with respect to poverty alleviation.

Q2: Do you believe—as many argue--that the parachurch is taking away the role of the local

church and is therefore bad?

No, there are different ways of stating the same concepts.

However, its not all up for grabs. The framework used in our book is consistent with the following key teachings of scripture: The multifacted nature of poverty: spiritual and

relational not just material The basic nature of human beings and of the world Individual AND Structural causes of poverty God’s grand plan: Creation-Fall-Redemption-Final

Restoration

Q3: Must we really all agree on just one definition of poverty?

• Very positively: “Of course!” is the most common response.

• It’s the gospel, so they have to respond positively!

• But it’s a process. We need to:• Keep preaching the gospel to ourselves every day.• Keep on working out the implications in practical

ways.

Q4: How are churches in the U.S. responding to the message that poverty is about broken

relationshipswe are all poor?

• NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! • If you have relational giving opportunities , seize

them.• If you have material giving opportunities, seize them:

• There is a material component to poverty!• Use money to support those on the frontlines of relational ministry

More money is desperately needed, but the issues are:

--How should it be used? --When should it be used?

Q5: Since poverty is about relationships, does this mean I need to stop giving of my money and just give

of my time?

• Our book takes cost of living differences into account using a methodology called “purchasing power parity” (PPP).

• PPP values all foreign goods in U.S. prices. So when we say a person is living on $1/day in India, it means their income in Indian rupees is sufficient to buy what you could purchase with a dollar in the U.S.

Q6: Doesn’t your book (p. 42) fail to take into account the vastly differences in costs of living

around the world?

• This does raise the important issue of “absolute” vs. “relative” poverty:• You are “absolutely” poor if your income falls below

some dollar amount.

• You are “relatively” poor if your income is low relative to others in your community.

• Both concepts have merit, particularly from a relational framework.

Q6: Doesn’t your book (p. 42) fail to take into account the vastly differences in costs of living

around the world?

• “Gentrification”: the process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle-class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents.

FCS Urban Ministries in Atlanta Founded by Bob Lupton www.fcsministries.org

Q7: Are there any programs trying to harness/combat “gentrification”?

Join Prayer Support Team: -Click on the PRAY button on the front of www.chalmers.org

• Refer churches and missionaries to us from around the world

• Give!! - Click on the DONATE button on the front of

www.chalmers.org

- Choose to have your donation matched 1 for 1 by checking the “Maclellan Foundation Matching Grant” box.

Q8: How can we help the Chalmers Center?

Christian Economic Development Institute in Ivory Coast, West Africa

November 30-December 4, 2009

-Training 100-150 pastors/denominational leaders-Training them to implement holistic/church-centered

microfinance and microenterprise development-Content is Chapter 1-6 plus the “how-tos” of Chapter 9-Training of Trainers: Global Fellowship of Trainers.-Total Cost is $65,000. We’ve raised $50,000

Special Request for Today:

If everyone on the air today would give just $25 and check the “Maclellan

Matching Grant” box on the DONATE portion of our website, we could raise

the remaining $15,000 we need to put on this training event.

Special Request for Today:

Distinguishing Amongst Relief, Rehabilitation, and Development

Wednesday, October 7, 200912:00-1:00 EST

www.whenhelpinghurts.org

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