Alabama Network of Christian Community Ministers: February 2009

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Montgomery's Future Story

Montgomery Baptist Association has developed a new vision for community transformation in the city. Check out the video that a group of leaders and pastors developed over the last year through much prayer and discussion. The churches are excited about this spiritual renewal journey! The "story" is fictional about what could happen but the guidelines are this:

1. every person has the right to hear the gospel in a way that they can understand
2. The church is ground zero for change in the community
3. Spiritual renewal has to take place in order to see Kingdom results

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=22885b89c4a79244b7f8

Recommended Book

"When Helping Hurts:How to Alleviate PovertyWithout Hurting the Poor...and Yourself"
by Steve Corbett and Dr. Brian Fikkett

Churches and individual Christians typically have faulty assumptions about the causes of poverty, resulting in the use of strategies that do considerable harm to poor people and to themselves. When Helping Hurts is a book by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development that directly addresses these assumptions, providing foundational concepts, clearly articulated general principles, and relevant applications. The result is an effective and holistic approach to ministry to the poor, not a truncated gospel.

What You Will Learn
The book begins by establishing a solid biblical foundation for understanding the nature of poverty and its alleviation. This is more than an academic exercise, for people's understanding of poverty shapes the strategies they use to minister to poor people. Building upon this foundation, the book then outlines several general principles for all poverty alleviation efforts including: the importance of distinguishing between relief, rehabilitation, and development; the difference between asset-based and needs-based strategies; and the advantages of participatory over blueprint approaches. These general principles are then applied to short-term mission efforts and to various economic development strategies appropriate for North American and international contexts, including jobs training, financial literacy, individual development accounts, and microenterprise development.

Who Should Read This Book
The book is designed for those who want to minister to poor people more effectively, including pastors, missionaries, deacon boards, lay leaders, home and foreign missions committees, mercy ministry teams, and donors. It is appropriate for an individual or for a group such as a Sunday school class, a ministry team, or a small group Bible study.
AuthorsWhen Helping Hurts is written by Steve Corbett and Dr. Brian Fikkert of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development and the Department of Economics and Community Development at Covenant College. Steve and Brian draw upon decades of experience as practitioners, researchers, and trainers in economics and community development both in North America and around the world.

Free Self/Group-study Course
To help you study the topics of the book further, the Chalmers Center has made available at no charge a four-lesson self/group-study course that complements the book. This course provides additional readings, reflection questions, application questions, and learning exercises. It is appropriate for an individual or a group such as a Sunday school class or a ministry team.

www.chalmers.org/when-helping-hurts/book.php

Alabama Network of Christian Community Ministers

Resources

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Montgomery's Future Story

When Helping Hurts

Recommended Book

ANCCM Popular Posts

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