When I was 15 years old I joined a missions trip, from the Wesleyan Church in West Michigan, that made its way to Chicago. From that moment on, my heart has been captured by the poverty of spirit and life that reveal themselves around us in a thousand shadows of darkness, challenges to hope and a future.
I have also been shaped by the Scriptures that reveal the concern that the Lord has for people and communities struggling to thrive in life. I have read the story of Ezekiel when the Lord shows him a gap in the city's wall and there is no one who will fill it in. I am inspired by Nehemiah who hears of his beloved Jerusalem in shambles, he prayerfully and boldly works and leads a team to rebuild the city wall. I am motivated and compelled by Jesus' mission, proclaimed in the Nazareth synagogue, to bring release to the captives, sight to the blind, the year of the Lord's favor.
These realities have sent me on a quest of learning, working, and leading so that the Lord's favor could be experienced. I have found the following sources helpful in shaping a philosophy and model of ministry that is wholistic, bringing God's work of transformation to persons and communities. A few of the resources have served as examples that miss the mark, and at least to me, reveal things to avoid.
This is a working document, growing with the quest to see the goodness of God experienced in every neighborhood, home, and life.
Books
Making Neighborhoods Whole: A Handbook for Christian Community Development, by Wayne Gordon and John M. Perkins
Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton
When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
Helping Without Hurting in Church Benevolence by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
Dead Aid: Why Aid is not working and how there is a better way by Dambisa Moyo
Reading the Bible with the Damned by Bob Ekbald
Let Justice Roll Down by John M. Perkins
My Business My Mission; Fighting global poverty through partnerships by Timothy Stoner and Doug Seebeck
Poor Economics; A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo
Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall, Denver Moore, and Lynn Vincent
Tattoos on the Heart; The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle
This Far By Faith; Twenty years at Cass Community by Faith Fowler
Touch: Pressing Against the Wounds …. by Rudy Rasmus
The Rule of St. Benedict by St. Benedict
The Didache, http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-lake.html
A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby Payne
What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty, by Bill Ehlig & Ruby K. Payne, PhD.
Ministry With the Poor; The Role of Social Services in Christian Evangelism by Owen K. Ross (Dissertation - 978-1-321-29668-6 ISBN#)
The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay
The Art of Neighboring by Dave Runyon and Jay Pathak
Entrepreneurial Faith: Launching Bold Visions to Expand God’s Kingdom by Kirbyjon Caldwell and Walt Kallestad
The Search for God and Guinness, by Stephen Mansfield
Meaningful Work; A Quest to Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, and Feed Your Soul, by Shawn Askinosie with Lawren Askinosie
Work; The Meaning of Your Life, by Lester DeKoster
Church Forsaken: Practicing Presence in Neglected Neighborhoods, by Jonathan Brooks
Churches, Ministries, and Organizations that provide insight
· Windsor Village UMC, Houston, Texas
· St. John’s UMC, Houston, Texas
· Mercy Street @ ChapelWood UMC, Houston, Texas
· Mission Arlington, Arlington, Texas
· Homeboy Industries & Homegirl Cafe, Los Angeles, CA
· Dream Center, Los Angeles, CA
· The Rock Church, San Diego, CA (DoSomethingChurch.org)
· Ginghamsburg UMC, Tipp City, OH
· Cincinnati Vineyard Church, Cincinnati, OH (healingcentercincinnati.org)
· Partners Worldwide, Grand Rapids, MI
· The Acton Institute, Grand Rapids, MI
· Cultivate Holland, Holland, MI
· Mortar: Cincinnati, OH (wearemortar.com)
· Launch Chattanooga: Chattanooga, TN
· Sunshine Gospel Ministries: Chicago, IL
· Christian Community Development Association: Chicago, IL (ccda.org)
· Love, INC. (loveinc.org)
· Jobs for Life, (jobsforlife.org)
· The Chalmers Center (chalmers.org)
· Jesus Was Homeless, Branson, MO
· Mom’s Next: Chicago, IL
· Advance Memphis: Memphis, TN
· Lawndale Community Church: Chicago, IL
· Harvest Hands CDC: Nashville, TN
· Cass Community Social Services; Detroit, MI
· Project Connect Nashville; Nashville, TN
Film & Media
· Poverty Cure by The Acton Institute
· Poverty Inc. by The Acton Institute
· The Call of the Entrepreneur by The Acton Institute
· Father G & The Homeboys by Homeboy Industries
· Schweitzer’s Food Pantry and Garden videos; available on Youtube
· Effective Compassion, World Radio podcast, one link to it is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/effective-compassion/id1492139540
Web sites
· sumc.co/flourish
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