Mercy ministry mini-reviews

Ministries of Mercy  by Timothy J. Keller, P&R Publishing, 1997.

The book is divided into two sections: principles and practice. In the first part, Keller gives a biblical basis for mercy ministry. We may have the misguided idea that poverty is strictly lack of material wealth, but it's spiritual. We are all needy in the sight of God. We've been alienated from Him and each other by sin, the result of which is poverty and injustice. But as those who have been shown mercy, we should extend mercy to others by ministering to them in word and in deed. This includes meeting physical needs but also seeking to meet the deepest need of all with the gospel. The second section gives practical advice for fleshing out mercy ministry in the context and under the leadership of the local church. Keller doesn't promote a single model as every situation is different. He gives examples of ministries that have worked well and those that have not. Also the goal is to help the  individual to come back to a right relationship with God and society, not creating dependency.

Toxic Charity, How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help by Robert D. Lupton, HarperOne, 2011.

After moving into an inner city neighborhood in 1981, Lupton was visiting a neighbor on Christmas Eve. There was knock on the door, and well-dressed family stood on the doorstep with an armload of beautifully wrapped gifts.  The mom accepted the gifts, which the children eagerly unwrapped. No one noticed the father slipping out the door. But as Lupton writes, "I was witnessing a side I had never noticed before: how a father is emasculated in his own home in front of his wife and children for not being able to provide presents for his family, how a wife is forced to shield her children from their father's embarrassment, how children get the message that the "good stuff" comes from rich people out there and it is free." After this heartbreaking scene, he was determined to see if there was a better way, and this book is the result.

The issue isn't lack of compassion, money, and people, but often we hurt more than we help. Are we more concerned about the convenience of the servers or the lasting benefit of those we are trying to help? Do we want something quick and easy where we can go in, do our thing, and go back to our safe middle class neighborhoods, or are we willing to take the time to build relationships with those being served so they become participants in the process? If you care about missions on any level, read this book. Lupton's words are backed with 40 years of labor in inner city Atlanta. This book was a runner up for World Magazine's 2012 book of the year.

When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor or Yourself  by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert, Moody Publishers, 2009.

This book is similar to Toxic Charity in that it takes a close look at where we've gone wrong in our efforts to help those in need.  The author's premise is that if we don't see the root of poverty in the fall, we may try superficial solutions that bring temporary relief but ultimately hurt those we serve. When Adam fell, our relationship to God, ourselves, and to others was marred, and we see its fruit in the economic, social, religious, and political systems. Thus alleviating poverty is not simply distribution of material resources but "the ministry of reconciliation moving people closer to glorifying God by living in right relationships with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of creation." The goal is not to "make the materially poor all over the world into middle-to-upper class North Americans" but to restore them to who God created them to be. But this requires a change in worldview. Too often Westerners are paternalistic, looking for the fastest solution, biggest bang for the buck while ignoring the need to work with those we intend to help. This book is a bit more international in scope and is also a worthwhile read. Each chapter begins with questions for thought and reflection questions afterwards.