If you have not yet read When Helping Hurts then you ought to. I would suggest it as a manual for churches that are seeking to help alleviate the suffering of the poor. Sentimental actions certainly make us feel better but some of our cherished programs actually do more harm than good. So the choice is between actually helping the poor or serving our desire to feel good about ourselves.
Take time to watch the following excellent video:
Click HERE for a better view.
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Good clip and a POV that needs to be heard among the more "socially minded". Poverty is a very complex issue that cannot be reduced to a particular pivotol point in history but is the culmination of many critical turning points (including the civil rights movement of the 60's).
Certainly not all help is helpful and unfortunately government and church programs designed to alleviate poverty have not always been successful and may have even caused greater harm...yet I am reminded that Jesus cared very much for the poor. He demanded that his followers to do the same.
It would be sin just to simply throw up our hands and say it is too complex to do anything that is even remotely helpful but I think there are some things churches can do that is just not a "one size fits all" approach to poverty. We have to be more strategic and view poverty in the complex culture that we live in. When we do that...as well as REALLY care and be obedient ot Christ's call (which is another issue) I think we can make some inroads into this problem.
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