FEBRUARY 17 - Is It Still Worth Believing That We Should Be Concerned About the Poor?

PROVERBS 19:17. Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full.

MATTHEW 25:45. (words of Jesus) Just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.


Sunday's message talked about four ways to live out what we believe:

• Mercy - showing kindness through a specific action or donation

• Relationship - moving beyond an act of kindness to begin developing connections of community with the poor

• Justice - addressing poverty through changing systems (economic, political, global, etc.)

• Creative Thinking - thinking "outside the box," and taking advantage of new technologies to make a personal impact

This week's blog is primarily composed of links - it is not worth spending time discussing poverty, without finding ways to put our faith into practice. Here are some thought-provoking articles and sites. You don't have to agree with all of them. You probably won't agree with all of them.

The links referred to in the message, along with some others, are found at the bottom! Spend some time checking these out!


What the Bible has to say about the poor, by Mark Rosenfelder


Sixteen major "poverty traps," from a book by Stephen C. Smith (referred to in this Bible study outline)


Eight keys to escaping "poverty traps," from Smith's book (referred to in this Bible study outline)


Five things churches can do for - and with - people in poverty, by Bill Ehlig


Legislative priorities connected to reducing global poverty and hunger


WHAT THE UNITED METHODIST SOCIAL PRINCIPLES have to say about poverty:

In spite of general affluence in the industrialized nations, the majority of persons in the world live in poverty. In order to provide basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, education, health care, and other necessities, ways must be found to share more equitably the resources of the world.

Increasing technology, when accompanied by exploitative economic practices, impoverishes many persons and make poverty self-perpetuating. Therefore, we do not hold poor people morally responsible for their economic state.

To begin to alleviate poverty, we support such policies as: adequate income maintenance, quality education, decent housing, job training, meaningful employment opportunities, adequate medical and hospital care, and humanization and radical revisions of welfare programs.

Since low wages are often a cause of poverty, employers should pay their employees a wage that does not require them to depend upon government subsidies such as food stamps or welfare for their livelihood.

- The United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2004, paragraph 163E

LINKS MENTIONED IN SUNDAY'S MESSAGE (along with a few others!)


CHURCH WORLD SERVICE - involved in hunger and development (CROP walks are a part of CWS)


HABITAT FOR HUMANITY - providing decent shelter


HEIFER PROJECT INTERNATIONAL - it began with the simple concept of giving a poor family an animal instead of a bag of food ("helping hungry families feed themselves")


THE SIMPLE WAY - developed by Shane Claiborne as a way to live together with the poor in intentional community


SIMPLE LIVING - living simply, so that others may simply live


PARTNERS IN MISSION - hands-on involvement through mission trips, etc.


UM-ARMY - summer hands-on mission experiences for senior high youth


GENERAL BOARD OF CHURCH & SOCIETY - focus on global poverty and hunger


THE PEACE PLAN - an exciting project started by Rick Warren (author of The Purpose Driven Life) on how to address five "giant problems" in the world today, one of which is extreme poverty


KIVA - you can make micro-loans to entrepreneurs around the world! Pick your project!