Justice and Development

 
Click on a title for more information about the resource or peruse the resources below.

>> Blood Brothers
>> Giving Wisely? Killing with Kindness or Empowering Lasting Transformation?
>> When Helping Hurts
 

Blood Brothers

* by Elias Chacour with David Hazard
* Chosen  ©2003
* Paperback, 240 pages
 



Where you can find it:

Why we recommend it:
Blood Brothers is the personal memoir of Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Catholic Malachite Bishop Elias Chacour. Chacour grew up in a Palestine where his Christian Arab community lived at peace with its Jewish neighbors. Then in 1948, Israel declared itself a nation and massacred thousands while also displacing over a million Palestinians. Blood Brothers is Chacour's response to acts of violence against his powerless people, which invites readers to follow the man from Galilee who said, "blessed are the peacemakers." That is his rallying cry.

For those who are not familiar with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and want to read a voice that is both authentically Christian and unquestionably knowledgeable, Blood Brothers provides that and more. Bishop Chacour's life lines up so well with the historic events of the land's recent history that readers get the benefit of a history lesson and the privilege of a personal insight. Devoid of the political positioning of main-stream media and political propaganda, Blood Brothers addresses the politics directly through the lens of Christian peacemaking. This is a must read for Christians who want to understand the conflict. 

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Giving Wisely? Killing with Kindness or Empowering Lasting Transformation?

* by Jonathan Martin
* Last Chapter Publishing  ©2008
* Paperback, 199 pages
 


Where you can find it:

Why we recommend it:
“Is the money we are generously giving causing more harm than good?  We see the needs. We hear the cries. We listen to the emotional appeals to sacrifice and to be generous with all we have. So we give.  But we give without knowledge. We give without understanding and viable relationships. In our ignorance, the very gift we have given to help so often destroys. The inequities created by our gift divide entire communities. Jealousy and fights ensue. We create beggars. Good men are corrupted. Tragically, such stories are not the exception but the rule. Is this “Generosity”? Our guilt is appeased but great harm is done.”

Giving Wisely? was an enjoyable and easy read with many stories and scriptural reflections. The author takes the time to build his case that we need to give and give generously. But we also must give wisely – in ways that respect dignity and the need for everyone to work. He advocates for giving through channels that are accountable, and build believers up, rather than the easy road (which still makes givers feel good) but leads to dependency, laziness, and the temptation to sin. He uses examples from China and Africa to further his case that money does not necessarily further ministry but sometimes can actually hurt the church. Highly recommended for churches involved in global partnerships or doing missions on their own and running stuck with money issues.

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When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor … And Yourself 

* by Steve Corbett and Brian Flikkert
* Moody Publishers, 2009
* Paperback, 230 pages



Where you can find it:

Why we recommend it:
The book provides foundational concepts and clear principles for helping the poor, along with practical applications for ministering to the poor at home and abroad. Group discussion questions are included.

It is one of the best books out there that describes what poverty is and what good community development looks like. Too often, well-meaning, heartfelt intentions actually perpetuate paternalism and dependency. The book outlines several principles and applications for poverty alleviation: distinguishing between relief, rehabilitation, and development; the difference between asset-based and needs-based strategies; and the advantages of participatory over blueprint approaches.

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