How the ‘7 Marks of Effective Charity’ drive the mission of CVCCS.

We believe that poverty is about way more than just one’s lack of material or physical resources. To explain our philosophy more deeply, there are 7 Marks of Effective Charity (taken from the book The Tragedy of American Compassion) which drive our mission. As we seek to address needs and change lives in our community, we have found the more we apply these ‘7 Marks,’ the more effective our charity will be. Let’s dive in!

MARK #1- Affiliation: Whenever possible, the effective poverty fighter should be mindful of and support the natural relationships in an individual’s life (if they are healthy).

True solutions to poverty are best handled at the most local levels. It must first start with the individual themselves, then family members, then friends and neighbors, then churches and local non-profits/organizations, then local government, state government, and finally, national government.

But that’s not what we currently observe in our nation. Let’s be clear, not all government intervention isn’t bad. For example, in the case of a natural disaster or state of emergency, immediate relief from the government is important. In fact, the government is good at transactions. However, they lack the expertise needed to provide transformational charity. Why is that?

Well, there’s just no way for the government to get to know everyone’s unique situation. So, when it comes to effective charity, because every individual’s situation is unique, our help should be too. Therefore, it must first start at the nearest and closest levels to the individual in need.

MARK #2- Bonding: Bonding illustrates the importance of getting to know those we’re offering charity to. The effective poverty fighter understands the magnitude of helping those in need to develop healthy relationships.

How can we truly help someone if we don’t take the time to know anything about them? Poverty is complex and is caused by a myriad of factors. But it essentially comes down to broken relationships.

A client whose life was transformed by effective charity practices gave honest reasons why he kept returning to the chaos of a life of addiction: “I didn’t know there was something else besides that. I didn’t know there were good people. I didn’t know there was a better way.”

Like in the case of this client, you and I can be a lifeline to those starved of healthy relationships. Relationships create a natural formation of beneficial ties between compassionate neighbors and people in need. These are the ties that make communities strong.

MARK #3- Categorization: The effective poverty fighter rejects ‘one size fits all’ approaches to poverty. As effective poverty fighters, we must consistently ask ourselves, is the person we’re trying to help in need of relief, rehabilitation, or development?

Relief- Relief is an urgent, temporary provision of emergency aid to reduce immediate suffering from an unavoidable crisis (not caused by chronic behavior or conditions). Relief is not meant to be a long-term solution. However, did you know that most U.S. cases of poverty are treated as relief situations, even if the person is not truly in need of relief?

Rehabilitation- Here, we move away from doing things for someone (aka- providing relief) to working with them to take steps to improve their situation. The goal is stability and self-sufficiency.

Development- Development is the process of ongoing change. Like rehabilitation, development is not done to people or for people, but with them. The goal is a holistically flourishing life. Mentorship & discipleship is the ideal intervention for many experiencing chronic poverty in our nation. This is where the Church must be a vital part in helping those in need to flourish.

MARK #4- Discernment: The effective poverty fighter combines compassion with wisdom to determine the best charitable intervention for those in need.

If we ignore using discernment in our approach to charity, we will end up creating dependency in the lives of others. Instead of just rushing in, we need to slow the process down, listen to, and ask good questions of those we’re trying to help in order to determine the best way to help them.

For example, in John 5:1-15 we see the Biblical account of Jesus healing the paralytic. Jesus asked the man a very key question in verse 6 before He did anything to help him: “Do you want to get well”? The Greek word used for well means whole. Jesus unearthed that the man’s physical needs were only part of the issue. The man replied to Jesus in verse 7: “I have no one to help me…”  We see here that the man was a victim of broken relationships.

After Jesus healed him, He said this to the man in verse 14, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” Jesus wasn’t telling the man to go live a perfect life. Rather, Jesus gave the man expectations, accountability, and boundaries.

It’s not ungodly to have expectations of those in poverty. The people we’re offering help to are human beings with dignity, capacity, and infinite worth. They are not helpless. Effective charity is about doing what’s best for others.

Just meaning well in our charitable efforts or simply being moved to help someone is not enough because sometimes our help can hurt if we fail to use discernment in the process.

MARK #5- Exchange: Charity was designed Biblically to be reciprocal, not one sided.

In the practice of effective charity, the giver and receiver are both involved in the process. Once you see others as being able to bring something to the table other than just their needs, your whole view of how to help them changes. Here’s what empowerment looks like in the practice of effective charity: “We will walk with you, not for you.”

It’s not unloving to expect other people to do their part. Just the opposite. It’s cruel to send the message that a person has nothing of worth to offer. The goal is to empower those in need to believe: “I have something to offer, I have value.”

There is currently a false belief in America that effort will yield no results out of poverty. While effort is certainly not the only solution out of poverty by any means, one thing’s for certain… charitable practices that just do for others instead of with them have never lifted anyone out of poverty.

MARK #6- Freedom: The effective poverty fighter recognizes that charity which makes others dependent is no help at all. Instead, effective charity interventions are those that empower people in need to foster their own solutions.

Freedom is the antithesis of dependency. If we fail to use wisdom when offering charity to others, there’s a toxic cycle that can take place not only for the person receiving charity, but for one giving charity as well. Here’s an example. A man in the community named “Rob” asks “Grace” for help. Rob says he needs money for food.

Grace gives $50 to Rob- Rob appreciates it greatly. Grace feels a sense of excitement because she helped Rob. A few weeks later, Rob asks Grace for money for food again- Grace gives Rob another $50. Rob now anticipates it while Grace now feels a sense of purpose. A few weeks after that, Rob asks Grace for money a third time- Grace gives Rob another $50. Rob now expects it, and Grace now feels necessary for Rob’s well-being.

A few weeks after that, Rob asks Grace for money a fourth time- Grace gives Rob $50 yet again. Rob now feels entitled to it, and Grace now feels essential to Rob’s life. Finally, a few weeks after that, Rob asks Grace for money for a fifth time- Grace gives $50 more. Rob is now dependent on Grace, and Grace feels responsible for Rob’s existence.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with showing compassion. As Christ-followers, it’s a must! But in Grace’s case, she failed to use wisdom before just swooping in each time to provide perpetual relief to Rob.

MARK #7- God/Faith component: The effective poverty fighter acknowledges the underlying spiritual factors that commonly drive poverty and is willing to address them in the lives of those in need.

Ephesians 6:12 states, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Effective poverty fighting in America was at its highest peak during the 19th century. Why? Because Biblical principles were the guiding factor in each individual situation of poverty.

While Biblical faith is not a silver bullet for all forms of poverty, studies show that an active faith does improve much of life. An intimate, personal relationship with Jesus brings holistic transformation.

Today, charity has tragically become much more transactional than transformational. As a result, what we now have is a system that seeks to address the symptoms of poverty while largely ignoring the root causes. We’ve lost the fact that human beings were made to thrive, not just survive. The 7 Marks of Effective Charity can help serve as an antidote.

Imago Dei is Latin for “image of God.” At CVCCS, we believe that people are much more than just mouths to feed and bodies to clothe. They are human beings made in God’s image and have inherent dignity, worth, and capacity.

Our desire is to be a part of real solutions to poverty in our community; solutions that are relational and compassionate but responsible. For more information visit https://www.truecharity.us.

Blessings,

Rev. Jon Barrett

Executive Director of CVCCS

CVCCS is a proud member and ambassador of the True Charity Network.