Why local churches are essential in helping our neighbors in need escape poverty.

My doctor prescribed Lipitor as a temporary solution and gave me a stern warning to alter my eating habits and begin exercising. After that appointment, I faithfully took Lipitor daily as prescribed, but I chose not to change my lifestyle habits.

Months later, another blood test showed that my cholesterol improved. I was thrilled! Thinking I was “good to go,” and against my doctor’s orders, I eventually stopped taking the medicine and continued eating poorly with no exercise.

When I went back to the doctor for a future blood test, I tried to hide my ‘secret’, but the numbers spoke for themselves. I learned that my cholesterol was in worse shape than ever before! My doctor warned me that my unhealthy lifestyle – the root cause of the problem – must be addressed or I would be at risk for severe heart issues.

After delivering the news to my wife Sarah, we embarked on a fitness journey together. In just one year, I lost almost 30 pounds, and my cholesterol numbers were fantastic. What followed was what my doctor described as an extreme rarity once someone starts on cholesterol meds: I got off Lipitor.

The proof was in the pudding. (Oops. I mean the proof was in the fruits and veggies!). The difference came not from a quick fix but from addressing the root cause of the problem.

Let’s apply this story to poverty alleviation.

We often treat poverty in the way I treated my cholesterol: with a quick fix rather than addressing the root causes. The Oxford dictionary informs us that poverty is the state of “lacking sufficient money to live at a standard considered comfortable or normal in a society,” but a lack of money is only a symptom. The root causes are much deeper and stem from broken relationships with our selves, God, others, and the rest of creation.

Effective poverty fighting in America was at its highest peak during the 19th century. Biblical principles were the guiding factor in each individual situation of poverty as relationships were the main ingredient of alleviation efforts. Family, friends, neighbors, and churches were at the epicenter.

There was a heavy focus on Biblical discipleship, which included helping those in need to establish or re-establish healthy relationships with themselves, others, and most importantly God. However, since the mid-to-late 20th century in the United States, there has been a significant shift. Our charity has become much less relational (no longer addressing the root cause) and much more transactional (providing a temporary fix), resulting in a more “hands-off” approach.

For example, more and more responsibility has been placed on the federal government’s shoulders in the fight against poverty. But since the 1964 introduction of the government’s “War on Poverty,” the needle has barely moved. In fact, our government now spends about $16,000 per poor person per year. If poverty were simply a matter of lacking the money to get ahead, then every expansion of government welfare programs should result in a new segment of the poor permanently regaining independence and escaping poverty. More federal involvement has diminished the role of the local community, mainly Christ-centered churches.

Poverty is very complex and is caused by a myriad of factors, but it essentially comes down to broken relationships. That’s why one-size-fits-all solutions and simple transfers of money are ineffective as they fail to address root causes of poverty. Rather, personalized and relational solutions to poverty are essential and compassionate individuals like you and me right here in our community are best suited to deliver them.

Did you know that mentorship & discipleship is the ideal intervention for many experiencing chronic poverty in our nation today? But this is sorely lacking in the American Church. The body of Christ plays a vital part in helping those in need to flourish through relationships.

The local Church was ordained by God to reflect the uniqueness of Jesus in our neighborhoods by cultivating healthy relationships, leadership, opportunity, natural connections, transparency, and accountability. As Christ-followers, we show the love and mercy of Christ to our struggling neighbors by being willing to walk alongside them and show them the way to a life of freedom and flourishing.

People in poverty are much more than just mouths to feed and bodies to clothe. They are made in God’s image and possess inherent dignity, worth, and capacity. The increase of dependency from government transfers to the poor and a more transactional system of charity have clouded Biblical solutions to poverty.

This disruption not only negatively impacts one’s ability to bond and build social capital in the community, but it also displaces the responsibility of those who are actually bound to help in situations of poverty. Charitable practices that just do for others instead of with them have never lifted anyone out of poverty. And no one is lifted out of poverty by the effort of other people alone.

Therefore, the solution is to shift back to the tried-and-true approach of charity, which promotes the critical need for healthy relationships in the process of poverty alleviation. If a relational bridge does not accompany our charity, our transactions remain forms of chronic relief which rarely, if ever, translate to freedom out of poverty.

Our charity must flow from a place of compassion, but that compassion must be fueled by empowering others to realize their God given potential. Otherwise, we’ll simply be addressing symptoms of poverty while ignoring the root causes. Please join us in partnering together to provide solutions in our community that are compassionate and relational, but also responsible.

To learn more, visit cvccs.org today or please feel free to contact me.

Blessings,

Rev. Jon Barrett

Executive Director of CVCCS

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