PU 016: Choices that Save Lives, Part 2 – Dec 11, 2007

This is the second part of an interview with Tom Davis, Director of Health Programs, on Barrier Analysis.

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PU 015: Choices that Save Lives

In this interview with Tom Davis, we learn why homes are more important than hospitals in health care. Tom discusses Barrier Analysis as a tool for helping people make healthy choices that can save their lives.

Tom Davis is Director of Health Programs at Food for the Hungry.

Learn more about Barrier Analysis.

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PU 012: How to Secure God’s Blessing

In Isaiah 58, God promises to bless and guide those who serve the poor.

• Sins of commission vs. sins of omission
• Personal blessings and community blessings
• Answered prayer and guidance
• The spiritual discipline of fasting

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PU 011: Equipping the Local Church

Local churches have the ability and responsibility to serve as agents of change in their communities. Celeste Brown of Food for the Hungry shares principles from the Church Strengthening Program in El Alto, Bolivia.

Hunger Corps is the overseas missionary sending arm of Food for the Hungry.

Biblical basis for congregations serving as agents of change.

• Ephesians 4:11-13
• Isaiah 58:6-12

Methodology of church strengthening is discussed.

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PU 010: Insights from a Short-term Team

An interview with Josh Kienzle on lessons learned from colonialism and taking the posture of a cross-cultural learner.

Josh shares the location and characteristics of Mozambique, with special attention to the community of Mucodza, Mozambique.

Who is the main character of a short-term mission trip? It should be God, not the team. (Mark 10)

God is rewriting the history of Mozambique and the text of our lives. (2 Sam 22:21-25)

Social problems due to colonialism, and social problems due to sin (Romans 12:21)

Short-term teams to Mozambique and other countries

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PU 009: Learning from the Life of Christ

Five ways we can learn from Jesus’ posture in caring for the poor.

1. Walking with God – Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 22:39
2. Identifying with People – John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-11
3. Humility – Matthew 11:29
4. Loving people and appreciating culture – John 4:4-26
5. Serving in the periphery, advocating in the center

Get your church involved on this journey with Food for the Hungry!

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This episode, “Learning from the Life of Christ,” is the final episode in the Theology of Poverty series. So what’s next? Listen to the most recent episode, or check out our four-week curriculum for groups.

PU 008: Dependency

Today we look at how we can minister to the poor without taking over their lives, their communities, and their goals. There is a line between healthy reliance on other people (Galatians 6:2) and unhealthy dependency. Handouts send messages beyond the goal of charity. Playing God in the lives of the poor leads to a misunderstanding of who God really is.

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Today we look at how we can minister to the poor without taking over their lives, their communities, and their goals.

–The line between healthy reliance on other people (Galatians 6:2) and unhealthy dependency

–Handouts send messages

–Playing God in the lives of the poor

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PU 007: Made in the Image of God

The poor are image-bearers of God, but well-meaning Christians sometimes send a different message.

Scripture tells us that God made all people, rich and poor (Prov. 22:2). We also know from Scripture that all people were created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26, 27). More than a nice idea, this truth should impact our interactions with the poor. By virtue of being image-bearers of God, the poor are:

• innately valuable
• creative
• relational
• capable of loving
• capable of responsibility for themselves
• charged with dominion

Christians are responsible for communicating these truths to the poor. This episode explores how we do—and don’t—fulfill this responsibility.

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PU 006: Why People Stay Poor

Why is it so hard for people to pull themselves out of poverty? In this episode we consider how people change and what keeps them from changing. Conclusions are drawn for charitable giving.

The change process:

• Life experience, followed by…
• Reflection, followed by…
• Decision, followed by…
• Action, followed by a new life experience.

Obstacles to change:

1. Lack of knowledge
2. Lack of resources
3. Human sinfulness
4. Satanic deception
5. Lack of supportive people
6. Presence of opposition

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PU 005: The Transformation Toolkit

Four simple tools that facilitate holistic development.

This episode features four tools to facilitate holistic development. These approaches are practical methods based on the foundational material from previous episodes. They can be used on a daily basis anywhere from villages in Peru to housing projects in Chicago.

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PU 004: Ideas Have Consequences

Worldview is the key for solving poverty. What is worldview? Explore resources available from Disciple Nations Alliance. In this episode we talk about Gnosticism and Animism,  HIV/AIDS, the American myth of being happy, and symptoms of poverty vs. causes of poverty.

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PU 003: The Tragedy of Taking Shortcuts

Converts or disciples? What’s the difference? In this episode we consider the country of Rwanda.

Christianity and Genocide in Rwanda
Areas of Development: Spiritual, Social, Physical, Mental

Scripture references:

• Exodus 20:13
• Matthew 5:44; 6:25-33; 28:18-20
• 2 Peter 1:3
• Philippians 4:8

Application for ministry–the importance of discipleship
Application for the world’s poor–long-term change

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PU 002: Poverty Started Somewhere

In this episode we ask, “Where did poverty start?”

God’s story

1. Creation – Genesis 1-3
2. The fall – Genesis 3
3. Jesus Christ-  Colossians 1:15-20
4. Our mission – Matthew 28:18-20, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
5. New heaven and new earth – Revelation

Four relationships or areas of development

1. Spiritual – Genesis 1:27; 2:17
2. Social – Genesis 2:24
3. Physical – Genesis 1:5, 10, 29-31
4. Mental – Genesis 1:28; 2:3, 9, 15

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PU 001: Introduction

Welcome to our first episode! Today we share statistics on global poverty and what to expect from this podcast.

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