Role of the Church in Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation

Response to Classmate

HI, Great perspective!! The role of the church in economic development and poverty alleviation is apparent. Back in 2010, I listened to a sermon by Mathew Hagee of the John Hagee Ministries, and it made a powerful impression on me. At that time, I thought the preacher was talking about a utopian church. In the preaching, Matt talked about the role of the church as exemplified by Jesus Christ. The three things that stood out for me were that the church needs to educate, feed, and offer to heal the community. He said that a church should have the resources to build a school(s), a hospital(s), and a food shelter where the poor in society can have access to three warm meals a day. The Bible has numerous passages on the blessings that the children of God possess, including material blessings. If we as Christians took hold of the promises and became faithful and trustworthy stewards of the talents, gifts, and wealth God bestows upon us, then what Matt Hagee was preaching would be a reality in every church in the world.

So yes, the church needs to go beyond fulfilling the spiritual needs of society. As you have cited Shatkin (2016), the church should involve itself in offering counseling services, running children’s immunization programs, and educating the poor, among others. Awakening the congregations to the real purpose of the church is the first step to impacting the world. This positions the role of the church in economic development and poverty alleviation.

References

Shatkin, G. (2016). Collective Action And Urban Poverty Alleviation: Community Organizations And The Struggle For Shelter In Manila. Routledge.

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Role of the Church in Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation 

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Role of the Church in Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation

Classmate’s Post

Role of the Church in Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation 

The reading Walking with the Poor by Bryant Myers really changed my view on poverty. Most importantly, I became aware of the fact that poverty manifests itself in many different areas such as spiritual, mental, physical, as well as social aspects of human life (Myers, 2011). For this reason, efforts aimed at eradicating poverty within the society need to focus on all these areas in order for them to be successful and to yield sustainable results (Myers, 2011).

The Rreading also allows me to see the causes of poverty from a new perspective. I have become aware of the fact that the causes of poverty may be social, mental, spiritual, or physical (Myers, 2011). This realization has changed the manner in which I perceive economic development. I now feel that any nation seeking to achieve sustainable economic development must not only focus on improving the living standards of its people but should pay attention to their social, mental, spiritual, as well as physical needs (Myers, 2011).

I feel that the role of the church in poverty alleviation and economic development needs to go beyond just fulfilling the spiritual needs of members of the society. It should also promote the fulfillment of the social, mental, and physical needs of members of the society. It can achieve this through attempting to satisfy these needs through community outreach programs such as immunizing children, offering counselling services, and educating the poor (Shatkin, 2016). It can also achieve this through public advocacy whereby it can put pressure on the government to ensure the fulfilment of these needs (Agbiji & Swart, 2015). The church should also seek to address the root causes of poverty in the society as opposed to giving gifts and solutions that only partially solve the problem of poverty (Agbiji & Swart, 2015).

The Bible in Matthew 25: 31-40 focuses on the role of the church as well as that of believers in caring for the poor. It calls up us all to take care of the poor in the society on Christ’s behalf. Matthew 25:40 (NIV) states that “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Here, the Bible encourages Christians to do good deeds when dealing with the poor for by so doing, they do unto Christ. I will apply this teaching in my life, now and in the future by always doing good deed to all those I encounter. I now realize that everyone is poor, for there is no one who lacks a deficit, be it social, mental, physical, or spiritual. As such, I must at all times be willing to assist persons I encounter on a day-to-day basis at the different points of their needs.

References 

Agbiji, O. M., & Swart, I. (2015). Christian religious leadership and the challenge of sustainable transformational development in post-military Nigeria: Towards a reappraisal. koers, 80(1), 1-13.

Myers, B. L. (2011). Walking with the poor: Principles and practices of transformational development. Ossining, New York: Orbis Books.

Shatkin, G. (2016). Collective action and urban poverty alleviation: Community organizations and the struggle for shelter in Manila. Routledge.