When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett
Week 1: Introduction — The Chasm Between Intentions and Results
Read the Introduction of When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
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Before diving into the book's arguments, take a moment to examine the assumptions and experiences you already bring to the question of poverty and Christian charity.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Corbett and Fikkert open with a striking confession: many short-term mission trips and church benevolence programs, despite enormous goodwill, leave poor communities worse off than before. Does that claim surprise you, disturb you, or resonate with something you've already suspected? Why?
2.The authors describe a common 'god-complex' that can quietly motivate charitable work — a subtle sense that we are the solution and the poor are the problem. Where have you seen this attitude, either in yourself or in ministries you've observed?
3.The book distinguishes between three types of giving situations: relief, rehabilitation, and development. Even before the authors define these formally, how would you intuitively describe the difference between them? Can you think of a real-life example of each from your own community?
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