Helping without Hurting Workshop

Pre-Workshop Materials 

To make the most of the upcoming workshop, we encourage attendees to review the following selection of short videos and articles beforehand. While not required, engaging with these core ideas in advance will help spark deeper reflection and prepare you with valuable questions and insights for discussion.

• A Vision for the Kingdom of God: https://vimeo.com/359554440?share=copy
  When Jesus began to preach, his message was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near" (Matt. 4:17 NIV, emphasis added). Here, 2,000 years later, we are still here on earth, knowing Jesus, but waiting for His kingdom to come in its fullness. How, for us, is the kingdom at hand?

• What Are People For: https://chalmers.org/blog/what-are-people-for/
  We need to start with an understanding of God’s design for human beings in order to work well to address their material and spiritual needs.

• We Need a Better Story: https://chalmers.org/blog/we-need-a-better-story/
  Material wealth alone isn’t what leads us to flourishing as God’s people. We need a better story for ourselves as well as those our churches and organizations serve.

• Understanding the Five Causes of Poverty: https://vimeo.com/601004873?share=copy
  Material poverty is complex, rooted in the complex brokenness of the world that results in humankind's fall into sin and death. We need to avoid oversimplifying the causes of someone’s need.

• A Potluck, Not a Soup Kitchen: https://chalmers.org/resources/videos/a-potluck-not-a-soup-kitchen/
  A truly flourishing community is not just one where some people have much and give generously to those who have little, but one in which everyone has a place and everyone brings a plate.

• From Needs to Assets, Shifting the Dynamic of Ministry: https://chalmers.org/blog/from-needs-to-assets-shifting-the-dynamic-of-ministry/
  Fostering developmental growth requires a reframe of our approach to ministry, seeking to find ways even those in the most dire circumstances have gifts, skills, or assets that they can bring to a mutually transformative relationship.

• Participation IS Development: https://chalmers.org/blog/participation-is-development/
  As we move toward participatory development, it’s important to remember that relationship is the key. Bringing people together into the process can unlock much potential.