This video does an excellent job of introducing how a commitment to human dignity informs the way Christians see material need and address physical poverty. It explores the differences between asset-based development and needs-based development, encouraging us to examine how God has already equipped a community to flourish rather than believing solutions always come from the outside. Helping without hurting requires us to recognize that people in poverty aren’t helpless. They have God-given gifts and abilities that they can use to improve their lives!
Video: Helping Without Hurting – Part 4: Joining God’s Work – LifeChurch.tv
Reflection Questions:
- Give an example of a time you’ve witnessed a needs-based approach to ministry. Then describe how an asset-based approach might have changed the interaction.
- How does 127’s local leader distinctive intersect with an asset-based approach to ministry? What specific things can 127 do to ensure that we maintain an asset-based developmental approach?
