Robert D. Lupton
136 pages
The caption to this book is “Rethinking Ministry to the Poor” and it certainly provides a new outlook and way of thinking about urban ministry to the poor, outcast and disenfranchised. The main thrust of the book is to encourage the church away from handouts and the thinking of “free” and towards a new paradigm of helping people get on their feet economically. Lupton is a Christian Community Developer in inner city Atlanta and through his 34 years of experience he provides us with many stories of failure, promise and success for what the church can begin to do in taking care of the “least of these.” Lupton’s purpose for writing is this:
Clearly there are great needs in neglected inner-city communities throughout our nation. There is a lack of leadership in these communities, and it is essential that new leadership be developed from among the people. These communities face a variety of cultural and environmental factors that impact the health of these neighborhoods. Thus, Christian Community Development, I believe, represents the best approach to not only develop these future leaders but also to transform our most under-resourced communities into thriving communities through the power of God and the efforts of his people.
There is a great deal in this book that will continue to make me rethink what ministry to the poor looks like because for so long it has been nothing but handouts equated with compassion. What Lupton points out is that this is not compassion, but rather the lowest form of generosity. Lupton not only helps to reframe the issue of the poor, but what true generosity looks like.
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My favorite book of all time. I keep a stash of these books under my desk to hand out to my leaders and anyone else who will take one! Miss you guys!