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A Provoking Critique On the Shortcomings of American Christian Charity
The one Christian distinctive immune to criticism has been its charitable endeavors. Not any more. The authors make the point that American Christian charity has not always been done with the best motivations and methods, and has even made the situation worse!
Being a Christian, a returned Peace Corps volunteer, and a social entrepreneur, poverty alleviation, and criticism of it, is right in my wheelhouse.
The authors do not disappoint. Like Eugene Burdick and William Lederer did with "The Ugly American" in 1958, Corbett and Filkkert dare to highlight a sacred cow and reveal naivete, and even evil, in our attempts to "help" the poor.
Readers from outside the USA and those of other faiths may not comprehend all the cultural references and biblical underpinnings, but most can glean wisdom from the fast moving pages.
The authors do a fine job laying a biblical foundation for the subsequent arguments, which speak to the evangelical and catholic worldviews of most of the christian readers. I would be interested to see equally succinct and biblical counter arguments.
The "true stories" bring home the points, though they would have greater impact if they were personal testimonies of the authors. I do not know if they had actually spent significant time in poor communities, but anyone who has is full of heart-wrenching stories of both failure and success. The book captures this irony like no other besides the aforementioned "The Ugly American," which I highly recommend to anyone working to be an agent of change.Read full review
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Excellent Insight into Effective Philanthropy
This book has been extremely helpful to me. Over the years serving on boards of various charities I have often viewed what appeared to be a great deal of waste and even harm to those whom the charity intended to serve. They often unintentionally discouraged recipients from taking steps to stand on their own, robbed them of their dignity, and created dependencies.
When Helping Hurts gives a number of examples of harmful effects of work of various NGOs and provides a blueprint for more effective giving. The book is written from a Christian viewpoint but I believe it would also be helpful to those who are not Christian. It has made a big impact on me and on friends I have given the book to. I highly recommend it.Read full review
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Good stated practices for all walks of life.
Our daughter works within the adoption & foster children & parenting system & this book will be a good help to & for her in ministering truth for life & honest helps.
In HIS graces,
Richard
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Helpful
Corbett and Fikkert have seen first-hand the short and long term results of well intentioned giving.
Involved/invested recipients use the gifts to become grateful producers and sharers. Win-Win.
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Be motivated unto good works and help save humanity!
En encouraged the works of God through his body the Church of the living God!
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When Helping Hurts
I just started reading it, but good so far.
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Must read
Must read for anyone in missions work.
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When Helping Hurts
A must read if you participate in social work as a volunteer.
Verified purchase: Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: thrift.books