In seminary I had a professor that compared our course work to that of drinking from a fire hydrant. You catch what you can and let the rest flow by. To some degree, that is how When Helping Hurts, was for me the first time I read it. Filled with insightful thoughts and challenges, it gave me much to consider and pray through. As I have continued to try to love the vulnerable in my city I have continually gone back to this book for encouragement and guidance. Not because it has all the answers, but because it steers me towards a biblical reminder of the brokenness that we all face. Sometimes a reminder of how difficult and deep poverty is helps to reset my [...]

Every once in a while there will be a movie that comes out and totally shapes the cinematic experience. Sometimes it’s on the cutting edge of technology (“Matrix”), has an epic storyline (“Titanic”), deals with tough real life situations (“Philadelphia”) or connects to our adventurous spirit (“Indiana Jones”). Whatever it might be, movies have a way of inspiring and shaping our emotions, feelings and perspectives, and some of these classics always come to mind. Much like a movie some books have also shaped the way we think, act and see life. In the realm of Christian missions books “When Helping Hurts” is one of those mind shapers. With over 300,000 copies sold [1] this book has played an instrumental role in shaping the way Christians [...]

Over the next few months we will be reading through the book When Helping Hurts (Expanded Edition) by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett. We will be taking time on the blog to explore the book and the topics it raises. […]