FitnessProsBooks.com - Walking With the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development
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List Price: $22.00
Our Price: $12.50
Your Save: $ 9.50 ( 43% )
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Manufacturer: Orbis Books
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 261.8325
EAN: 9781570752759
ISBN: 1570752753
Label: Orbis Books
Manufacturer: Orbis Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 279
Publication Date: 1999-07
Publisher: Orbis Books
Studio: Orbis Books
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction to tranformational development
Comment: Myers gives a balanced and holistic view of a Christian approach to transformational development, which focuses on the local community not the agencies "helping", and acknowledges and addresses the whole person within the community (and within aid agencies). Though obviously not a literary classic, this is well-written and readable. Theologically it is orthodox and reformed (though not overtly so, and very accessible to other traditions). If you want to know more about how Christian agencies like World Vision (for whom Myers worked when he wrote the book) can be effective in poor and struggling communities around the world, this is a great starting point.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Must read for everyone doing community transformation work
Comment: While this book is not an easy read, it is extremely thought provoking and enlightening. Everyone involved in any kind of mission work will benefit from the wisdom and guidance in this book. I've already bought 30 copies for key folks from our church involved in or planning transformational development work locally and internationally.
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Summary: Biblical Transformation/Kingdom of God
Comment: This is an excellent, practical presentation of what biblical transformation can look like. An excellent presentation of the biblical story & world view, with a helpful and practical description of the kingdom of God and Shalom. It presents poverty not simply as an economic issue, but a relational issue with a spiritual root.
I have already given away several copies of this book and plan to give more away. Should be required reading for all churches and church planters.
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Summary: A thorough and challening walk with the poor
Comment: Bryant's book is a very comphensive introduction to holistic Christian development. It tackles the difficult issue of how development can be distincitively Christian and tackles it well. I was disappointed however in the lack of treatment of the place of the Christian community. This is a good foundational book nevertheless.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Really GREAT book, just go a bit farther!
Comment: I loved this book. I mean I LOVED this book! It probably took me longer to read it than it took the author to write it, because I kept underlining it and pausing to consider the concepts!
My only two concerns were this: The book should be marketed to ALL followers of Jesus, not just those people who work in full time humanitarian aid! Every follower of Christ is called to make disciples--and we need to recognize that this means holistic discipleship--promoting the advancement of health in every area of life: spiritually, physically, mentally, etc. That is primarily what this book is about, and every follower of Christ can benefit from it.
The other issue I'd like to bring up is that the book refers to having to work with the local institutional church, and how even though that is often difficult, it has to be done. My concern here is that there are other ways to integrate "church" into community development--like discipling the people to start their own simple fellowships. Too often institutional churches provide perpetual spiritual "relief" rather than "development". By that I mean that the pastor or leaders just "tell people how it is" rather than helping new Believers dig into the Bible on their own. It's like a spiritual "welfare program". Is it reasonable to suggest that since holistic community development means helping people to help themselves spiritually as well as in other ways, then we should promote/facilitate the kind of churches that model this? The house/simple church movement that encourages "every member ministry", church as a lifestyle, shared responsibilities, dialogue over monologue, etc., should at least be a strong consideration. I pray for the day when Christian humanitarian aid workers and church planters recognize that their work is identical if truly done holistically! IE discipling people in life-giving lessons that can be easily transferred to others (II Timothy 2:2), while alternating topics from day to day or week to week. One day the lesson may be about oral rehydration solution, and the next day it's on forgiveness, etc. Both are vital lessons for the health of the community, and both can be easily passed on by the local people, while working in a field or sitting under a tree, etc.! Holistic teaching IS promoted in this book, but it's not seen as empowering the local people to lead their own simple, reproducing churches.
"Church Planting Movements" by David Garrison, "Houses that Change the World" by Wolfgang Simson, and "Going to Church in the First Century" by Dr. Robert Banks are helpful books on this topic.
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