Christian Christian Community Community DevelopmentDevelopment

Howard CulbertsonHoward Culbertson

Southern Nazarene UniversitySouthern Nazarene University

                                                                              

        

Percentage of population Percentage of population living on $1 or less per dayliving on $1 or less per day

Per capita gross national product

Population density

Per capita food production

← 25 years → ← 25 years →

Percent of underweight children under 5

• Poverty Poverty • Illiteracy: Illiteracy: – The curse of not The curse of not

knowingknowing

• Dispossession: Dispossession: – The hungry The hungry

travelerstravelers

Six plagues of our mis-Six plagues of our mis-developed worlddeveloped world

• The calamities of The calamities of naturenature

• Urbanization: Urbanization: – The fatal lure of The fatal lure of

the citythe city

• ““The System”: The System”: – Hunger amidst Hunger amidst

plentyplenty

How do we react to such How do we react to such huge, complex problems?huge, complex problems?

• ““If If theythey would just . . .” would just . . .”

• ““It’s not my business”It’s not my business”

• ““There’s nothing I can do about There’s nothing I can do about it”it”

• ““I want to think about it in the I want to think about it in the light of the gospel”light of the gospel”

Should we be involved?Should we be involved?

• Shouldn’t we be pouring all our Shouldn’t we be pouring all our resources into saving souls for resources into saving souls for eternity?eternity?

• Is there any mandate beyond that Is there any mandate beyond that of announcing the Good News?of announcing the Good News?

Biblical basisBiblical basis

• Old TestamentOld Testament– Examples?Examples?

• New TestamentNew Testament– Examples?Examples?

– http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/poor.htm

““Are you the Messiah?”Are you the Messiah?”

• Tell John what you seeTell John what you see– Blind receive sight, lame walk, Blind receive sight, lame walk,

lepers are cleansed, dead are lepers are cleansed, dead are raised and Gospel is being raised and Gospel is being preached to the poorpreached to the poor

How can we be the “light” of a How can we be the “light” of a mis-developed world?mis-developed world?

• MotivationMotivation– ““Let my heart be broken with the Let my heart be broken with the

things that break the heart of God” things that break the heart of God” -- Bob Pierce, World Vision-- Bob Pierce, World Vision

• ““How”How”– InappropriateInappropriate– AppropriateAppropriate

Christian Community Christian Community DevelopmentDevelopment

• What is it?What is it?

• What it is not.What it is not.

What community What community development is not . . .development is not . . .

• 1. Redistribution of wealth1. Redistribution of wealth– ““Eat your broccoli!”Eat your broccoli!”

• 2. A multitude of “projects”2. A multitude of “projects”– Enthusiasm and goodwill are not Enthusiasm and goodwill are not

enoughenough

What community What community development is not . . .development is not . . .

• 3. Simply an increase in the 3. Simply an increase in the gross national productgross national product– Haiti’s economic problem: “Too Haiti’s economic problem: “Too

much capital” to absorbmuch capital” to absorb

Community development Community development aimsaims

• 1. Meeting minimum standards1. Meeting minimum standards– Food / nutritionFood / nutrition– HealthHealth• Preventable diseasesPreventable diseases

– Every 8 seconds, child dies from water-Every 8 seconds, child dies from water-related diseaserelated disease

• PollutionPollution

– EducationEducation

Community development Community development aimsaims

• 2. Empowerment2. Empowerment

• 3. Giving dignity and respect3. Giving dignity and respect

• 4. Promoting peace and harmony 4. Promoting peace and harmony (the (the shalomshalom of God) of God)

The most successful The most successful development efforts are directed development efforts are directed at single communitiesat single communities

• Successful ones I’ve been Successful ones I’ve been involved in:involved in:– Vegetable gardeningVegetable gardening– Well drillingWell drilling– PigsPigs– RoadsRoads– Tree plantingTree planting

7 pitfalls and detours7 pitfalls and detours

• 1. Demagoguery based on myths1. Demagoguery based on myths– Myth: Food production is lagging Myth: Food production is lagging

behind population growth behind population growth • Some say: “There simply isn’t enough Some say: “There simply isn’t enough

food.”food.”

Myth: Global overpopulation is the main cause of famine

Truth: Famine’s causes are complex

Myth: The amount of “X” is Myth: The amount of “X” is finite and fixed. finite and fixed.

– We’re in a zero-sum game. What We’re in a zero-sum game. What one person gets/uses of “x” means one person gets/uses of “x” means there is less for every other personthere is less for every other person

– Result: brief guilt trips for Result: brief guilt trips for developed nationsdeveloped nations• Example: Boycotts of Haitian Example: Boycotts of Haitian

industriesindustries

Myth: We have to solve Myth: We have to solve people’s material needs people’s material needs before spiritual needs can before spiritual needs can be addressedbe addressed

Pitfalls and detoursPitfalls and detours

• 2. Ethnocentric attitudes of aid-2. Ethnocentric attitudes of aid-givers themselvesgivers themselves– We can solve your problem. We have We can solve your problem. We have

the answers.the answers.– Railroad car of cornRailroad car of corn

– AuthoritarianismAuthoritarianism• Whoever pays the bills calls the shotsWhoever pays the bills calls the shots

– Village relocation after floodVillage relocation after flood– Rainwater catchment systemsRainwater catchment systems

Pitfalls and detoursPitfalls and detours

• 3. Expectations of easy answers 3. Expectations of easy answers and immediate resultsand immediate results– ““Crash” programs tend to crashCrash” programs tend to crash– ReliefRelief and and developmentdevelopment are are

different strategiesdifferent strategies

Pitfalls and detoursPitfalls and detours

• 4. Temptation to bulldoze 4. Temptation to bulldoze through local oppositionthrough local opposition

• 5. Inflexible administrative 5. Inflexible administrative systemssystems

Pitfalls and detoursPitfalls and detours

• 6. “Rice Christians” 6. “Rice Christians” • How serious a problem?How serious a problem?

• 7. “Compassion fatigue”7. “Compassion fatigue”

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