Secularist Culture
What is a common misconception people have about the reasons people are impoverished?
Either the economy is the problem or they are the problem.
Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as we love who?
Ourselves
Define Poverty.
The state of not having the money or resources to regularly meet one's basic needs.
(ex. food, water, shelter, clothing)
What is the War on Poverty?
The set of government programs initiated by president Lyndon Johnson to reduce poverty in the US.
True or False: Even if all we can do is our 10% tithe, it can still help those who are less fortunate.
True
What is a way people have for curing poverty?
They think that if the government controls all the money then there won't be a problem with people having too much or too little money.
Our goal isn't to just help the poor survive, but to...
Flourish
How much should Christians tithe out of their paychecks? And why does the Bible call us to do this?
10% because we are supposed to give back to God what belongs to him. This money helps the church give back to the community and help missionaries.
What president made big changes to the economy after the Great Depression that provided government run jobs for those who were unemployed?
FDR
Where can we volunteer to help out with the poor?
Soup kitchens, food pantrys, and second hand stores are great pkaces to start.
How do people tend to react when the topic of poverty is brought up?
There can be many different reactions varying from pity to disgust.
Does God call us to take care of the poor? Give a biblical reference.
Yes
Answers may vary:
Ex. Prov 19:17, Prov 22:9, Luke 12:33
What is the difference of Inelastic Good and Elastic Good?
Inelastic Good is any good's demand that is unaffected by price changes, but Elastic Good is any good that is highly effected by price fluctuations.
Why Christians should care about the poor can be summed up in Jesus's command to...
love God and love our neighbors.
We can't start to help the poor if first we don't understand what?
The difference between their needs and wants.
Why do many people sympathize the homeless and needy, but don't do anything besides possibly give a few bucks here and there?
Some claim that they are doing everything they could, while others only act sympathetic to gain popularity.
Why shouldn't Christians assume the best way to help poor people is to give them money?
Poor people aren't always as helpless as they seem. Sometimes they will spend the money they are given on drugs and alcohol or are just people who found it easier to make money by begging.
Explain what Capitalism is.
An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit.
Fill in the blanks: After the Reformation, literacy ___, economic principles were ___, and entire nations rose out of ___.
flourished, articulated, poverty
True or False: Giving out money to poor people on the side of the road is the best way to help poverty.
False
Communism was seen as a way to fix poverty when it was first introduced. Why?
It gave all the power and money to the government to distribute equally. Once we could run without it, then we would be free from the ruling of government.
Bad thinking towards poverty is why we have bad ideas towards helping it. Give some examples of these bad ideas.
1. Just giving out free money
2. Arresting people w/o a second thought
3. We say that it is the poor's own choices that put them into the spots they are in
What does the concept Human flourishing mean?
Thriving and living well, encompassing both individual and communal well-being
Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert say this about poverty and how Christians help:
"Until we embrace our mutual brokenness, our work with low-income people is more likely to do far more...
harm than good."
Do we need to be in a place of high power to make a difference in poverty? Why?
No, because volunteering or owning small 'buisnesses' for the poor can make big changes to a community's poverished folk.