Cornerstone Curriculum, Official Certification Edition - Mentor's Guide

3 2 / C O R N E R S T O N E C U R R I C U L U M M E N T O R ’ S G U I D E

I. Savior Syndrome: Taking on a Role God Never Intended Us to Have 1. We want to go in, save and rescue people and their communities. 2. None of us have the ability to save anybody. We can’t save ourselves. We can be used by God to be able to make situations better. 3. We don’t have stated intentions to exploit people in poverty, nor do we want to go into a neighborhood and be toxic. 4. Having it brought to your attention that you are not supposed to go out and rescue people, but you’re still out there trying to rescue people. 5. If we don’t address our ability or our presupposition to go and try to save people, we will end up with a lot of heartache, pain, and suffering. The only thing that people need from us is that Jesus is within us. II. Paternalism: An Issue of Power Dynamics 1. In offering help, we feel like we are the parent and those in poverty are the child and therefore can’t take care of themselves and don’t have a voice to engage or give input into their own dreams, hopes, goals, etc. 2. We assume we know what’s best. 3. Don’t be a dictator. Don’t come in, take over, and dictate what is to be done and how it should be done. If we do know what’s best, then we should work alongside the individual or the community to find the best way forward with their input and build things together.

& 3 page 44 Outline Point I

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R e d e m p t i v e P o v e r t y W o r k

& 4 page 45 Outline Point II