Redemptive Poverty Work - Mentor's Guide

L E S S O N 1 M E N T O R N O T E S | A B R I E F T H E O L O G I C A L R E F L E C T I O N / 1 5

• Genesis 3 makes it very clear that we live in a fallen world, therefore you will experience hardship in your life. God will utilize those hardships when we engage with others. God will turn your test into a testimony. Trust in God’s promises that everything will be all right eventually, even though you may not see it in YOUR lifetime. • Most people never emerge from poverty. • The number-one reason why people are in poverty is that they were born into it. • Or use the following for in-class discussion: 1. Why are people biblically illiterate?

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2. Besides it being a kingdom priority, what are your top three reasons for pursuing poverty work from a biblical perspective? 3. Are there legitimate reasons to not pursue it?

Discuss the Case Study: A young urban minister who oversees training volunteers for a tutoring program for a school in an impoverished neighborhood has come to you for advice. Her job is to give an orientation before the volunteers are assigned kids to work with. She has found that she consistently runs into a problem. Every orientation a debate breaks out among the new volunteers concerning the causes of poverty. One group argues that people are poor because they made bad choices in their lives. The others argue that people are poor because of economic injustice. Rarely does either group cite Scripture to back up their arguments. What is your advice to her? • After some have provided their input, let them know that it does add value to know their backgrounds so we can be informative.

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