By Jeff Rutt, Founder, HOPE International; Chair, HOPE International Board of Directors; Founder/CEO, Keystone Custom Homes I didn’t intend to found HOPE International. We were just church members looking to help a sister church in Ukraine. Year after year, we dropped shipments—of clothes, food, supplies. But we received a wake-up call. The pastor took...
Three Waves in How the Church Responds to Poverty
I’m not a surfer. But I’ve secretly always wanted to be. While visiting Point Loma University, San Diego, CA, I was invited by students to try surfing. Early in the morning we donned on wetsuits, grabbed boards, and headed out to the surf. What I didn’t expect: Riding the waves isn’t the only challenge....
Toxic Charity: Lessons from Bob Lupton
I recently had the opportunity to hear Bob Lupton, author of Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It), speak at the co-lab conference in Chicago. I was especially struck by his take on the receivers’ response when we offer charity: · Give once and you elicit...