Teddy James

AFA Journal staff writer

February 2014 – Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. There are many lessons found in that old adage. One of the most prominent is the difference between helping someone long-term and short-term. And that distinction is where Michael Matheson Miller begins his look at worldwide poverty in a six-part DVD study called Poverty Cure.

Hurting to helping
It is in our Christian nature to help those in need. And there are times when giving money and resources is absolutely necessary and appropriate. But there are also times when giving charity can hurt the very ones it is trying to help.

That is the concept discussed in part one, “Charity that Hurts.” Rev. Robert Sirico, president of the Acton Institute, the organization that produced Poverty Cure, said, “We need to [take the emotional, moral] impulse to do something good and mature it.”

And that is the heart of the DVD study. Miller, the host of Poverty Cure, takes an honest look at the global problem of poverty, asking entrepreneurs, politicians, religious leaders and others how charity has affected local and national economies and what is being done successfully to draw the most people out of poverty.

Helping to investing
Poverty Cure focuses on the idea that people are image bearers of God and thus, are creative and innovative. Every person Miller speaks to says essentially the same thing, “Invest in us, invest in our enterprise, don’t just give us aid.” 

One businessman said, “I’ve never heard about a country that developed on aid. I have heard of a country developing on innovation.”

Through the course of the study, Miller spotlights several ministries and organizations that specialize in micro financing, a way of giving small loans to small to medium enterprises. The reason is simple – in developed countries, around 65% of the work force is employed by small to medium enterprises. In poor countries, that number is often below 10%. But building wealth is not the end goal of Poverty Cure.

Investing to reaching
Peter Greer, president of HOPE International, a Christian organization specializing in micro financing and spreading the gospel, tells the story of helping a man get a job and escape poverty. When Greer visited him a year later, his home had not changed and his children were still not in school. Greer learned that he was taking his money and spending it on alcohol and women other than his wife. 

He said, “I remember recognizing at that moment there’s got to be more than just a change in a wallet for significant change to happen. I think that is where the church and faith community has something materially different to offer than just another loan, just another job. When you have the opportunity to touch hearts, to touch meaning, to touch identity, while helping an individual get out of physical poverty, that’s where you see incredible transformation.”  

Poverty Cure DVD study series
The Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty (acton.org) spent three years producing Poverty Cure. The organization focuses on both building wealth and the kingdom of God, as well as articulating its vision by producing projects like Poverty Cure. 

This DVD study is ideal for a small group or Sunday School study, with each lesson lasting around 30 minutes. It is also a great tool for families who want to get involved in fighting global poverty. Cost: $59.99. Available at povertycure.org.