Faith-Based Organizing

Faith-Based Organizing: A Congregational Planning Resource for Addressing Poverty was prepared specifically for pastors and lay leaders who want to invite their whole congregations to engage in faith-based community organizing to address poverty and its root causes. This practical resource will help them grow in their understanding and motivate them into action. It will also be useful for denominational and judicatory leaders who feel called to lead the church in mission. The authors share the fruits of what they discovered--through both their successes and errors--about community life inside and outside the church. They make a strong case that people of faith can address and overcome poverty, because they have what is needed to do so. They identify the available resources in the local church and offer tools for building relationships with leaders in a local community where there are people in poverty. They invite congregations to initiate local partnerships that include a congregation, people in poverty, and community leaders to advocate for change that can overcome poverty. This book presents a faith-based effort seeking to identify what sustains poverty and to organize people to work together to overcome its root causes. The result is collaborative relationships that change systems contributing to poverty. Within this process, new leadership will emerge, relationships will be enriched, and congregations will experience renewed love for people by undergoing transformation. Includes helpful information on racism and the culture of poverty, as well as numerous forms and activities that can be used by local congregations and planning teams.