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By Drew Strayer, Pastor of Groups & Care, Manor Church

As one of the pastors in a local [U.S.] church, I am tasked with engaging our congregation with opportunities to grow in understanding God and God’s ways—as well as how they can engage the world with God. When our friends at HOPE International approached us with the chance to host a poverty simulation, we jumped at the opportunity to meet a need we knew existed in our body: We needed to go deeper in our understanding of God’s heart for those living in poverty. 

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by Jesse Casler, Chief Operations Officer

December and Christmas are usually when we think of generosity. In this season, we’re encouraged to turn our attention toward others and sharing the blessings we’ve received in the previous year. For many, end-of-year giving to nonprofits is also incentivized by tax planning, which results in incredible sums of money donated in the last few days of the year.

In this conflicting storm of consumerism and altruism, we’re inundated with so many messages, each vying for our attention and, ultimately, our money. So, in January, the last thing we want to think about is spending more or giving away anything. But, if we want to be good stewards of what God has given us, if we’re seeking to use our resources for maximum Kingdom impact, we have to talk about generosity before and after December. Continue Reading…

Savings Group, Haiti

“Sow righteousness for yourselves,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
and showers his righteousness on you.”
Hosea 10:12

The start of a new year offers a wonderful opportunity to commit to seeking the Lord even more intentionally. As 2019 begins, we invite you to join us in a HOPE-themed devotional. Created with our friends at YouVersion, the plans are available online or via the YouVersion app.

Here are three options we suggest, based on what God might be inviting you to this year:

If you have a desire for personal growth, we recommend … Continue Reading…

by David Wills, President Emeritus, National Christian Foundation

In the 20 years I have served with the National Christian Foundation, I have been privileged to interact with some of the most generous people on the planet. Together, we have mobilized more than $10 billion in grants to more than 55,000 nonprofits.

But throughout my career, I also came to believe that not all giving is created equal. In its best form, generous Kingdom giving requires tremendous passion, effort, and intentionality, as well as great reliance on the Holy Spirit. In my time mobilizing generosity, I saw how easily Christians can miss some of the most impactful giving opportunities. If you sought my advice on how to impact the Kingdom through your generosity this holiday season and beyond, here’s what I would recommend you consider:   Continue Reading…

At HOPE International, we’re constantly encouraged by the ways our clients are growing spiritually, emotionally, and relationally as they steward the material resources God has given them.

We’re seeing so many HOPE-network clients use the resources, talents, and opportunities God has given them to extend generosity outward. These families all over the world are extending Kingdom work far beyond the HOPE network, being Jesus’ hands and feet in their communities by meeting tangible needs. Continue Reading…

Header image: slum neighborhood of Asunción, Paraguay

In the 1990s, the World Bank interviewed more than 60,000 individuals living in low-income countries, asking one primary question: What is poverty?

When asked this question, Western audiences often respond with what those in poverty lack: food, money, clean water, etc. But the families interviewed by the World Bank described poverty in much more multidimensional terms, naming the lack of options, strained relationships, low self-esteem, and feelings of helplessness.

A HOPE staff member once asked a savings group in Rwanda the same question—how do you define poverty? Most of their descriptions framed their experience of poverty as emotional and relational: Continue Reading…