Our Approach
How we understand poverty
determines our response to it.
If poverty is defined only in economic or physical terms, the solution will likely be more resources or money. Tearfund believes that poverty isn’t just a lack of money, but a deep brokenness in the world caused by broken relationships.
The four broken relationships at the root of poverty
With God
At the heart of poverty is our broken relationship with God, who made everything in love and made it good. We have all pulled away from him and from his ways, and we are diminished, unsure of who we are or what we can do.
With Self
People have broken relationships with themselves. We do not understand who we are or feel comfortable with ourselves as God’s image-bearers. Poverty takes away human identity in God and changes the perspective we have of ourselves.
With Others
The genuine, natural harmony enjoyed before the fall was ruined and injustice entered the world. We now struggle and fight with others for resources and attention. Groups of us create tribes and wage war. We do not see others as made in the image of God and fail to love our neighbours.
With Creation
Even the relationship between humans and the environment is broken. We pollute and exploit this precious Earth God has given us for material gain rather than steward it for his glory. Natural disasters wreak havoc on us as the Earth suffers and groans for redemption.
Our Response
When Jesus returns, God will fully restore all four relationships. But while we wait for that day, God invites us to join in his work and be a part of the ministry of reconciliation and restoration. Our aim is to restore all four different types of broken relationships. This approach goes beyond finance. It even goes beyond meeting basic needs. It’s about loving our neighbours and joining God in his Kingdom-building, life-giving mission.
Approach
1. The Church at the Centre
At the centre of our approach is the local church. The local church was formed by Christ to continue his mission of restoration and fix the broken relationships that are at the heart of poverty.
Although not perfect, the local church is the most effective vehicle for bringing opportunity and hope into a community. Built on the key principles of integral mission, the church has a vital and distinctive role to holistcally respond to the needs of the poor.
Through a process called church-based community transformation, we train, equip, and empower local churches to lift families out of poverty and meet the immense physical and spiritual needs around them.
2. Partner with Local Leadership
Partnering with and equipping local leaders is the key to long-term transformation. Local leaders are embedded in their communities and remain there long after we leave. They bring expertise, commitment, and an understanding of local needs.
Our approach does not involve sending expensive staff overseas. Instead, we partner with local Christian agencies to carry out the Kingdom-building work God has invited us into. Our role is to train and build the capacity of nationals and equip them to be powerful agents of change within their own communities.
3. Provide Holistic Solutions
Poverty is complex and multifaceted. Instead of addressing surface issues, our programs are designed to tackle the underlying broken relationships at the root of poverty. Our goal is to meet the needs of the whole-person: physical, spiritual, emotional and social.
This may look different in different contexts and does not follow a one-size-fits-all methodology. Some of our projects involve emergency relief, while others may focus on climate adaptation. Some involve trauma healing, while others focus on savings and business training. Our goal isn’t to prescribe a cookie-cutter approach, but to work with local communities to find the appropriate solution for long-term change.
The Result
We’re in the business of changing lives. Together with Tearfund, learn how you are helping families lift themselves out of poverty, live transformed lives, and reach their God-given potential.
We appreciate how the saving groups empower people to lift themselves out of poverty. We are able to have such an increadible impact. Giving out food is just a partial solution, it is essential but does not address the long-term spiritual and social problems in the community. We love that through local churches, Tearfund tackles both.
Free Video Course
A Biblical Response to Poverty
Based on the highly acclaimed book When Helping Hurts, this eye-openning six-part video series will help provide you with a Biblically-based framework for addressing the root causes of poverty and how to alleviate it without hurting the poor, and yourself.
