Can the Poor Change If So How Might a Neighborhood Look?

This is the third blog on Poverty. We have looked at what is Poverty and what groups are ofter found in poverty. Then we looked at ways that facilitate transformed individuals.

Now Some of You Want to Ask Does This Happen?
The answer is a resounding yes if we build on the assets of people in the neighborhood starting with what they want to do. A relationship with Jesus Christ is essential and people growing to maturity in Him, not remaining as a new born. Then these transformed individuals as an aggregate begin to transform their neighborhood using the assets that are there. the neighborhood changes from the inside out.

Desired Results in a Transformed Neighborhood
If the ‘What If’ questions were answered and some of the steps taken described in an earlier blog, we might expect to see some of the following results:
1. Increased knowledge, skills, and resources benefiting individuals throughout the neighborhood.
2. Transformed individuals who are capable of reproducing themselves in others in transformational ways.
3. These results are multiplied throughout a neighborhood and the neighborhood is transformed from the inside out.
4. People are taking more responsibility for their own lives, in all areas.
5. The program is integrated into the neighborhood infrastructure, with the neighborhood leaders taking responsibility. New leaders are emerging neighborhood by neighborhood.
6. There is a growing sense of community.
7. People view the program as their own, rather than belonging to an outside agency.
8. The programs are neighborhood funded rather than funds coming from the outside.
9. The program continues after outside assistance has left the neighborhood.
10. Improvement in social indicators such as education and economics, and a decrease in crime and divorce rates.
11. The program expands to adjacent areas through local training teams, after the initial training team leaves.
12. The entire city is being transformed in all spheres of life, neighborhood by neighborhood.

Change Driven by Grace
We are seeing results in transformational ministry that impact the whole person, in many different religious settings, rural and urban, throughout the world over and above our wildest dreams! The Lord calls each of us who are ministering in His name to deal with people as whole persons: physically, spiritually, emotionally, and socially. The starting point and center of good health is our Lord Jesus Christ. He is working to build His Kingdom.

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