Perspectives on Global Poverty

-Solidarity Group Passbook

Name: Date of Origin:

Our Commitment Is:

To maintain the values of our Bank of Hope. To act in solidarity and relate to each other with respect and trust. We work and persevere for the well-being of our families, our neighbors, and our country.
adapted from a HOPE International verbal commitment, Dominican Republic and Haiti September 2009

Solidarity Group Officers

President: Secretary: Treasurer: Chaplain: Security Officer:

Solidarity Group Structure

Participants form a solidarity group that meets weekly to participate in Bible study, Scripture memorization, challenges, and encouragement. For the first five weeks, each member contributes $2 per meeting to a Never Ending Hope Fund. To encourage solidarity, group members are jointly responsible for the groups commitments; if someone fails to make their $2 contribution, the remaining members agree to give on their behalf just like community bank members would do. In week 5, you will be challenged to increase the $10 youve accumulated in your Never Ending Hope fund for the benefit of HOPE Internationals savings and credit clients around the world. These clients are similarly charged with putting a small sum to work in order to start a business, pay for an important lifecycle event, or guard against unexpected emergencies.

Passbook Structure
Key question: Each week the passbook will present a key question related to the central theme of that weeks lesson. Questions can be used to stimulate thought before or after the lesson or as points of discussion during group meetings. Hard truth: This section invites participants to further contemplate a difficult teaching presented that week. Gods truth: Gods truth presents a key Scripture related to the weekly topic. Committing these truths to memory will help participants continue to reflect on what Gods Word says about the problem of poverty throughout the week. Challenge: These practical applications may or may not directly pertain to each weeks lesson. They focus on either developing participants awareness of poverty or enabling group members to develop solidarity with our brothers and sisters living in poverty around the world. Prayer: Participants are encouraged to make this prayer part of their personal time with God each week.

WEEKLY CALENDAR

WEEK

DATE

$2 CONTRIBUTED

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Multiply your $10.

Multiply your $10.

Contribute multiplied funds.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZED

CHALLENGE COMPLETED

INITIALS

WEEK ONE

Key question: What is poverty? Hard truth: If we see poverty differently than those who live in poverty, we may need to reexamine our approach to serving the poor. Gods truth: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 Challenge: Instead of your normal daily hot shower, use one bucket of cold water. Prayer: Pray that God would prepare your heart for the weeks ahead and open your eyes to incorrect perceptions and misguided beliefs about poverty.

WEEK TWO

Key question: How are you poor? Hard truth: Because of the Fall, we experience broken relationships with ourselves, with God, with others, and with creation. Gods truth: But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 Challenge: Give up your leisure time for one night; instead, focus on concretely improving one area of brokenness in your life whether that means spending time in prayer or Scripture, connecting with a family member or friend youve neglected, or coming up with a plan to decrease your negative impact on the environment. Prayer: Pray for a realization of your spiritual poverty, recognizing that you cannot rely on your merits but upon God alone.

WEEK THREE

Key question: How did we get from the idyllic Garden of Eden to a world where half our brothers and sisters are living in poverty? Hard truth: Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes one child every five seconds. Gods truth: The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. Proverbs 29:7 Challenge: Go without food for twenty-four hours or eat only one meal for a day. Prayer: Pray in earnest for those living in poverty throughout the world.

WeWk EK ur: R e E Fo FOU

Key question: How would you define Gods heart for the poor? Key question: How would you define Gods heart for the poor? Hard truth: God demands true fasting (Isaiah 58).

Hard truth: God demands true fasting (Isaiah 58). Gods truth: I know that the LORD secures justice and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by Psalm 140:12
the world. James 1:27 Gods truth: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure

Challenge: Either as a group or individually, participate in or arrange to participate in a service project in Challenge: Either as a group or individually, participate benefiting to participate in a service project benefiting the or arrange the less fortunate in your community. Prayer: Pray that your eyes would be opened to see Gods heart for the poor, both locally and globally.
heart for the poor, both locally and globally. less fortunate in your community.

Prayer: Pray that your eyes would be opened to see Gods

WEEK FIVE

Key question: How can a lack of effective stewardship be a symptom of a greater problem in your relationship with God? Hard truth: With great power comes great responsibility. Gods truth: From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. Luke 12:48 Challenge: Use this week and the following weeks of the study to launch your Never Ending Hope challenge increase the $10 youve saved to $100 by putting it to work. The treasurer should return $10 from the Never Ending Hope fund to each participant. The group must decide whether to undertake individual or collective challenges to increase the funds. Have a bake sale, wash some cars, or come up with your own creative idea to multiply the $10 youve saved into $100. The security officer can help stimulate ideas. Come prepared to bring your final funds and your story to the last session. Prayer: Pray that God would transform your attitude toward money, time, and talents.

WEEK SIX

Key question: What then must we do? Hard truth: Good intentions dont always equal good actions. Gods truth: And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 Challenge: Examine your checkbook and your credit card statements. To what do you dedicate the majority of your financial resources? How does this reveal your priorities? Prayer: Pray for specific ways God would have you respond to the problem of poverty.

WEEK SEVEN

Key question: Are you practicing what you preach? Hard truth: Helping people overcome physical poverty alone isnt enough. Gods truth: Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1 Peter 3:15 Challenge: Contact any organizations you may support whose spiritual integration is unclear. Prayer: Pray for God to open your eyes to opportunities to unite your words and your actions.

Key question: Going forward, how will you implement what you have learned? Hard truth: More than 800 million families who stand to benefit from microfinance still have no access to these valuable services. Estimates suggest that it would take $250 billion to bring services to all the families who could benefit. Gods truth: Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 Challenge: As you move forward, think of concrete ways to continue to implement what you have learned in this study. Prayer: Pray for the recipients of your financial gifts. Pray that they would be drawn closer to Christ and recognize this provision as a gift from Him. Pray also for yourself and your fellow group members. Pray that the lessons learned about solidarity (with each other and with the poor) would not soon be forgotten.

WEEK EIG

HT

Solidarity Group Oath

I will receive with joy and give with joy. I will work to the glory of God in all that I do. I will remember that it is God who sees all that is done and knows our hearts and actions intimately. I will pray to God, seek His direction, and give quietly. I will recall that it is God alone who saves.
adapted from a HOPE International community bank gathering Democratic Republic of Congo October 2008

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. -1 Corinthians 10:31

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