They have been neglected and allowed to deteriorate for almost forty years. The church of Jesus Christ has at best sat back and watched this happen yet in many areas has contributed to the problem. The words of Nehemiah, “great trouble and disgrace,” ring true for us in the church today.

The question arises as to what the response as Christians will be to the troubles of the poor and the inner cities today. The desperate conditions that face the poor call for a revolution in the church’s attempts at a solution. Through years of experience among the poor, many have come to see these desperate problems cannot be solved without strong commitment and risky actions on the part of ordinary Christians with heroic faith.
There are many philosophies to solve the problems, but most fall short of any lasting change. The most creative long-term solutions to the problems of the poor are coming from grass roots and church-based efforts. The solutions are coming from people who see themselves as the replacements, the agents, for Jesus here on earth, in their own neighborhoods and communities.

This philosophy is known as Christian Community Development, which is not a concept that was developed in a classroom, nor formulated by people foreign to the poor community. These are Biblical, practical principles evolved from years of living and working among the poor. John Perkins in Mississippi first developed this philosophy. John and Vera Mae Perkins moved back to their homeland of Mississippi from California in 1960 to help alleviate poverty and oppression. Through their work and ministry, Christian Community Development was conceived. Christian Community Development has a proven track record with over 600 models around the country making great progress in difficult communities. (Perkins 1995, 239)

Christian Community Development has eight essential components that have evolved over the last forty years. The first three are based on John Perkins’ Three R’s of community development: relocation, reconciliation and redistribution. (Perkins 1995, 21-22) The rest have been developed by many Christians working together to find ways to rebuild poor neighborhoods. The following is a brief description of the eight key components to Christian Community Development. (Fuder 1999, 74)

Relocation: Living Among the People
“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” John 1:14 (The Message)
When the ministers to the people live among the people, “you, them and theirs” turn into “we, us, and ours”. Real community with the populace you are ministering to is essential.
 

Reconciliation
People need to be reconciled to God through the saving grace of Jesus Christ’s salvation. We can’t meet the needs of a whole person without meeting their greatest need of all: salvation.
People need to be reconciled to each other over racial, denominational, class, and cultural lines.
It takes: 1.) Commitment to relationship, 2.) Intentionality, 3.) Sincerity, 4.) Sensitivity,
5.) Interdependence, 6.) Sacrifice, 7.) Empowerment, 8.) Call.

Redistribution
Redistribution is helping people help themselves. It is not Robin Hood stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Redistribution brings new skills, new education, new resources, and puts them to work to empower people in a community of need. This allows justice to return.

Leadership Development
Developing indigenous leaders (people from the community) fills the vacuum of moral, spiritual, and economic leadership that is so prevalent in poor communities. So often success is defined as living in an affluent neighborhood. This contributes to the decline of neighborhoods in need. Raising leaders to stay and work in the community will promote growth.

Felt Need Concept
How do we affirm the dignity of people, motivate them, and help them take responsibility for their own lives? Begin by meeting their NEEDS, establish RELATIONSHIPS, and minister to the WHOLE person.

Church-Based
Nothing other than the community of God’s people is capable of affirming the dignity of the poor and enabling them to meet their own needs. The Christian community is responsible to EVANGELIZE, DISCIPLE, and NURTURE.

Wholistic Approach
Christian Community Development has a ‘wholistic’ approach to ministry that deals with the spiritual, social, economic, political, cultural, emotional, physical, moral, judicial, educational and familial issues of each person. Working to meet the needs of the ‘whole’ person.

Empowerment
1.) There must be an opportunity, 2.) People must be willing to work for it, 3.) Empowerment=Dignity. Go to the people. Live among them. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build on what they have. But of the best leaders, when their task is done, the people will remark, “we have done it ourselves!”