About The Poor Will Be Glad

A compelling call to carry God’s mercy and compassion to the hurting people of this world, this eminently practical book by two leading experts in the field of poverty reduction offers a clear plan to help ordinary Christians translate their compassion into thoughtful action. Authors Peter Greer and Phil Smith draw on their personal experiences to provide proven solutions for effectively reducing poverty. With photographs by Jeremy Cowart included throughout, The Poor Will Be Glad examines the pitfalls of traditional approaches and outlines a new model of economic development aimed at breaking the cycle of dependency.

Through microfinance and employment-based solutions, people who share God’s heart for the poor can reorient their efforts from giving handouts to offering a hand up, helping others provide for their families and regain their dignity. This book provides straightforward guidance for individuals and groups eager to carry God’s justice, mercy, and compassion to the hurting people in our world. Also includes photographs by award-winning photographer Jeremy Cowart (www.jeremycowart.com).

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About The Authors

Peter Greer is president and CEO of HOPE International, a global nonprofit focused on uniting the Great Commandment and Great Commission through Christ-centered economic development.

Formerly employed by World Relief as the managing director of Urwego, ranked the “best microfinance institution in Rwanda” by the United Nations, he also served with CARE Zimbabwe implementing fraud protection measures and was a microfinance advisor in Cambodia. Peter has an M.P.P. from Harvard’s Kennedy School and a B.S. from Messiah College.

Peter authored the first faith-based book on microfinance, The Poor Will Be Glad (Zondervan, 2009). Currently under contract by Bethany House Publishers to write The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good, being released August 2013, and Mission Drift (2014), Peter blogs at www.peterkgreer.com. Follow him on Twitter at @peterkgreer.

Peter resides in Lancaster, PA, with his wife, Laurel, and their three children.

Phil Smith, who holds an M.B.A. from the University of Tulsa and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Oklahoma State University, is a philanthropist and private investor. He sits on the boards of publicly-traded Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. and three private companies. He is the coauthor with Eric Thurman of A Billion Bootstraps: Microcredit, Barefoot Banking, and the Business Solution for Ending Poverty.

Phil’s business career was in the oil and gas production business. He has been the CEO and Chairman of the Boards of two publicly traded companies, Tide West Oil Company and Prize Energy Corp. He previously sat on the Boards of Directors of Mesa Inc., Pioneer Natural Resources Company, and HS Resources, Inc.

Phil has spoken to numerous corporate, civic, and religious organizations throughout the United States about microfinance and effective giving strategies. He previously helped direct the investment of millions of dollars for microfinance and other employment-based solutions through the Microcredit Clearinghouse and the Microcredit Solutions Fund. Phil and his wife, Shannon, live in Tulsa, OK. They have four children.