Endorsements

CBN Feature

Rob Bell - Video Endorsement

Publisher's Weekly Review
The Poor Will Be Glad: Joining the Revolution to Lift the World Out of Poverty Peter Greer & Phil Smith. Zondervan, $19.99 (288p) ISBN 978-0-310-29359-0
It’s unusual to discover an engaging, detailed and affecting manual delineating a Christian approach to alleviating global poverty. That’s what Greer and Smith have given readers in this resource-rich guide to how individuals, businesses, churches and denominational groups can use the basics of microfinance—the provision of financial services to the poor—to partner with communities and find "employment-based solutions with proven results for effectively reducing poverty and extending the kingdom of God." Greer, president of the Christian relief organization HOPE International, and Smith, a retired businessman and philanthropist, are enthusiastic realists, aware of the challenges facing those who are severely poor; the difficulties, new skills and patience required in churches that want to be catalysts for change; and the complexities of partnering with corporations that may have other, sometimes conflicting, agendas. The book works in large part because of the real-life experience, passion and dedication that both men, who write different chapters, bring to the table. Their biggest achievement may be helping to push skeptical readers off the fence about the potential of religiously funded microfinance—and giving interested parties plenty of practical tools to get started. (Nov.)

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6701100.html

"The Poor will be Glad is a light to the path of social entrepreneurs, students, and philanthropists showing how to help the poor physically while proclaiming the good news of Jesus. You will learn how to avoid unintentional harm and how to do the greatest good." — Chris Crane, CEO of EduLeap and former CEO of Opportunity International

"Peter and Phil have given us very practical examples, stories, and solutions for how to best be part of the fight against poverty around the world. And not only solving issues of poverty, but providing hope and a future for children, families, communities, and entire countries. Join the revolution! Not just because you want to, but because it’s our mandate." — Brad Lomenick, Executive Director, Catalyst

"When I read The Poor Will Be Glad I felt like a young student enmeshed in life’s most challenging exam only to discover the answer sheet folded neatly in the drawer of my desk. The answers to the questions are in front of me. Is it ethical to use them? I almost feel guilty. Will I be cheating? In this case, our teachers have made micro-finance an open-book exam. Peter and Phil allow us to glean from their lifetime of learning about alleviating poverty. If this book had been available when we began micro-financing, I am sure we could have avoided at least five major mistakes." — Gene Wood, founder/president of Grace for Asia and author of Going Glocal

"My friends Peter and Phil have written a book about respect—not pity. They have not written a book about money—but about discovering value in hidden places with explosive benefits for individuals, families, and entire countries." — Fred Smith, president, The Gathering

"Rarely has the debate over how to effectively confront poverty been more open to fresh thinking. This book by Peter Greer and Phil Smith offers a timely and compelling road map for bringing true relief to those who suffer. Through a winning combination of facts and stories, Greer and Smith make a convincing case that the poor are close to God's heart and thus promoting justice for the poor is not optional for people of faith. The reader will find a solid case for appreciating the spiritual as well as physical dimensions of poverty, and learn how effective compassion requires lovingly partnering with the poor through employment-based strategies in order to achieve their own independence. This is a must read." — Don Eberly is an award-winning author on topics of economic and social development, and a former aide to two Presidents

"Leading an organization that continually seeks the balance between word and deed, I greatly appreciate Peter and Phil's passion for addressing both physical and spiritual needs. Christ-followers are called to love the Lord our God and our neighbor as ourselves. That means a recognition that people need bread and the Bread of Life, water and Living Water. It's a both/and, not either/or." — Kevin Palau, Executive Vice-President, Luis Palau Association

"What a needed book! In a relational, story-based way, Peter and Phil help us learn more about microfinance and other employment-based solutions to the problem of world poverty. As we see the church awakening more than ever to issues of social justice, this book is arriving just at the right time." — Rebecca St. James, recording artist, author

"Smith and Greer capture the essence of serving the poor in a holistic manner through time tested solutions, where the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel go hand in hand. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the devastating issues surrounding poverty in all of its forms." — David Valle, President and Co-Founder- Esperanza International

"Rather than merely observing poverty and suggesting conceptual solutions, Peter Greer and Phil Smith have offered their lives as answer to the prayers of the poor. With innovative approaches saturated in authentic love, they humbly reflect on their journey to God's heart in the forgotten parts of a suffering world. Thoughtful, honest, courageous, and idealistic in all the best ways, The Poor Will Be Glad certainly is a sign of life." — Christopher L Heuertz, author of Simple Spirituality: Learning to See God in a Broken World and International Director of Word Made Flesh

"This book illustrates integrated solutions to spiritual and physical poverty with clarity and conviction. A must read as we critically consider biblical stewardship of our resources." — David Weekley, Businessman, Philanthropist

"The key to understanding The Poor Will Be Glad by Peter Greer and Phil Smith can be found on page 223 where the authors make this statement: '. . . helping people improve their incomes should be integrated with ways of improving their spiritual lives.' That thought must be grasped, practiced and repeated in our thinking, speaking, and writing if those in need are to get genuine help. Peter and Phil have grasped it well." — Glenn J. Schwartz, Executive Director, World Mission Associates and author of When Charity Destroys Dignity: Overcoming Unhealthy Dependency in the Christian Movement

"The Poor Will be Glad by Peter Greer and Phil Smith is a life changing book that aids the reader in discovering the path to greatness is found in serving others. The book enlightens us to the fact that often the naive do the exact opposite or wrong thing to help the poor. The Poor Will be Glad presents us with the roadmap, using microfinance, to wipe poverty off the face of the earth." — Scott A. Heintzelman, CPA; Partner - McKonly & Asbury, LLP; Author of the Exuberant Accountant Blog

"The elevation of Muhammad Yunus as a Nobel Prize winning microfinance entrepreneur has many heads turning toward small loans as a solution for those seeking to escape extreme poverty. Peter Greer and Phil Smith do us a favor by reminding us just how bad poverty is, how powerful appropriate financial empowerment can be and where God and His Church are in all this. A helpful companion for those looking to expand the impact of their giving for the sake of God's Kingdom." — Steven W. Haas, Vice President, Chief Catalyst, World Vision

"The Poor Will Be Glad is an honest, insightful and practical resource forged from the vast experience of the authors who deeply care about seeing people lifted from poverty. I am grateful to have this book in my hands and know it will add wisdom to all those who have joined the revolution." — Chuck Bentley, CEO, Crown Financial Ministries

"The Poor Will Be Glad makes an excellent case that we need to be concerned with financial poverty AND spiritual poverty and that the two are often best addressed together. Christian relief orgaizations need to be ever vigilant for opportunities to create a culture of dignity rather than dependency and this book shows how to make it happen. Worldwide missions will never be the same." — Henry Kaestner, Executive Chairman, Bandwidth.com and Acting Executive Director, DurhamCares

"With the recent surge of interest in microfinance as a way to combat poverty, many Christians may have trouble separating truth from hype. Peter Greer and Phil Smith -- two experienced microfinance practitioners -- have made an extraordinary contribution with this eminently readable fusion of biblical wisdom and practical experience. Their candid evaluation of microfinance does not gloss over its challenges, but demonstrates how Christians can prudently use it as a tool to take on the root causes of poverty. Every congregation seeking to get involved in microfinance should read this book. And Christian leaders in business and finance will appreciate it as a high-level primer on how they can apply their professional skills toward the advancement of God's kingdom." — Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, founding director, Two Futures Project; author, Brand Jesus: Christianity in a Consumerist Age

"Most Christians recognize the biblical mandate to care for the poor. But 'doing good' doesn't always really help. With biblical insight, economic savvy, realism, and loads of wisdom, Greer and Smith point to a paradigm that can empower 'the least among us.' The Poor Will be Glad holds forth a promise that can live up to its title. This is must reading for church mission committees, development workers and anyone who wants to truly make a difference in the face of poverty. Moreover, Greer and Smith rightly believe that physical poverty and spiritual poverty can be addressed together without loosing the integrity of the other." — Dennis Hollinger, Ph.D., President & Professor of Christian Ethics, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

"The Church is waking up to the issue of deep poverty with a renewed call to release the oppressed and proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. But what do we do with that newfound passion? Peter and Phil encourage and educate, but don't pull punches about the pitfalls of our naiveté in The Poor Will Be Glad. Read it, and you and your church will be better equipped to contribute to God’s work among the poor." — Patrick J. Kelley, Director of International Housing Finance, Habitat for Humanity International