While about half of those moving off welfare rolls find some kind of employment, another half do not. Even those who do find jobs are often paid so little that the welfare poor simply become the working poor. Each of us should listen with fresh ears and open hearts. This much is becoming clear. Ending poverty will require the active, costly engagement of the church.
Faith makes a difference.
Faith-based organizations are able to meet the needs of the whole person, addressing people physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Statistics are showing that job training, drug rehabilitation, and other social services simply function more effectively when carried out by a religiously rooted and motivated organization. A movement of Christians engaging these issues, Call to Renewal, is drawing together a wide range of Christian organizations seeking a biblical response to the challenge of poverty. It is providing tangible evidence for how churches can make a difference. God's desires need to become our own.