Greetings!

My name is Brian Fikkert. I am the Founder and Executive Director of the Chalmers Center, and I want to welcome you to our web site.

Have you ever wondered:

• Why are people poor?
• Are there times in which helping the poor actually does more harm than good?
• How can we stop putting band-aids over the problem of poverty and get to the root of the problem?
• How can we help the poor to help themselves?
• What are some practical strategies that churches can implement to make a lasting difference?

I have wondered about these things too.

In 1999, the Lord laid upon my heart a vision to help the church to fulfill its biblical mandate to serve the poor. That vision eventually became the Chalmers Center. Through God’s guidance and sovereign care, the staff of the Chalmers Center design and test economic development interventions that the local church can use to minister to the economic and spiritual needs of low-income people. The Center then trains churches, missionaries, and Christian ministries to implement those strategies on their own.

It is our desire that no poor person ever hears of the Chalmers Center. Rather, our goal is that the poor will see the local church or missionary in their community as the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus Christ.

I hope your visit to our web site is informative and that it will help you as you seek to bring the healing of King Jesus to a broken world.

May God bless your efforts for His glory, and His glory alone.

Sincerely in Christ,
Brian Fikkert, Ph.D.