Related Links Training courses for ministry in Africa, Asia, and Latin America Training courses for ministry in the US and Canada The book "When Helping Hurts"

Implementing successful economic development ministry with poor people is not always an easy process. Poverty is quite multifaceted and complex. Microfinance and microenterprise development tools must be carefully designed and applied.

We encourage churches to consider the following process as they decide to enter this ministry:

1. Need/Call — The local church, ministry, or missionary recognizes the need of the poor and responds to the Biblical call to effect spiritual and physical transformation in the community (Luke 7:18-23) declaring the Kingdom of God in word and deed.
2. Training — The Chalmers Center provides training giving an orientation to holistic ministry followed by a framework for economic development, microfinance, or microenterprise as a holistic ministry for the church. Training is available through distance learning, training institutes, and self-study material.
3. Assessment — The church assesses its vision and capacities in holistic ministry as well as the condition of their target community. The assessment allows the church to determine baseline measures and to see how microfinance might be appropriate.
4. Planning — The church or ministry takes the strategies learned during the Chalmers Center training and, based on the church and community assessment, creates a customize ministry plan.
5. Implementation — The church, ministry, or missionary implements the ministry plan and the church members establish and manage a microfinance initiative (IDAs, ROSCA/ASCA, or partnership with a MFI).
6. Evaluation — The church or ministry evaluates its ministry and makes appropriate adjustments.

From this, you can see that the Chalmers Center is just one part of the process in implementing an Christian economic development ministry progress.