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God Is At Work—Even In Our Mistakes
The work of creating a benevolence ministry that provides material assistance to those in need without creating or perpetuating unhealthy dependencies is challenging. It’s important for churches and ministries pursuing this work to come from a position of humility. Approaching church benevolence with the right posture should drive us to the cross, as it creates the opportunity for us to see our own sin and our own inadequacy. We cannot independently generate change in systems, people, and communities, but that does not hinder the work of the Holy Spirit.
Chalmers Staff Grows in 2025
025 has been an exciting season of growth for Chalmers.,Last year we moved our offices to downtown Chattanooga — a more central and spacious location. Now, with that foundation in place, we’re stepping into the next phase of ministry with the addition of several key team members who bring rich experience and a shared passion for equipping the Church to walk alongside people experiencing poverty. We’re pleased to introduce the newest members of the Chalmers team!
Transformation and Flourishing with 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦: 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭
Chalmers is taking an exciting step in our partnership with the Free Methodist Church (FMC) in Latin America as we equip them to implement and scale Innovate: Local. This training prepares local churches and para-church ministries in the Majority World to use their own talents and resources to develop holistic poverty-alleviation ministries that meet the unique needs of their communities. Empowering participants to create and launch their own solutions helps ensure local commitment to long-term change.
My Favorite Moment of 𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 & 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴
I have the unique privilege of experiencing the Chalmers Center’s Faith & Finances program from two distinct vantage points: as chair of Chalmers’ board and as a facilitator of the class where I live in Oklahoma City. This dual perspective has given me insights into not just what this program accomplishes, but how it transforms lives in ways that go far deeper than budgeting basics.
Using Your Social Capital To Benefit Others
One of the key messages of our book When Helping Hurts and the rest of our trainings and resources at the Chalmers Center is that how we give matters most. This means that we often need to give more, but not just money. Long-term, transformative ministry is highly relational, and that means giving of our time, energy, and networks—in short, our social capital.
Map Your Community
When local churches try to engage in ministry that allows their members to be more present in the community around them—outreach, evangelism, or mercy and benevolence work—they often recognize that connecting with others is much more complex than they expect. Leaders and volunteers can end up feeling disconnected from the more natural pathways to connection and relationship-building that seem to work in other areas of their lives.
Mapping Your Church’s Assets
Local churches that have been engaged with a biblical framework for addressing poverty or have used various tools and trainings from the Chalmers Center know that one of the biggest keys in a healthy ministry is taking an asset-based, rather than a needs-based approach. An asset-based approach helps us see that all people, both those who are materially poor and those with material wealth, can contribute to poverty alleviation efforts.
Measuring Impact in God’s Story—Part 2
As we wrap up our series on Generosity in God’s kingdom story, we’ve shared about the importance of giving in ways that lead to flourishing for both givers and receivers, and the challenges of measuring the impact of our work according to God’s story, and not just outputs of our ministry efforts.
Measuring Impact in God’s Story—Part 1
As we’ve been writing this month around the theme of Generosity in God’s kingdom story, we’ve shared about the importance of giving in ways that lead to flourishing for both givers and receivers. God calls us to live into God’s story of change: pursuing His goals but also His way of achieving those goals. This raises the question of effectiveness, though. How do we know that we’re giving well?
The Gift of Generosity: Lessons I’ve Learned From Our Partners
There’s a joy in walking alongside generous people. Over the years, I’ve come to see our gift partners not merely as supporters of Chalmers’ mission, but as fellow pilgrims on the journey of faith. Their generosity, wisdom, and trust in God’s provision have not only funded this work, but they’ve also shaped the soul of our organization. And they have taught me much.
Generosity for Mutual Flourishing
In a fallen world, we’ve all been shaped by false stories without realizing it. So we often support and create ministries that match our own goals and ideas. But if we are living in the wrong story, we can end up harming ourselves, the ministries we support, and the people they try to help.
Generosity in God’s Story
The Chalmers Center’s Faith & Finances curriculum helps churches and nonprofits around North America walk alongside thousands of individuals living material poverty grow in their financial stewardship each year. In each class, participants remember two key themes: 1) Jesus is making all things new, including our money and relationships; and 2) God has chosen to use our money to accomplish His work in the world.
For the Kingdom: The Impact of Influence
Across the globe, churches and ministries are stepping into hard places—walking with families facing poverty, isolation, and loss of dignity. The Chalmers Center exists to equip God’s people to respond in a way that’s rooted in biblical truth and practical love. By God’s grace, from local churches and ministries to global NGOs, Chalmers has helped shape a movement of Christian economic development that restores relationships and fosters lasting change. This is the story of that influence.
Opening Doors to Hope: Tonka’s Story and the Power of Work Life
In a world where “getting a job” is both vital to survival and difficult to achieve, job readiness programs often feel transactional. This is exactly where Chalmers’ Work Life program stands apart. It weaves faith, character, and community into every lesson–offering more than just skills but also hope.
Benevolence As a Posture, Not Just a Ministry
When Chalmers published When Helping Hurts in 2009, our team had already been thinking about, teaching, and practicing a theology of poverty and poverty alleviation for a long time.
Finding Hope in the City: The Challenges and Opportunities of Urban Ministry in the Majority World
Discover how ministries in African cities are finding hope and building community through Christ-centered savings groups, even in the midst of challenges.
Local Churches, Local Resources, Lasting Change
Microfinance can be a powerful tool for helping people escape extreme poverty. When we shift our thinking, it can be even more powerful. How can we make the most of the opportunities microfinance provides?
Savings and Business: Empowering Communities Through Skills and Growth
Training savings group members in business skills contributes to economic growth and job creation in communities