How to Build Developmental Classes that Actually Work

The Chalmers Center | How to Build Developmental Classes that Actually Work

If we’re going to pursue relational poverty alleviation ministry that aims toward long-term development, one of the main outcomes we’re looking for from ministry participants is learning. We want to see the people we’re walking with learn new skills, rediscover their dignity, and grow in their capacity to navigate the complexities of life. 

Read More

Why Talk About Work?

Why Talk About Work?

Work is good. It is the most effective way to provide for our material needs, but also provides ways for us to interact with the world around us and contribute to our community. How can we creatively shift our ministries to help people discover their God-given capacity for meaningful work?

Read More

Facilitation as Reconciliation: Adult Education and Poverty Alleviation

Facilitation as Reconciliation: Adult Education and Poverty Alleviation

Many poverty alleviation ministries include some type of training for their participants. Of course ministries would want to provide instruction in skills and habits that lead to long-term growth out of material poverty! But we have to be careful—a lecture-based teaching style in which the teacher tries to pour content into students’ brains is not only ineffective but can be harmful in the space of poverty alleviation.

Read More

Financial Education with Kingdom Goals

Jerilyn Sanders has been the Director of U.S. Training at the Chalmers Center for over 10 years. Her work combines two things: her love for God’s people and her passion for education that empowers the disenfranchised. In 2011, Sanders was part of the team that created and rolled out Faith & Finances, a financial education curriculum that’s a tool for holistic community ministry. She answered a few questions to share more about her work and the ways Faith & Finances is helping churches and ministries love their low-income neighbors well.

Read More

Training to Help Your Church or Nonprofit Help without Hurting

During the past 22 years, in addition to publishing books about poverty alleviation, Chalmers has been creating training for use in both the U.S. and the Majority World (of Africa, Asia, and Latin America). These field-tested programs are built on God’s story of change and community development best practices to help you put a biblical framework for addressing poverty into practice.

Read More

The Beautiful Community of the Church

Illustration of two hands holding

The impact of racial hierarchy, privilege, and class in society has a substantial impact on the way people interact with one another and value themselves. The church is not immune to this dynamic. You don’t overcome the dignity dynamic simply by believing in Jesus together. However, there is joy in the pursuit as we toast to the truth of the beautiful diverse community that God desires to create.

Read More

Redefining “Success” for Poverty Alleviation

Interview with Brian Fikkert: Redefining Success for Poverty Alleviation

What’s the best way to help people who are poor? We can talk about techniques, but the truth is we need more than that. To really help people, we have to take a look at the stories that we tell ourselves about what success really looks like—both for you and the people you are trying to help.

Read More

Helping Without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry

Helping Without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry

Helping Without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry Get the tools you need to respond to people’s needs effectively and help them experience lasting change. Get the Course Free Preview Develop effective benevolence policies for your church Discover practical tools for mobilizing church volunteers Train church members how to respond to requests When someone asks your church…

Read More

Helping Without Hurting: The Basics

Helping Without Hurting: The Basics

Helping Without Hurting: The Basics Discover a biblical framework for helping people in poverty. Get the Course Free Preview Discover a different way to think about poverty Help people in ways that create lasting change Learn basic principles of ministry with people in poverty What if there’s a better way to help people in poverty?…

Read More

Careers

Laptop and coffee mug

Work at Chalmers Looking for a fun, flexible workplace where you can put your skills to work for God’s Kingdom? Join our team! Current job openings Why you’ll love working at Chalmers Our culture Chalmers is a small, mission-driven team. We love Jesus. We love the poor. We love the local church. We laugh, pray,…

Read More

Benevolence Training

Helping without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry Help your church or ministry make a real difference in your community.Get trained to develop a benevolence ministry that helps people in material poverty experience lasting change. Get Trained Equip your church or ministry with a biblical foundation for responding to requests for financial help. Gain skills and confidence…

Read More

Benevolence Ministry

Helping without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry Help your church make a real difference in your community.Get trained to develop a benevolence ministry that helps people in material poverty experience lasting change. Get Trained Equip your church with a biblical foundation for responding to requests for financial help. Gain skills and confidence to develop a holistic,…

Read More

Benevolence Training

Helping without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry Help your church make a real difference in your community.Get trained to develop a benevolence ministry that helps people in material poverty experience lasting change. Get Trained Equip your church with a biblical foundation for responding to requests for financial help. Gain skills and confidence to develop a holistic,…

Read More

Ambassador Training

Help ministries in your network transform their approach to poverty as a Chalmers Ambassador. Get certified to represent foundational principles, practices, and tools to better address the root causes of material poverty. Get Certified Equip churches and ministries to think differently about poverty Gain skills and confidence through our online training Practice tools to address…

Read More

Subscribe—Beyond these Walls

Get a FREE Curriculum Sample Sign up for our email list and visit our booth to get a free sample of our economic development curriculums. Support individuals and families in the Majority World or in the U.S. through proven economic development tools from the Chalmers Center. Restore—Equip churches and ministries with tools to start savings…

Read More

Subscribe

Get a FREE Curriculum Sample Sign up for our email list and visit our booth to get a free sample of our economic development curriculums. Support individuals and families in the U.S. through proven economic development tools from the Chalmers Center. Faith & Finances—Financial education ministry that empowers people in material poverty with practical money-mangagement…

Read More