Author and development educator, Dr. Michael Pucci joins the show to talk with us about the spiritual and relational dynamics of poverty and helps us understand the biblical view of the global family of God. We also dive into a fascinating conversation on the multi-billion dollar aid industry (which is nuanced by the amount of remittances sent to the Global South). Dr. Pucci is based in Kigali where he runs Transformational Initiatives and invests in women's economic empowerment alongside other transformational development initiatives.

Resources and Links

Owning Poverty by Michael Pucci, PhD

2023 Global Philanthropy Tracker Full Report

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Conversation Notes

• What does it mean to coach towards transformation (6:30)
• Applying James 1:27 to understand the powerlessness of individuals and how family is the model for Christians to interact with others (9:30)
• Is it okay to show preference toward certain people within a Christian's life? (11:35)
• Understanding the condition of poverty and how it applies to everyone (17:50)
• The role of spiritual disciplines to know and participate in poverty (22:35)
• The reactions of people that are first encountering poverty (25:55)
• Poverty and suffering within the global Body of Christ (30:30)
• Hearing how the poor describe poverty (40:20)
• The importance of boundaries and diversity to promote social flourishing (43:00)
• The laying down of power and cultural dominance (51:00)
• Should we be building bridges or taking bridges apart? (57:00)
• The global aid industry, it's big, it's not working and the mode of engagement is off (59:45)
• Investigating our actions to see if they align with the Kingdom of God (1:11:00)