Becoming Whole: Why the Opposite of Poverty Isn't the American Dream

by Brian Fikkert

Western Civilization is wealthier, but it isn’t happier. We are the richest people ever to walk the face of the earth, but according to research, we aren’t becoming happier. Families and communities are increasingly fragmented, loneliness is skyrocketing, and physical and mental health are on the decline. Our unprecedented wealth doesn’t seem to be doing us much good. Yet, when we try to help poor people at home or abroad, our implicit assumption is that the goal is to help them to become like us. "If they would just do things our way, they’d be fine!" But even when they seem to pursue our path, they too find that the American Dream doesn’t work for them. What if we have the wrong idea altogether? What if the molds we are using to help poor people don’t actually fit any of us? What if the goal isn’t to turn other countries into the United States or to turn America’s impoverished communities into its affluent suburbs? In Becoming Whole (building on the best-selling When Helping Hurts ), Brian Fikkert and Kelly M. Kapic look at the true sources of brokenness and poverty and uncover the surprising pathways to human flourishing, for poor and non-poor alike. Exposing the misconceptions of both Western Civilization and the Western church about the nature of God, human beings, and the world, they redefine success and offer new ways of achieving that success. Through biblical insights, scientific research, and practical experience, they show you how the good news of the kingdom of God reshapes our lives and our poverty alleviation ministries, moving everybody involved towards wholeness.

Genres: Christianity

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Brian Fikkert is an Professor of Economics at Covenant College and the Founder and Executive Director of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College. Brian received a Ph.D. in Economics with highest honors from Yale University, and a B.A. in Mathematics from Dordt College. Specializing in Third World Development and International Economics, Brian has been a consultant to the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the United States Agency for International Development. He has published articles in both leading academic and popular journals and has been a contributor to several books. Prior to coming to Covenant College, he was a professor at the University of Maryland and a research fellow at the Center for Institutional Reform and the Informal Sector.

Reviews

[Michael Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book. You can see how God greatly changed this man and how he was greatly used by God. These letters of Newton's are a good reminder of how gracious and merciful God is towards us.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in bits and pieces. As a paraphrase, it’s just whetted my appetite for the real thing. Was surprising to hear that slave trading was regarded as just another trade in the “good old days” of the 1700s....and human nature just as prone to false starts and Pharasaism.

[Ryan Hawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

(These are 14 letters written by Newton. I read the copy by Moody Classics entitled "Letters of a Slave Trader Freed by God's Grace". However, it is now published under the title, "Out of the Depths". Both copies also include two appendices about the life and sayings of Newton. As for the date published, I put the date Newton lists that he is writing in in his last letter, which is 1763. He died in 1807.)

I enjoyed reading these letters, along with the (necessary) last 30 pages or so written about Newton.

The letters here all detail his upbringing and especially his rebellious years and conversion. It is very interesting to not only read his desperate situation(s), but his comments as he looks back. He is able to humbly be amazed at what God has done, and give good commentary about how he really felt deep inside about religion. For example, he often shares that one would think that after being delivered over and over, and knowing that it was by God's mercy, that he would give up his licentious life and/or be totally devoted to God. But, he admits, he wasn't. These sort of comments permeate the letters, which is refreshing because he doesn't over dramatize anything, but is honest. And in the end, it simply is amazing to hear how God delivered him from sin and what he decided to do with the rest of Newton's life.

The last two chapters were really good because the letters end in 1763! (Newton was about 40 and still had over 40 years of his life left). So the second to last chapter provides an ample summary of the ret of his life, especially concerning his wife. The last chapter then provides some helpful and provocative quotes from him.

Overall, a good read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t really consider myself to be religious but I am spiritual. Becoming Whole touched my heart and opened my eyes to how we treat each other with different circumstances than our own.

If we don’t understand, or find it hard to relate, judgement is not far behind and we end up doing the last thing we wanted. Instead of finding compassion and love, we find contempt and resentment.

This is a great read for community leaders, preachers, and anyone who works with society.

[Andy]

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[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Becoming Whole
By Brian Fikkert and Kelly M. Kapic
Becoming Whole is a holistic approach to ministering to those in poverty. Although the beginning was a bit long, it was necessary to understand how to see a person as a whole. The situations and needs we aim to help with are not isolated to one part of us but established by a whole person and therefore we need to be addressing the person as a whole. We can not simply look at a scenario of hunger, provide food and wash our hands of the situation. There is more going on and more to the person asking for assistance then the result of hunger. Our good intentions are not enough.
“Again, the healthy human being is in some respects analogous to a wheel, with the hub (mind, affections, will, and body) and the spokes (four key relationships) perfectly aligned. Building on this analogy, we can think of the systems as the road on which the wheel travels. For the wheel to have a smooth ride, the road must be free of potholes. Similarly, for human beings to flourish, the systems must be conducive to people living in right relationships with God, self, others, and the rest of creation.”
Becoming whole is a critical perspective on poverty alleviation. It picks apart all the contributing factors that have created poverty, programs of alleviation, the heart of those reaching out to help.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion which I share here. https://simplyannehere.wordpress.com