Lesson 3. Live Discussion Questions

These questions are intended to be used to lead a live session at your organization. Clients should come having read the material prepared to answer the questions below. You may also want to use some of the online discussion questions as well as the assignment discussion questions in your live discussion. 

Chapter 4 Looking at Poverty from God’s Perspective 

In addition to reading the chapter please read the article by Randy Alcorn (Written in 1993; Originally “Helping the Poor and Homeless” published in Discipleship Journal)

1. Who are the poor?
2. What is our responsibility to the poor?
3. How do we decide who the poor are and what they need?
4. What is biblical compassion?
5. What exactly should we do to help the poor?

Chapter 21 Addressing the Attitude of Entitlement Thinking

1. What type of people probably have a problem with entitlement thinking?
2. After reading the chapter, come prepared to share one area that you recognize you have been given to in entitlement thinking yourself.
3. If you are bothered by entitlement thinking in clients, why does it bother you?
4. What’s wrong with entitlement thinking?
5. What is the root cause for entitlement thinking?
6. Why bother to address this practice in clients?
7. What can we do about it?

Lesson 3. Online Discussions

If you are using this material to facilitate live group discussions, then these questions can be used as a guide. 

If you would like to receive credit for this course, then submit a 400-word response for each discussion group of questions (i.e. Lesson 1. Discussion 1). You do not need to submit 400 words for each question, but for each group of questions. If responding to a live meeting discussion, then share written work as you would in a live meeting.

Lesson 3. Discussion 1. Entitlement Thinking

Share what you have realized about your own entitlement thinking.

Lesson 3. Assignments

Lesson 3. Assignment 1: Research on Poverty

Research poverty statistics in your city or state and write a one-page report on what you found. Some Google search terms you might use are:

• poverty statistics (your city name or state or region)
• homelessness statistics (your city name or state or region)

Lesson 3. Assignment 2: Staff Interview with Direct Experience with Clients

Talk with someone who works directly with clients who are dealing with poverty, homelessness and/or addiction (like a case manager). Ask them about what they believe are the primary drivers of poverty in your region as well as the demographics of poverty directly in the ministry. Write a one-page evaluation of how this direct perspective relates to the research on poverty statistics in your city or state.