A Field Guide Becoming Whole by Brian Fikkert

Praise for A Field Guide to Becoming Whole: Principles for Poverty Alleviation Ministry

I’ve been waiting for a field guide like this, which provides formative stories and tangible best practices to help address brokenness and poverty through the pursuit of personal, communal, and systemic transformation. The biblical concept of becoming whole and intertwined peace is not just a response to these systemic issues but God’s intended hope and call for humanity.
–MARY GLENN
Urban Studies Affiliate Professor, Fuller Seminary School of Intercultural Studies (and Chaplain for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office)

I’ve been waiting for a follow-up to When Helping Hurts that would give sound, biblical, practical, and replicable counsel to those trying to help marginalized people in our communities. Becoming Whole and A Field Guide to Becoming Whole do not disappoint! Here we have tools that can be used with leaders at every level in the church so that we can do good works that protect dignity, foster productivity, and attend to systemic and spiritual forces that limit human flourishing. Read this and be repaid with wisdom for the work of ministry!
–THABITI ANYABWILE
Pastor of Anacostia River Church (Washington, DC)

With honesty and humility, A Field Guide to Becoming Whole roots out the invisible idol of the American Dream that has seduced many Western Christians and tragically hampered efforts at poverty alleviation. Fikkert and Kapic offer pointed and practical advice, reminding us that God’s kingdom is an upside-down world where the pursuit of wholeness—rather than wealth—honors the inherent dignity and worth of all stakeholders.
–ELISSA YUKIKO WEICHBRODT
Associate professor of art at Covenant College

This is one of the most pragmatic and Christ-centered books for anyone engaged in the work to alleviate poverty. Fikkert and Kapic offer a systematic and comprehensive approach based on many years of experience on what to do, and especially what not to do. They identify key practices and offer Ministry Design Principles that will liberate both the helpers and the so-called helped in order to apply God's story in our various ministries.
–ALEXANDER JUN
Professor of Higher Education at Azusa Pacific University

I used to hear this cliché in Christian circles, “Those who are heavenly minded are no earthly good.” However, the truth is that heavenly mindedness leads to the most earthly good. That is, those who grasp “God’s goals for human beings and His way of achieving those goals” are positioned on the foundation that will not give way as we strive through the ups and downs of trying to love our materially poor neighbors well. Yet, we still want to know what to do in practice. If that describes you, your church, or your ministry, this is your book. The best theology applies the Word of God to the practical areas of life. Kelly Kapic and Brian Fikkert have done just that in the A Field Guide to Becoming Whole. Chock-full of real-life stories, Scripture, biblical principles, pointed questions and considerations, they have done an invaluable service for those who want to see all of God’s image bearers flourish.
–IRWYN INCE
Pastor at Grace DC Presbyterian Church and Executive Director of the Grace DC Institute for Cross-Cultural Mission

This is not a how-to manual… (it’s a field guide)

When we serve people who are materially poor, we often want the formula. We want to know, "How can I help without hurting in this specific situation?" In reality, there is no one-size-fits-all recipe. Each low-income person and community is unique.

The good news is that there are key principles that do apply to every situation. And better yet, we are not alone: the Triune God is with us, guiding us each step of the way and actively working to accomplish His grand story of healing and restoration.

This Field Guide builds on the ideas of Becoming Whole: Why the Opposite of Poverty Isn’t the American Dream to unpack Ministry Design Principles developed over decades of observing, studying, and testing. No, these principles will not answer every single question, but they do provide valuable guidelines as you seek to live into God’s story in your particular context.