Veteran urban activist Robert Lupton reveals the shockingly toxic effects that modern charity has upon the very people meant to benefit from it. Toxic Charity provides proven new models for charitable groups who want to help—not sabotage—those whom they desire to serve. Lupton, the founder of FCS Urban Ministries (Focused Community Strategies) in Atlanta, the voice of the Urban Perspectives newsletter, and the author of Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life, has been at the forefront of urban ministry activism for forty years. Now, in the vein of Jeffrey Sachs’s The End of Poverty, Richard Stearns’s The Hole in Our Gospel, and Gregory Boyle’s Tattoos on the Heart, his groundbreaking Toxic Charity shows us how to start serving needy and impoverished members of our communities in a way that will lead to lasting, real-world change.
Toxic Charity
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Lupton says hard things that need to be said, and he’s earned the right to say them. Believers would do well to receive his words with the mindset that ‘faithful are the wounds of a friend.’” (Christianity Today )
“[Lupton’s] new book, Toxic Charity, draws on his 40 years’ experience as an urban activist in Atlanta, and he argues that most charitable work is ineffective or actually harmful to those it is supposed to help.” (Washington Post )
“Lupton’s work, his books and, most importantly, his life continue to guide and encourage me to live and serve in a way that honors God and my neighbor. I highly recommend Toxic Charity.” (Danny Wuerffel, Executive Director, Desire Street Ministries )
“Lupton’s book reminds us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. He shows how the people called poor can be blessed by supporting opportunities for them to give their gifts, skills, knowledge and wisdom to creating the future.” (John McKnight, Codirector, Asset Based Community Development Institute, Northwestern University )
“A must-read book for those who give or help others.” (Booklist )
“In Toxic Charity, Lupton reminds us that being materialistically poor does not mean that there is no capacity, no voice, and no dignity within a person. If we truly love the poor, we will want to educate ourselves on how best to serve. Let our charity be transformative not toxic.” (Roger Sandberg, Executive Director of Medair International )
“A superb book. Toxic Charity should serve as a guide and course correction for anyone involved in charitable endeavors at home or abroad.” (Ronald W. Nikkel, President, Prison Fellowship International )
“Toxic Charity provides the needed counterbalance to a kind heart: a wise mind. Though I often thought, “Ouch!” while I was reading the book, Robert Lupton gave this pastor what I needed to become a more effective leader.” (Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Senior Pastor, Northland – A Church Distributed )
“When Bob Lupton speaks of the inner city, the rest of us ought to sit up and take notice... [His work is] deeply distrurbing—in the best sense of the word.” (Philip Yancey, author of What Good Is God? )
“Top 10 book of the year.” (World Magazine )
“[Lupton’s] new book, Toxic Charity, draws on his 40 years’ experience as an urban activist in Atlanta, and he argues that most charitable work is ineffective or actually harmful to those it is supposed to help.” (Washington Post )
“Lupton’s work, his books and, most importantly, his life continue to guide and encourage me to live and serve in a way that honors God and my neighbor. I highly recommend Toxic Charity.” (Danny Wuerffel, Executive Director, Desire Street Ministries )
“Lupton’s book reminds us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. He shows how the people called poor can be blessed by supporting opportunities for them to give their gifts, skills, knowledge and wisdom to creating the future.” (John McKnight, Codirector, Asset Based Community Development Institute, Northwestern University )
“A must-read book for those who give or help others.” (Booklist )
“In Toxic Charity, Lupton reminds us that being materialistically poor does not mean that there is no capacity, no voice, and no dignity within a person. If we truly love the poor, we will want to educate ourselves on how best to serve. Let our charity be transformative not toxic.” (Roger Sandberg, Executive Director of Medair International )
“A superb book. Toxic Charity should serve as a guide and course correction for anyone involved in charitable endeavors at home or abroad.” (Ronald W. Nikkel, President, Prison Fellowship International )
“Toxic Charity provides the needed counterbalance to a kind heart: a wise mind. Though I often thought, “Ouch!” while I was reading the book, Robert Lupton gave this pastor what I needed to become a more effective leader.” (Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Senior Pastor, Northland – A Church Distributed )
“When Bob Lupton speaks of the inner city, the rest of us ought to sit up and take notice... [His work is] deeply distrurbing—in the best sense of the word.” (Philip Yancey, author of What Good Is God? )
“Top 10 book of the year.” (World Magazine )
From the Back Cover
Public service is a way of life for Americans; giving is a part of our national character. But compassionate instincts and generous spirits aren’t enough, says veteran urban activist Robert D. Lupton. In this groundbreaking guide, he reveals the disturbing truth about charity: all too much of it has become toxic, devastating to the very people it’s meant to help.
In his four decades of urban ministry, Lupton has experienced firsthand how our good intentions can have unintended, dire consequences. Our free food and clothing distribution encourages ever-growing handout lines, diminishing the dignity of the poor while increasing their dependency. We converge on inner-city neighborhoods to plant flowers and pick up trash, battering the pride of residents who have the capacity (and responsibility) to beautify their own environment. We fly off on mission trips to poverty-stricken villages, hearts full of pity and suitcases bulging with giveaways—trips that one Nicaraguan leader describes as effective only in “turning my people into beggars.”
In Toxic Charity, Lupton urges individuals, churches, and organizations to step away from these spontaneous, often destructive acts of compassion toward thoughtful paths to community development. He delivers proven strategies for moving from toxic charity to transformative charity.
Proposing a powerful “Oath for Compassionate Service” and spotlighting real-life examples of people serving not just with their hearts but with proven strategies and tested tactics, Lupton offers all the tools and inspiration we need to develop healthy, community-driven programs that produce deep, measurable, and lasting change. Everyone who volunteers or donates to charity needs to wrestle with this book.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
64 of 65 people found the following review helpful
By Paul Adams
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Its title notwithstanding, this book is not a case for stinginess. Its author has four decades' experience of faith-based charitable work to his credit and draws on this experience as well as a host of anecdotes and research (which, however, he does not cite - the book does is one of advocacy, not scholarship). His is also not an argument against voluntary or faith-based giving in favor of public welfare or rights-based claims on the state. Rather, with multiple and compelling examples, from weeklong `missions' of church youth groups to poor countries through inner-city charitable initiatives to the enormous Kroc grant to the Salvation Army, Lupton argues that this work needs to be rethought and reoriented.
As Brooks (Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism) has shown, giving by religious Americans, both to church-based charities and secular agencies like the Red Cross, is extraordinarily generous by any measure, in time, treasure, and talent, compared with that of secular Americans and citizens of other affluent countries. Lupton does not disparage these efforts or their (mostly) good intentions, but argues that most of this activity does more harm than good. Given the author's own commitment and credentials in the field, anyone engaged in this work will want to pay attention to his critique.
In some ways, Lupton echoes those 19th-century critics of "sentimental charity," who sought to replace random handouts with organized charity based on a relationship between giver and recipient that offered "not alms, but a friend" (the motto of the Charity organization Societies). Those charity reform efforts, which gave rise to the profession of social work, are widely disparaged today, not least by professional social workers. But the problem of how to help those who need help, whether through government programs or private charity, in ways that do not shame, demoralize, sap initiative, and create dependency remains, as Lupton shows, as big a challenge today as ever.
Lupton's approach, that of asset-based community development, aims to empower and partner with those helped, recognizing and engaging their capacity to contribute to their community with their own resources, knowledge, and wisdom. Instead of flying in with a team of eager young missioners to build a well for a poor village whose women have to carry water long distances on their heads - and coming back every year to fix `their' well - Lupton argues for an approach that facilitates engaging the skills and energy of the local people to fund, build, and manage their own well.
It is not a matter of being stingy rather than generous, but of helping in ways that truly help, without the enervating, dependency-creating disempowerment of much current charity in practice. Lupton's argument is not against charity as such, but for charity in its true sense of willing the good of the other. This implies, Lupton shows, a consistent focus on results rather than intentions, on the good of those helped rather than the supposed benefits to the giver (e.g., the 'life-changing experience' of young participants in expensive mission junkets or the warm feelings of congregations that want to help.) The virtue of charity in this view cannot stand alone. It requires the exercise of other virtues like justice and prudence, and full engagement of the head as well as the heart.
As Brooks (Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism) has shown, giving by religious Americans, both to church-based charities and secular agencies like the Red Cross, is extraordinarily generous by any measure, in time, treasure, and talent, compared with that of secular Americans and citizens of other affluent countries. Lupton does not disparage these efforts or their (mostly) good intentions, but argues that most of this activity does more harm than good. Given the author's own commitment and credentials in the field, anyone engaged in this work will want to pay attention to his critique.
In some ways, Lupton echoes those 19th-century critics of "sentimental charity," who sought to replace random handouts with organized charity based on a relationship between giver and recipient that offered "not alms, but a friend" (the motto of the Charity organization Societies). Those charity reform efforts, which gave rise to the profession of social work, are widely disparaged today, not least by professional social workers. But the problem of how to help those who need help, whether through government programs or private charity, in ways that do not shame, demoralize, sap initiative, and create dependency remains, as Lupton shows, as big a challenge today as ever.
Lupton's approach, that of asset-based community development, aims to empower and partner with those helped, recognizing and engaging their capacity to contribute to their community with their own resources, knowledge, and wisdom. Instead of flying in with a team of eager young missioners to build a well for a poor village whose women have to carry water long distances on their heads - and coming back every year to fix `their' well - Lupton argues for an approach that facilitates engaging the skills and energy of the local people to fund, build, and manage their own well.
It is not a matter of being stingy rather than generous, but of helping in ways that truly help, without the enervating, dependency-creating disempowerment of much current charity in practice. Lupton's argument is not against charity as such, but for charity in its true sense of willing the good of the other. This implies, Lupton shows, a consistent focus on results rather than intentions, on the good of those helped rather than the supposed benefits to the giver (e.g., the 'life-changing experience' of young participants in expensive mission junkets or the warm feelings of congregations that want to help.) The virtue of charity in this view cannot stand alone. It requires the exercise of other virtues like justice and prudence, and full engagement of the head as well as the heart.
42 of 50 people found the following review helpful
By D. MILLS
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Criticism of missions is so common these days that it's almost boring. But it's legitimate criticism. The short-term "vacationaries" are indeed pathetic and deserve every bit of that criticism. Career western missionaries living U.S. lifestyles among their third world subjects taking the American exceptionalism brand of watered-down, family friendly religion to other cultures is disgusting. The happy suburban American white knights going into poor neighborhoods, passing out twinkies meanwhile patting themselves on the back for being such good Christians makes me want to puke. Do you see how easy and annoying it is to criticize western missions?
In this book, the author takes it to the next step in identifying why the modern western mission approach is so pathetic and unfruitful. He provides a set of principles that should be used in desigining any mission program whether it's a mission to a third world nation or to a neighborhood a half mile away. It's not a how-to book. The issues are too complicated and the people too diverse for him to write a simple set of instructions or a simple strategy. Following his guidance will not be easy. It will require studying people, identifying leaders and influences and creating relationships all before the first step is taken. If you're looking for an easy read that you can communicate to your pastor or group during a 30 minute presentation, then forget about it.
While this book is from the point of view of a religious person, the principles and information in this book are not religious at all. In fact, any talk of preaching or developing churches is totally absent. The only goal mentioned is helping people improve economically and socially. There is no spiritual diminsion to this book.
While the principles in this book do involve working with and developing leadership among the targeted groups, it is still from a perspective of white knights coming in and solving all the problems of the third world or inner city poor. While that can be annoying and is easy fodder for whiners, it shouldn't disqualify the entire book. It's a good book with sound principles from someone with experience. This book should not be ignored or overlooked.
In this book, the author takes it to the next step in identifying why the modern western mission approach is so pathetic and unfruitful. He provides a set of principles that should be used in desigining any mission program whether it's a mission to a third world nation or to a neighborhood a half mile away. It's not a how-to book. The issues are too complicated and the people too diverse for him to write a simple set of instructions or a simple strategy. Following his guidance will not be easy. It will require studying people, identifying leaders and influences and creating relationships all before the first step is taken. If you're looking for an easy read that you can communicate to your pastor or group during a 30 minute presentation, then forget about it.
While this book is from the point of view of a religious person, the principles and information in this book are not religious at all. In fact, any talk of preaching or developing churches is totally absent. The only goal mentioned is helping people improve economically and socially. There is no spiritual diminsion to this book.
While the principles in this book do involve working with and developing leadership among the targeted groups, it is still from a perspective of white knights coming in and solving all the problems of the third world or inner city poor. While that can be annoying and is easy fodder for whiners, it shouldn't disqualify the entire book. It's a good book with sound principles from someone with experience. This book should not be ignored or overlooked.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Focus on outcomes, not activities. Not all giving is good. In fact, much giving is toxic. This is the basic message in this book. Lupton in one sweep exposes the scandals both intended and unintended. He explains the reasons behind the flawed thinking behind conventional giving. He explicates the various alternatives to transform charity from toxic handout to healthy helping out. This book can be summarized in three ways.
Firstly, Lupton exposes the scandal of conventional giving. He questions why the poor remains so poor despite the huge aid given to them over the years. He wonders why handout lines continue to stretch. He probes the flaws of current giving models.
Secondly, the author re-calibrates the basic philosophy of good charity being learning to take the oath of compassionate service. Such an oath puts the development of the recipient's potential as primary, and the fulfilment of the giver's emotions as secondary.
Thirdly, the author tries to provide alternatives that redeems the whole giving process.
Readers will be shocked by the many revelations of how giving has not only not improved the conditions of the receivers, giving has become toxic instead. Thankfully, Lupton is able to articulate very practical and workable models for us to re-think and to restore good giving. What the poor and the vulnerable needs most are not more handouts or more problem solving. They need a helping hand to help themselves, and for the rest of the world to enable them to reach their highest potential. All good giving does precisely that.
I strongly recommend that all givers, both present and future read this book.
Firstly, Lupton exposes the scandal of conventional giving. He questions why the poor remains so poor despite the huge aid given to them over the years. He wonders why handout lines continue to stretch. He probes the flaws of current giving models.
Secondly, the author re-calibrates the basic philosophy of good charity being learning to take the oath of compassionate service. Such an oath puts the development of the recipient's potential as primary, and the fulfilment of the giver's emotions as secondary.
Thirdly, the author tries to provide alternatives that redeems the whole giving process.
Readers will be shocked by the many revelations of how giving has not only not improved the conditions of the receivers, giving has become toxic instead. Thankfully, Lupton is able to articulate very practical and workable models for us to re-think and to restore good giving. What the poor and the vulnerable needs most are not more handouts or more problem solving. They need a helping hand to help themselves, and for the rest of the world to enable them to reach their highest potential. All good giving does precisely that.
I strongly recommend that all givers, both present and future read this book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eye Opener!
I've been involved with non-profits for over 25 years and this is eye-opening to the damage our social services can do in the name of trying to "help" others.
Published 1 day ago by Kevin Beirne
4.0 out of 5 stars
This will put perspective on our motivation in our charity work..
This book was an eye-opener for my true motivation when I want to do something for charity. Many of the motivators that are not really good ones hit home with me. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Richard T. Feltus, Jr.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Toxic armchair hypocrisy
Wait let me guess, the key to solving this dire dire problem of American Christians being too well-meaning and generous is to run out right away and buy Lupton's book. Buy two. Read more
Published 5 days ago by S. Schoenhoff
5.0 out of 5 stars
Toxic Charity
The book was referred by someone else, who said it was good, and my husband wanted to read it. Very enlightening.
Published 6 days ago by Bonnie Danic
5.0 out of 5 stars
Charity kills incentive
I would not classify this book as one that "I love." It isn't fiction, but it has several eyeopening facts that anyone who tries to help those living in poverty need to... Read more
Published 9 days ago by Anne
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting and informative.
It makes you look at giving from another perspective. Enjoyable and a quick read. I recommend it for anyone who is involved in philanthropy.
Published 11 days ago by Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect!
I read this book for a class on poverty and inequality and I absolutely fell in love with this book! Read more
Published 15 days ago by jhjhjhj
2.0 out of 5 stars
Important warnings, but relies too heavily on ideology instead of...
In Toxic Charity, Robert Lupton embarks upon the much needed task of alerting the church to the pitfalls of poorly informed charitable giving, and showing how short many charitable... Read more
Published 16 days ago by Kris Zyp
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well worth your time
This should be required reading for anyone who wishes to participate in charitable activities in their community or elsewhere. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Bette Flick
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great perspective
This was a great perspective in how to truly help with respect and compassion without leaving a wake of dependence and entitlement.
Published 27 days ago by Church Lady
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