What Can I Do?: Making a Global Difference Right Where You Are [Paperback]

David Livermore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2011

While 'missions' used to be the territory of experts and missionary professionals, globalization has made the issues and needs of our world accessible to average Americans. Many American Christians feel overwhelmed by the scope of the brokenness in the world and conclude all they can do is go on with their lives. Others respond by giving and praying, and still others want to do more. What Can I Do shows that global mission is something we all can be part of in tangible ways. And while that might include going on a short term mission trip or providing financial support, there are many more ongoing and holistic forms of engagement. This book helps readers see that the roles they already have---business leader, scientist, teacher, student, parent, or neighbor---can provide ways to engage in global mission. Mission is what we were created to do. It includes evangelistically calling people to follow Jesus wherever we go, whatever we do. But it's more than that. This book will help us explore the way our ordinary, everyday tasks of work and life can be part of God's mission to heal a broken world.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David Livermore (PhD, Michigan State University) is president and partner of the Cultural Intelligence Center in East Lansing, Michigan, and author of several books, including Leading with Cultural Intelligence and Serving with Eyes Wide Open. He is a visiting research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and has consulted with and trained leaders in one hundred countries across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. www.davidlivermore.com

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (February 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031032596X
• ISBN-13: 978-0310325963
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,279,488 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Livermore, Ph.D. (Michigan State University) is the executive director of the Global Learning Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In addition, Dave is a visiting research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and a sr. research consultant with the Cultural Intelligence Center in East Lansing, Michigan. Dave has done training and consulting with leaders in 75 countries across the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe.

Visit http://davidlivermore.com

Join discussion at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/leadingwithculturalintelligence

Dave's driving passion is to help leaders see the world and to engage globally with respect, effectiveness, and dignity.

Dave and his wife Linda have 2 school-age daughters, Emily and Grace. Some of their favorite activities are traveling, hiking, eating Asian food, and walking to the local ice cream shop, Jersey Junction near their home in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Getting Involved, April 15, 2011

By 

W. Easley "Opa" (Colorado Rocky Mountains) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: What Can I Do?: Making a Global Difference Right Where You Are (Paperback)

(What's this?)

When hearing about crises in our world, many people ask "what can I do?" David Livermore answers this question in great detail in "What Can I Do."

Livermore explains that we are all in this world that God created and that we can share in resolving its problems. Poverty and inadequate health care, for example, exist throughout this world and our small individual effort can improve matters. Livermore believes that God intends for all of us to prosper and He invites each of us to help remove the barriers that prevent others from benefitting from creation's bounty.

First, Livermore details the problems. There are huge dilemma in this world that he discusses, many worsened by economic imbalance or prominent people who lust for power. He mentions crime, poverty, illiteracy, lack of access to healthy water and food, chronic diseases, and inadequate medical care. Usually when we hear about these difficulties, it is in news releases about people in foreign countries that lack our privileges and wealth. Often the only action mentioned is to send money. Livermore believes that there are significant actions we can each perform.

The author tells us that we each can make a difference. All too often we focus upon the entire puzzle, the world view, or distant cultures. He suggests that if we concentrate on small actions we can make a difference. Can I help with this one person? What slice of time can I devote to a solution? What little thing can I do?

Livermore provides his specific advice to business leaders, scientists, technologists, health care professionals, artists, and teachers. He also mentions how each of us can influence children - be role models, spread loving attitudes and bolster youthful confidence. Such influencing of children is essential for increasing involved people in the future.

He offers a detailed inventory to help individuals discover their talents and skills and access how they can get involved by using those skills in the community. People who work the inventory honestly (and maybe with help of people who know us), may discover gifts that we have yet to develop and use.

"What Can I Do" is much like a well written essay and is easy to read. The advice given is useful to anyone who wishes to become more involved in living their faith. I recommend this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another view of missions, August 19, 2011

By 

Peter A. Greene (Franklin, PA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: What Can I Do?: Making a Global Difference Right Where You Are (Paperback)

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Livermore's point is fairly simple-- all Christian's are doing mission work, and they're doing it all the time.

What makes the book valuable is that Livermore (who has done a wide range of the work traditionally viewed as mission work) manages to cut across the usual lines that mark this territory. He doesn't have a political axe to grind, and his mission concerns are not limited to the usual stock lists of Christians of any particular stripe. Just about any Christina will find words here that resonate along with words that challenge.

The book is thorough in the sense that Livermore addresses both the philosophical underpinnings of mission work (why do it, how to focus, what attitude to bring) and also the practical side (what, specifically, do I actually do). The specifics are largely aimed at professional people-- the book does come a little short on practical advice for blue collar folks.

The book is broken into three sections-- the big picture, the specific, personal small picture, and the call to action. The last in particular offers activities to help the reader find his/her own focus. In the end, Livermore's inspiring point is that we don't have to change our entire life to be missionaries (nor can we use that as an excuse). Instead, we can look for ways to make our current lives active mission work for God.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A study of interconnectedness and lived faith, June 10, 2011

By 

J from NY (New York) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: What Can I Do?: Making a Global Difference Right Where You Are (Paperback)

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David Livermore's "What Can I Do?" is a subtle raid on the complacency of most Christians living in the United States and abroad. With constant media reports of "Good Samaritans" walking right past dying homeless men and women on the street, Livermore does not use guilt or self righteousness to drive home his message: that our sense of powerlessness and helplessness before the world's starvation is false. We ourselves are the ones responsible for minimizing our expectations of what we can and cannot do.

The author offers his experience as a missionary in South Africa, China, and areas where one might not expect such terrible poverty to exist. He describes the ins and outs of the sex trade at home and abroad, yet his humility is what stands out as he describes his trials: he does not consider himself a remarkable or holier than thou individual, but a "global citizen", a concept offered repeatedly by people of many faiths but which we obviously have yet to grasp.

As he states very clearly: "individuals who understand global issues and see themselves as global citizens most often feel a need to give back to society and work for the rights of others." There is nothing in this tight, circumspect little book which hasn't been said before. But Livermore has a distinct writing style which allows for no mistaking as regards his message: if we believe in Jesus Christ, the risen son of God, there is no denying that each and every person is joined at the hip, and that our failure to look at the world--not just our community, though we can also make a difference there--makes our Christianity a bit provinicial.

Most importantly, he tackles our understandable sense of impotence regarding the world's poverty and horror. What can we do, indeed? Well, as he says in so many words, this is a cop out: there's a lot we can do. We can help open a soup kitchen, make our neighbors more aware of what goes on globally, organize strikes, etc. Our sense of helplessness as opposed to what we can actually do is simply not reality.

The perfect book for Christians and non believers alike, as it rekindles one's sense of enthusiasm and capability in these trying economic times.