Brian Fikkert - Becoming Whole: Why the Opposite of Poverty Isnt the American Dream

Jesus announced, from the very onset of his ministry, his love for the poor (Luke 4:18). Some spiritualize away this concern for the poor, the way others try to spiritualize away His miracles. Others seek to alleviate poverty in fragmented, counterproductive ways. In this fascinating new book, Brian Fikkert and Kelly Kapic call Christians to where Jesus is already: in the fight for whole persons, body and soul. This book will not just awaken you to the plight of global poverty but will also give you hope as we seek to follow Jesus together for the sake of the poor of the world.

RUSSELL MOORE

President, The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

Becoming Whole is a hard-hitting, transparent read that will force you to think and act differently as you are confronted with poverty at home and abroad. It will help you understand the root of poverty, whether the unhappiness of the affluent West or the material poverty in the global South. This book will introduce you to an alternative universe, one in which human flourishing, born inside of man through a change in the heart and mind, bears external fruit in the present reality of the coming of the City of God. Metaphysical capital is more important than physical capital in the path to human flourishing.

DARROW MILLER

Author of Discipling Nations

Cofounder of Disciple Nations Alliance

In Becoming Whole, Fikkert and Kapic build upon the watershed legacy of When Helping Hurts by challenging latent assumptions and awakening essential truth. Becoming Whole is a torch of wisdom to lift high, a beacon to help us to exemplify Gods love in cultures across the world and also our own backyards. Read at your own risk, however: these words will transform!

STEPHAN BAUMAN

Coauthor of Seeking Refuge

Former President and CEO of World Relief

Thanks to the principles of love and leadership as articulated in this book, as well as in the related work, When Helping Hurts, the church I serve has been able to come alongside disadvantaged, vulnerable, oppressed, and marginalized communities in more informed, life-giving, and sustainable ways. Backed with sound biblical theology and practical guidance and stories, Becoming Whole is a must for any Christian community aiming to make a difference. I cant recommend this book highly enough.

SCOTT SAULS

Senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee

Author of Befriend and Irresistible Faith.

The kingdom of God is about life as God intends. In Becoming Whole, Brian Fikkert and Kelly Kapic help us understand the robust narrative that the kingdom creates and supports. Unfortunately we have settled for puny competing storylines that make people poorin every way. The Spirit is shouting to the Western church to abandon the worldviews and idols that are keeping us from becoming whole. This book serves as a gracious but prophetic invitation to partner with God in his mission to enable us to become fully human.

REGGIE MCNEAL

Author of Kingdom Come and Kingdom Collaborators

Becoming Whole is about the rest of the story, our story and how having it right can help in dealing with poverty and the real needs of people. It examines cultures and religions, even religions that claim they have nothing to do with religion. It is revealing and will cause people to reflect in fresh ways on how they see the world and our role in it.

DARRELL L. BOCK

Executive Director for Cultural Engagement, Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement; Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

The big story (or the metanarrative) that one lives by is not benign; rather, it really, really matters. Our brothers Fikkert and Kapic show us how to identify and jettison false metanarratives, like the American Dream, expressive individualism, and consumerism; so that, we can wisely appropriate and live by the True Big Story found in Scripture for the sake of escorting the poor from their impoverishment to a flourishing position, for the sake of our flourishing and personal wholeness, and for the sake of the flourishing of our communities and cities.

LUKE BOBO

Director of Curriculum and Resources, Made to Flourish

Why arent Christians making more progress at becoming whole? The economic systems that shape our daily lives have been warped to keep us broken, so the world can exploit our brokenness. No one has done more to open our eyes to this, and show us what we can do about it, than Brian Fikkert. He and Kelly M. Kapic bring the whole story of Scripture to bear on Gods perspective on what it means to be human and to flourish. This book is a perfect way to startor continuethe eye-opening process that we all so desperately need if we want to become whole.

GREGORY L. FORSTER

Director of the Oikonomia Network, Trinity International University

This is a book about transformation. Im grateful that its not just about how American Christians can help transform the poor, although that is a worthy topic. No, as surrendered people, we need to constantly yield to the Holy Spirit for our own transformationto become more and more like Jesus Christ. And we are not truly whole until we give and serve and love like Jesus. There is no more urgent, inspiring, and satisfying mission than bringing Gods vision of fullness of life to the ends of the earth. Thank you, Brian Fikkert and Kelly Kapic, for this helpful resource for our journey!

EDGAR SANDOVAL SR.

President, World Vision U.S.

Those of us who have tasted the American Dream know that its not all its cracked up to be. And when you understand whats happening in the rest of the world, you realize that pursuing it keeps you on the sidelines of Gods great mission. You miss the most exciting adventure there is in life: demonstrating the love of Christ to the least of these in ways that draw people to the cross of Christ. Becoming Whole is a remarkable sequel to When Helping Hurts, and it should be required reading for ministry workers, church leaders, donors, laypeopleeveryone responding to Gods call to change the world.

RICHARD STEARNS

President Emeritus, World Vision U.S.

Author of The Hole in Our Gospel and Unfinished

Becoming Whole challenges the basis for our best intentions toward the poor, which are often consciously or subconsciously founded on American materialism rather than a holistic Christian view of transformation. Although it is a fitting prequel and sequel to When Helping Hurts, it is more than this. It lays an engaging, yet theologically comprehensive guide to the foundations of human flourishing.

BRUCE WYDICK

Professor of Economics, University of San Francisco

Distinguished Research Affiliate, University of Notre Dame

2019 by
BRIAN FIKKERT and KELLY M. KAPIC

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.