Rupen Das - The God That the Poor Seek: Conversion, Context, and the World of the Vulnerable

Heres yet another compelling book! With careful scholarship and personal experience, Rupen Das establishes the transcending power of the gospel in the lived realities of cultures and human experiences. This book skillfully portrays the profound interplay of culture and theology, the simple yet incredible faith of the poor, and the radical impact of the gospel. The voices of the poor, including the Indian slum dwellers, provide us with contagious insights of theologizing in context. This book realizes new hope and direction in theological education and mission.

Jessy Jaison, PhD

Director of Research & Advancement,

New India Bible Seminary, Kerala, India

Rupen Dass study on the conversion of the poor demonstrates the need to listen to them and understand their religious and socioeconomic contexts to know the reasons why they turn to Christ. It further shows that the typical evangelical assumption that conversion is a cognitive process which begins with the conviction of sin and need for forgiveness, followed by turning to Christ as Savior, rarely applies to the poor from non-Christian religious backgrounds. This study therefore is a serious corrective to any oversimplification of the reasons behind Christian conversion, a powerful aid to those seeking to reach the poor with the gospel, and a most useful contribution to the literature on practical contextualization in mission. I recommend it warmly.

Hwa Yung, DMiss

Bishop Emeritus,

The Methodist Church of Malaysia

This book meets a great need in the field of missiology, especially with regards to contextualization of the gospel among the poor. While much of the literature on poverty and the poor is written by authors who are outsiders to the community, Das wisely calls us to listen to the poor themselves: people who struggle daily with powerlessness, vulnerability, isolation, and weakness. Herein are authentic and honest voices of the poor, who amidst their hopelessness abandoned their deities, followed Christ, and encountered the living God. Das not only empowers them to be heard to speech but reflects on these powerful stories in light of the broader literature on contextualization, guiding the wider church to more intentional faith responses in Gods kingdom among us.

Yau Man Siew, PhD

Associate Professor of Practical Theology,

Tyndale Seminary at Tyndale University, Toronto, Canada

An utterly captivating book about the deep longings of poor people from two completely different contexts on why they were attracted to Christ and decided to follow him. Based on phenomenological traditions of research inquiry, Rupen Das faithfully communicates the stories and lived experiences of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and slum dwellers in Bangalore, India, on their conversion journeys to Christianity and analyzes them in light of rich missiological literature and practices. Das shows that for the poor, conversion is not about believing the gospel truth proclamation at a given point of time, divorced from their contexts. Instead it is a process consisting of encounters with Christ in their lived realities, and decisions and choices over a period of time, along with a growing understanding of who Christ is and faith in his attributes such as love and power which are manifest in their lives. This book raises a number of questions and considerations for mission organizations and Christian NGOs as they seek to partner with local churches and serve the poor and the marginalized in meeting their physical and spiritual needs in an integrated manner. This is a must-read book for every student and practitioner who is committed to a holistic understanding of mission among the poor which breaks down the divisions between the physical, social, and spiritual aspects of their lives and instead sees them as a coherent whole.

Jaisankar Sarma, PhD

Adjunct Faculty, Transformational Development,

Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California, USA

Vice President, Hope Walks

We commend the research and analysis of Rupen Das in The God That the Poor Seek. Das brings decades of work among the poor to his work. He challenges the assumption that the Christian gospel is primarily about the management of sin and the prospect of eternal life. He shows that people in situations of desperate poverty are moved to faith by the message that God loves them and is concerned about the painful and dehumanizing factors that make their lives uncertain and even dangerous. The stories of Jesus give substance to the message that the gospel is good news for the poor. We were particularly moved by the life experiences of Christians in India and Lebanon who live in the context of poverty and who find faith to be transformative.

Gordon King, DMin

Adjunct Faculty, Ambrose University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Author of Seed Falling on Good Soil

The God That the Poor Seek compels readers to do something profound when exploring the nexus of faith and poverty: assume a posture of sincere listening. Too often global discourses on extreme poverty involve the nonpoor talking on behalf of the poor and informing them about their own realities. Regrettably, this is a pitfall for many Christians; we tend to package the experiences of the poor to fit conventional frameworks rather than allowing their voices to illuminate our understandings of Gods redemptive pursuit of humanity. Even something as deeply personal as faith conversion is largely explained in terms that are actually foreign to the poor. This book speaks directly to the issue by urging readers to consider, even discover, a nuanced way of comprehending the world of the poor and the nature of God. Rupen Das blends a survey of conversion theory with empirical research from Majority World contexts to provide a comprehensive study about how the poor encounter Christ. The result is innovative insights into the kingdom of God and the ways it is transforming hearts and changing lives. Though there is nothing fundamentally different about the poor, Das keenly demonstrates that there is something acutely unique. With thoughtful recognition of this uniqueness, The God That the Poor Seek helps reveal more fully the truth of Gods unrelenting nearness, compassion, and hope within a world of chronic human suffering.

Brent Hamoud

Programs Coordinator,

Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, Beirut, Lebanon

The voices of the poor are recorded on these pages, if you would hear them. Rupen Das is an authentic advocate for the poor and marginalized. His many years of service among them have given him a keen insight into the cares, burdens, and motivations of the disadvantaged.

Chris Todd

Pastor and Missionary,

National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon

The heart of The God That the Poor Seek is the testimonies of the marginalized poor in their own voices and their journey to allegiance to God through Jesus Christ. To understand this journey, Rupen Das through scholarly research has documented the history and development of the dynamics of conversion and contextualization and presented them in a very accessible way. This book will open your eyes to the many and varied ways in which people begin to follow Jesus and help you understand the worldview of those whose life experience is very different from your own. This is a must-own book because it is full of surprises: amazing discoveries and insights, inspiring testimonies, and depth of understanding of the world in which the marginalized poor live.

Don Bartel