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Advocates of the dependency school also argue that well-intentioned Western charity "destroys the dignity" of those who receive foreign assistance. Glenn Schwartz borrows that theme for the title of his recently released book, When Charity Destroys Dignity: Overcoming Unhealthy Dependency in the Christian Movement. He shares Winter's concern about the dangers of dependency and concludes that Western financial aid can generally be delivered only as a handout. Because he believes handouts destroy the self-worth of those on the receiving end of the philanthropic equation, Schwartz anticipates that outside support will serve only to handicap indigenous ministries. He therefore condemns foreign funding as a negative influence—even calling it a poison that pollutes the lives of the global poor.

This is not Paul's perspective, however. As the apostle writes in 2 Corinthians 9:8-14, charitable giving is not an insidious danger but an important kingdom dynamic. Those who receive material help will not only have their physical needs met, they will be grateful and rejoice over God's grace. They will praise the Lord. They will pray for the donors who helped them. They will feel more connected with the body of Christ because of the relief they have experienced through the generosity of their spiritual brothers and sisters.

Paul offers Christians an amazing promise: "You will be made rich in every way so you may be generous on every occasion." This verse applies to rich and poor believers alike, and we must assume that shared wealth is one way God intends to prosper poorer brethren so that they too may practice generosity. As Jesus himself put it, having freely received, all disciples are expected to freely give. This passage reflects an expectation that the ongoing ministry of giving and receiving is part of God's plan for his church in all ages, all cultures, and all economic levels of society.

Given this scriptural perspective, we should not easily accept any appeal urging us to limit our giving. Is it not imaginable that we have learned enough from centuries of missions experience to find creative ways to promote biblical generosity without producing foreign dependency? In my view, dependency concerns have driven the church to spend too much time and energy explaining why we should give less when we ought to have been exploring how we could give more.

Even the most vocal proponents of dependency school thinking ultimately prove more open to giving than their constant warnings would lead us to expect. Schwartz admits openly in his book that, "The world is a needy place. There are people whose families have been living on the edge—some in a survival mode—for generations. Jesus commands us to help and as Christians we must do what we can." I wholeheartedly agree, and that is exactly what I am encouraging!

But Garrison and Schwartz end up supporting an odd double standard as they identify a few legitimate alternatives where they concede Western wealth can be shared freely. Both authors encourage us to give to fellow Westerners who serve as missionaries, but not to the national workers laboring beside them. Western preachers can be paid to serve among unreached peoples, but indigenous evangelists cannot, at least not from Western funds. We can give resources to aid victims of disasters, but not to feed hungry children for whom poverty is a routine reality. Such distinctions made in the name of avoiding dependency seem a bit arbitrary to me, drawing too fine a line in defining appropriate expressions of Western generosity.

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October 2007, Vol. 51, No. 10