Eleven Poorology Principles

I thought I would pass these on as I am working on a session for some trainings I am teaching this week. I have to give a shout out to my guy Dr. Fuder!!

Eleven Poorology Principles
Compiled by Dr. John Fuder – Moody Theological Seminary


1)God has special concern for the poor and neglected
-Psalm 146:7-9 = who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the sojourners; He upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

2)The needy are seeking and receptive to God
-Isaiah 41:17 = When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is
parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

3)Scripture expects and commands us to help those in need
-Zechariah 7:9-10 = Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."

4)Ministry to the needy is the basis in Scripture of true religion
-James 1:27 = Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

5)Poverty, or the poor, is a testing ground for Christian love to be shown
-Matthew 26:11 = For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
-Deuteronomy 25:11 = For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.'

6)We show our love for the Lord by the way we treat those in need
-Matthew 25:40 = And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

7)Ministering to those in need is the very basis of knowing God
-Jeremiah 22:16 = He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me? declares the LORD.

8)We should respond in ministry to the poor knowing that we could have been born poor ourselves
-Deuteronomy 24:17,18 = "You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow’s garment in pledge, but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.

9)God will bless and reward those who care for the poor
-Psalm 41:1-3 = Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

10)We may end up poor ourselves if we don’t help those in need
-Proverbs 21:13 = Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

11)We will be judged for not helping those in need
-Malachi 3:5 = Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.