First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo

We believe God has called us to bring good news and liberation to the poor (and the non-poor) who are caught in a complex web of poverty. We do this by embodying four key commitments in every aspect of our church’s life:



Paying It Forward: Physical Poverty is having too little of what we need (dependable income, healthy food, clean water, safe housing, adequate rest, appropriate exercise) and/or too much of what we don’t need (junk food, tainted water, unsafe housing, lack of rest, little exercise). Because we have been given so much, we pay it forward by sharing what we have with those in need. When we share this way, we encourage those who receive to pay it forward as well.



Building Healthy Relationships: Social Poverty is having too few healthy relationships and too many conflicted, stressful, destructive ones. We connect with others by spending time with them and listening uncritically to as much of their story as they are ready to share; we also disclose as much of our story as they are ready to receive.



Looking for Goodness: Psychological Poverty is the twisting of people’s identities to the point they become convinced they are inherently inferior (or superior) to others. When we see God’s image in ourselves we are set free from the tyranny of being defined by or compared to others; when we see God’s image in others we are set free to see their inherent worth.



Letting Grace Flow: Spiritual Poverty is the absence of a grace-filled relationship with God, and is often accompanied by the scars of unhealthy religious experiences. By opening our lives to God’s grace, we not only find hope and healing for ourselves, but are also being able to bring hope and healing to others.



If these commitments resonate with you, come and join us in carrying out God’s mission!