This blog will begin a series of posts outlining Breaking the Broken. You will see how the whole thing began: Our call into ministry, God’s plan for mankind to be self-sufficient, how we serve the poor depending on their unique situation, and the results of using God’s plan. Basically, I will cover all the major themes of the book over the next several posts.

The subtitle of the book is “Debunking the Myth of Social Justice.” Even though I discuss the downsides of social justice programs in the book, there is some new information I wanted to share before we get started. Let me make one thing clear: social justice began with a good heart. It was started by people who wanted to help their fellow man. They saw hurting people who were struggling, and they wanted to help meet their needs.

What became known as the United States war on poverty began as legislation introduced under President Lyndon B. Johnson during his State of the Union address on January 8, 1964. In President Johnson’s explanation of his legislation he said, “Our aim is not only to relieve the symptom of poverty, but to cure it and, above all, to prevent it”.

I have to ask, has it worked? Has the war on poverty helped? Let’s look at the numbers. When President Johnson began the war on poverty, the poverty rate was around 19%. As of 2016 the official poverty rate dropped to 12.7% which is a reduction of 6.3%. This sounds like a pretty good improvement, unless something has been changed.  What changed? The way we count those in poverty.

Before 1964 and the war on poverty, those in poverty would not have received any government benefits because these benefits didn’t exist. What do you think the poverty rate would be if the current measuring model didn’t include dollars received from government assistance?

Columbia University did a study to find that out. They found that by using the pre 1964 model of counting poverty, the rate would not be anywhere near 12.7%. By using the same measures that were used in 1964, the current poverty rate would be 29%.

That is an increase of 10%.  Many advocates of social justice programs have said this shows how many lives have been improved because of these programs, but we haven’t “improved their lives” by creating sustainable solutions, we’ve just paid them not to be in poverty. They are still stuck in a hopeless cycle and President Johnson’ dream has not become a reality. We haven’t cured it and we haven’t prevented it…we’ve made it worse.

Now this is a book that is written from a Christian worldview and many Christians believe social justice displays God’s love. They believe it benefits those who are served. They believe it is the example Jesus gave in His own life. But those are all misconceptions. Social justice does none of these things.

Social justice is demeaning. Social justice creates hierarchy. Social justice creates division. Social justice is transactional. Social justice is hopeless. Social justice does not work and is further breaking those who are broken.

We spend astronomical sums of money on social welfare programs, but what are the results? Is life getting better for those in poverty? Are the numbers decreasing? Are we making any significant progress? In the war on poverty, poverty has won. The benefits of social justice are a myth. The experiment has failed, but God has a plan.

God’s plan offers dignity. God’s plan creates equality. God’s plan creates unity. God’s plan is relational. God’s plan offers hope. God’s plan has worked in centuries past and will work again. God does not call us to social justice—He calls us to heal the broken.

Over these next few posts, you’ll learn about God’s plan. You’ll learn the what, who, why, where, how, and when. You’ll see His plan in action. You’ll see the hope God’s plan provides. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to take God’s plan to the lost and hurting and heal what is broken.