I was going through some of my lesson plans from several years back, and ran across Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton. Although published back in 2011, Lupton’s observations about the way we do “charity” are still thought-provoking.
I found a more recent YouTube video of Lupton talking through some of the points he makes in the book, and have retrofitted my lesson plan to incorporate segments of the talk. Our class didn’t agree with all the points he makes, but it did cause us to pause and assess the way our church has handled service and mission projects.
Jesus had a lot to say about giving, and when you juxtapose his direction with Lupton’s analysis, I think you’ll find good fodder for discussion. We certainly did!
We burned through this book in four sessions, albeit covering the last four chapters in a single session. I hope you’ll give it a shot and let me know how it goes in the comments below.