I asked on Facebook, Twitter, and to one particular friend through email which books would be most helpful in thinking about/doing ministry to the poor. Here's what I got (with an attempt to put them in order of those most mentioned). I can't comment on most of them because I haven't read them, so don't see this as my recommendation. But you might want to look into these. I am. Also feel free to add more recommendations in the comments.
Most Recommended
- When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert
- Walking With The Poor by Bryant Myers
- Toxic Charity: How Churches & Charities Hurt Those They Help by Robert Lupton
- Ministries of Mercy by Timothy Keller
- Awaiting a Savior: The Gospel, the New Creation and the End of Poverty by Aaron Armstrong
- Barefoot Church by Brandon Hatmaker ($3.79 on Kindle)
Other Recommendations
- Cry of the Urban Poor by Viv Grigg
- Companion to the Poor by Viv Grigg
- Compassion, Justice, & the Christian Life by Robert Lupton
- There's Is The Kingdom by Robert Lupton
- A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby Payne
- Good News To The Poor by Tim Chester
- What Every Church Member Should Know About Poverty by Bill Ehlig and Ruby Payne
- Bridges Out Of Poverty by Ruby Payne, et al
- A Theology As Big As The City by Ray Bakke
- Serving With Eyes Wide Open by David Livermore
- In The River They Swim by Michael Fairbanks, et al
- The Poor Will Be Glad by Peter Greer & Phil Smith
- An Eye For An Eye by Christopher Wright
- Bringing in the Sheaves by George Grant
- The Missional Entrepreneur by Mark Russell
- If Jesus Were Mayor by Bob Moffitt
- Restorers of Hope by Amy Sherman
Related Resources I'm Checking Out
- Quest for Hope in the Slum Community by Scott Bessenecker
- Justice, Mercy & Humility by Tim Chester, Ed
- Neither Poverty Nor Riches by Craig Blomberg
- What If You Got Involved by Graham Gordon
- God's Neighborhood by Scott Roley & James Isaac Elliott
- Transforming Power by Robert Linthicum
- MoveIn.to