Recently, I came across a powerful article from the Chalmers Center called “We Need a Better Story.” If you haven’t read it yet, I really encourage you to take a few minutes and do that first:
👉 Read Chalmers Center’s “We Need a Better Story” here.
The article is based on Becoming Whole by Brian Fikkert and Kelly Kapic, and it puts into words something we’ve experienced for years at the Medford Gospel Mission:
The stories we believe shape the lives we live.
The wrong story keeps people—and whole communities—stuck.
Why Chalmers’ “Better Story” Matters to Us
Chalmers points out that a lot of modern poverty alleviation—even in Christian settings—quietly assumes that people in poverty just need to become like “successful” Westerners.
But if the American story of self-fulfillment, independence, and endless consumption isn’t producing flourishing for us, why would we ask others to chase it?
At the Medford Gospel Mission:
- We do not believe our role is to turn people in crisis into a copy of middle-class culture.
- We do not believe economic stability alone equals human flourishing.
- We definitely do not believe that the goal of transformation is the American Dream.
Instead, we agree with Chalmers:
Real transformation has to be rooted in God’s story, not in cultural stories about success.
At the Mission, we talk about God’s story in four parts—Creation, Fall, Redemption, Re-Creation—and we believe human flourishing means living as image-bearers in right relationship with God, self, others, and creation (what we call the Four Key Relationships).
What Poverty Really Looks Like
Every day, we serve men and women facing material poverty. And every day, we’re reminded:
poverty is deeper than a lack of money.
Poverty shows up as:
- Broken relationships with God, self, others, and creation
- Isolation and mistrust
- Shame, confusion, and hopelessness
Chalmers calls this “living in the wrong story.” We see it whenever someone believes:
- “I’m alone.”
- “I’m stuck.”
- “I’m not worth anything.”
- “No one needs me.”
- “My past determines my future.”
Those internal scripts can be just as damaging as any economic barrier.
How We’re Living a Better Story at the Mission
Our mission is to reach the lost and gather the reached, and our vision is to see the local church boldly engaged in relational restoration.
Because of that, we’ve shaped all of our work around four key convictions that line up with Chalmers’ framework:
1. Wholeness, Not Quick Fixes
Chalmers reminds us that God’s goal is not just to make people safe but to make people whole.
That’s why we focus on long-term, live-in discipleship, not just short-term relief. Everything in our Relational Restoration Process—housing, classes, pastoral care, daily life in our micro-community—is aimed at long-term growth in all Four Key Relationships: with God, self, others, and creation.
We don’t just ask, “What do you need?”
We also ask, “What is God doing in your relationships—and how can we walk with you there?”
2. Working With People, Not Doing Things To Them
Chalmers warns against treating people as projects. We agree.
At the Mission, we start with assets, not just needs. We ask, “What is right with you?” before “What’s wrong?” because every person is an image-bearer with God-given gifts and abilities.
That’s why:
- Participants co-create their own Action Plans and goals during each term of our program.
- Staff and Allies serve as coaches and companions, not fixers.
- We prize participation—doing with people, not to or for them.
Participation isn’t just a way to “get things done.” It’s part of what people were made for.
3. A New Identity, Rooted in the Gospel
Chalmers emphasizes that flourishing begins with knowing who we are in God’s story.
At the Mission, we help people discover that they are:
- Beloved by God
- Made in His image
- Gifted and able to meaningfully contribute
- Capable of growth in Christ
We do this through:
- Gospel-centered classes like God’s Story and the Four Key Relationships
- A Gospel Knowledge Quiz that helps us gauge understanding and walk with people at an appropriate pace
- Trauma-aware care, pastoral counsel, and life-skills training that all reinforce identity in Christ, not in past failures
We’re not just hoping for behavior change; we’re praying for heart-level, identity-deep transformation.
4. A Community That Looks More Like the New Jerusalem Than the Suburbs
Chalmers challenges us not to aim for “respectable suburban life,” but for communities that reflect the Kingdom of God.
At the Mission, we see ourselves as a micro-community where people learn to live out restored relationships—first in our campus context, and then within a local church.
That’s why we:
- Connect each participant with a local Allied Church for worship, discipleship, and belonging.
- Walk with people through a multi-term process that includes church involvement, growth in relationships, and stewardship of time, treasure, and talents.
- Celebrate not just “success stories,” but communities where people worship together, serve together, and bear one another’s burdens.
We’re not trying to produce “independent success stories.”
We’re seeking a community that reflects the hope, beauty, and justice of the New Jerusalem—right here in Medford.
Why This Matters for Our City
When we see people trapped in homelessness or material poverty, it’s easy to focus only on external symptoms: income, housing, employment. Those things matter deeply, and we work hard in all those areas.
But without a new story—God’s story—external changes often don’t last.
Chalmers’ article is a timely reminder that:
- We all need a better story, not just those in visible crisis.
- God’s story—from Creation to Re-Creation—is the only story big enough and true enough for human beings.
- Poverty alleviation is always spiritual, relational, and communal, not merely economic.
This is why the Medford Gospel Mission exists:
Not to impose our culture on others, but to walk together into God’s better story for all of us.
Want to Explore This More?
Again, please take a few minutes to read the Chalmers Center’s post:
If you’re curious how these ideas shape:
- Our live-in discipleship program
- Our partnerships with Local Churches
- Our long-term Relational Restoration Process
…I’d love to share more.
Together, let’s step into God’s better story—for our neighbors, our churches, our city, and ourselves.