Companion to the Poor: Christ in the Urban Slums

by Viv Grigg

Companion to the Poor This paradigm-shifting book has become a best-selling classic, translated into six languages, republished yearly for 30 years. It keeps upending the lifestyles of each decade of idealist seekers for genuine spirituality. Over a thousand workers have ended up in the slums of the world's mega-cities after reading it. It is the story of a young man's struggle in the slum of Tatalon, Manila. A struggle to find a way to live among the poor, preach good news to the poor, and transform the poverty. Entering into poverty, struggling with sickness, rejection and the many experiences of engagement in a dark place, out of it came the formation of a faith community and the birthing of a new pattern of evangelical theology of preaching grace, forming communities of faith and love, effecting economic change and doing justice. The fruit of those struggles has been a plethora of movements of incarnational workers living among the 1.3 billion urban poor of the global slums. This book encapsulates the core of new paradigms of evangelical theology - justice-oriented, while proclaiming good news, caring for those on the margins while growing communities of faith, oral theology based versus book-based, apostolic versus inward, with a spirituality of both quietness and the emotional celebratory spirituality of those who must release the pains of oppression weekly, seeking transformion on this earth as a progression to the coming reign of Christ.

Genres: Christian, Theology

208 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1969

Reviews

[Paul Uwemedimo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books have had a huge impact and influence on my life. I think this book has had a greater influence and impact on my life than any of the thousands of books I have read, let me exclude the bible from this. It inspired me, challenged me and informed me, but more than that I believe that God spoke to me through this book about the direction my life needed to take. I ended up going to live in the slums in Manila. At the moment I am not living in the urban slums, but I believe that is my calling and I hope soon I can be back living among the poor in an urban slum community. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK AND READ IT WITH AN OPEN MIND AND HEART.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read CTTP as an intern and, at the time, didn't realize the gem I held in my hand. Re-read CTTP to discuss with our current internship class. It's rare for internship curriculum to make me cry, but there I was, home alone, tearing up as I read Grigg's account of living in the slums in Manila.

Why?
1) Manila's slums hold a special place in my heart
2) Grigg's storytelling is excellent
3) Comprehensive exploration of urban ministry among the poor.

I mean, c'mon, the guy helped found the org I work for. It's hard not to like him.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely respect what Viv Grigg did as a groundbreaker in ministering to the urban poor. And there are great bits of wisdom and food for thought within this book. But the scattered organization made it really difficult to follow his train of thought at many times, and I disagreed with a number of things he had to say (unfortunately, the parts I disagreed with the most often were the parts he explained the least, so I may have been enlightened if he had shared more about those aspects).

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A testimony of someone taking the call to justice and transformation in bringing the kingdom seriously! in the process you learn. love it.

[Jane Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have ever read about what a Christian's perspective on poverty should be. Absolutely changed my view of poverty and how to combat it in the world.

[Robin Meade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reality check for what it truly means to be poor and what we as Christians can do about it.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the things that I loved about Companion to the Poor is Grigg's writing. Although his stream-of-consciousness style can be hard to follow, I love how every aspect of slum and urban ministry intersects--he does not separate the sociological from the spiritual. Essentially, Companion to the Poor is simply Grigg's autobiography: his journey to pioneering slum ministry in Manila. Ultimately, Grigg's desire is to raise up ministers to the slum, and he doesn't hide the sacrifices that must be made to that end. However, there is a sense of trust there because these are sacrifices that he has made himself.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a man whom I spent some time with. He is the most holy man I have ever met. He lived in the slums of Manilia for 20 years as a squatter and you can see that he is drenched in the Holy Spirit.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging