Written by Dr. Alvin Sanders, CEO and President of World Impact
A giant has left us. They say there are ten people we meet in our lives who change us. Dr. John Perkins was one of my ten. He paved the way for effective ministry among those experiencing poverty, and I follow his teachings to this day. I stand on his shoulders.
My first significant time with him was as a 90s intern at Rock of Our Salvation Church in Chicago. He transformed how I view ministry in communities facing poverty, challenging the church to move beyond charity and focus on transformation. For those of us involved in what I now call redemptive poverty work, Dr. Perkins helped articulate what I sensed God was calling me to do. He taught me that poverty is never just about material things. It is relational, spiritual, and systemic. Therefore, the response must also be comprehensive.
At World Impact, much of our work today—like equipping local church leaders and strengthening urban congregations—rests on foundations that leaders like Dr. Perkins helped build. But beyond the ideas and movement he inspired, what stood out most about him was his deep humility, pastoral heart, and extraordinary willingness to forgive.
In the 70s, he was arrested during a peaceful civil rights protest in Mississippi. In jail, police officers brutally beat him, nearly killing him. Yet he later spoke about how God met him in that cell and taught him something powerful: hatred cannot drive out hatred. Only love rooted in Christ can do that.
In a world that often rewards outrage and retaliation, Dr. Perkins exemplified something better. He demonstrated what it looks like to pursue justice while maintaining the spirit of Christ. The Church still has much to learn from his example.
Today, many of the conversations he helped initiate continue. Questions about race, poverty, justice, and the role of the Church remain complex and often contentious. But his life reminds us that faithful ministry in difficult places requires three things: proximity, courage, and the gospel.
Proximity, because transformation starts when we choose to be near the people God calls us to serve. Courage, because confronting injustice and broken systems is rarely easy. And the gospel, because without the reconciling power of Christ, our efforts quickly turn into ideology instead of redemption.
Dr. Perkins never claimed to have all the answers. But he pointed the Church toward a better way. The leaders Dr. Perkins leaves behind are more than memories; they leave behind a legacy—a path for others to walk. My prayer is that the Church will continue walking that path. Because if we truly believe the gospel is good news for those in poverty, then we must also believe that the local church, empowered by the Spirit, remains God’s primary instrument for renewing communities.
Dr. John Perkins believed this fully. Because he did, countless churches, leaders, and communities are stronger. Thank you, Dr. Perkins. Your life showed us the gospel is lived, not just preached.
