Week 1: Disrupting Generational Poverty

Written By Lyssa Kirwan
Printable Discussion Guide & facilitator guide

WATCH
Cold open: Fugi and Adrian

Questions to ask immediately after watching. The goal is to have everyone FEEL the experience of generational poverty, not to draw conclusions, critiques, or fix people:

  • What was the strongest emotion you felt while watching?

  • What was the moment that had the greatest impact on you?

  • Did this short film connect to anything you have experienced or personally witnessed?

  • Did you have any epiphany while watching, even a small one?

OPEN IN PRAYER

REFLECT

Read aloud:

Learn to do right; Seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; Plead the case of the widow. — Isaiah 1:17

Question: What jumped out?

Question: What does this verse say about what God values?

DISCUSS

“Injustice, oppression, and poverty—without intervention—quickly become generational. The pain, lack of opportunity, and limitations are passed from parents to children.” 

-READ:  How God’s People Can Bring Justice Through Literacy 

Question:  What does 'Disrupting Generational Poverty' mean to you today?

Consider (from READ):

  • 1 in 7 children in the US currently live in poverty

  • 1/3 to 1/2 of children who were poor growing up will remain poor as adults

Consider:
JUBILEE (Leviticus 25)
Every 50 years: Debts forgiven. Slaves set free. A fresh start for hurting families.

Question:  How would this system affect society? How does it make you feel?

Question:  Where do you see generational impacts of poverty, debt, wealth, and opportunity today?

APPLY

In Jesus' first sermon in the Gospel of Luke, He said:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. — Luke 4:18–19

Question: Where do you hear the Year of Jubilee in Jesus' words?

Question: How can the People of God bring the Jubilee spirit here and now?

Question: How would you like to participate in bringing Jubilee to your neighbors?

CLOSE in prayer

REFERENCES

READ: How God's People Can Bring Justice Through Literacy Authors: Tony Kriz & Jeff Martin · Publisher: Children's Literacy Project, 2023 · ISBN: 1612063160 Bite-sized chapters designed for daily devotion. A "clarion call to all people-of-compassion to love your neighbor through literacy." North American Book Award recipient. Available on Amazon or bulk through CLP.

Tony Kriz — tonykriz.com Co-author of READ. Speaker, writer, public intellectual with 20+ years experience. Self-described "provoker of goodness, truth & beauty." Executive Producer of the Sentenced film. Also hosts the Off The Highway web-show and a Substack newsletter. His work sits at the intersection of faith, theology, and social justice.

Sentenced Film — sentencedfilm.com Documentary produced by Stephen Curry & Erick Unanimous Media. Directed by Connor Martin & Mark Allen Johnson. Tony Kriz is Executive Producer. Follows families across the Bronx, LA, and rural NC. "A forceful yet tender tale of how literacy can free children from cycles of generational poverty." Goal: launch 1,000,000 volunteers. Now streaming on Peacock.

Children's Literacy Project — childrensliteracyproject.org Nonprofit that connects volunteer reading mentors with local literacy nonprofits nationwide. Produced the READ book, the Sentenced film, and short educational films. Offers church campaign kits, faith-based program support, training, and a national network map. Core stat: 1 in 4 children grow up without learning to read in the U.S.

Nation's Report Card — nationsreportcard.gov The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — assessing student knowledge since 1969. Provides reading data for grades 4, 8, and 12 broken down by demographics, state, and district. The source for the literacy statistics used throughout the series materials.

Data:

Lyssa Kirwan https://5five.design
Next

Week 2: It’s for the Children