Foundational Principles
of the Fuller Center for Housing USA
We are part of a God movement, and movements don't just stop.
We have been called to this housing ministry; we did not stumble into it.
​
We are unashamedly Christian and enthusiastically ecumenical.
We aren't a church but we are a servant of the Church.
​
We are faith-driven, knowing that after we've done all we can to the Lord will help finish the job - something that requires us to stretch beyond our rational reach.
​
We are a grass-roots ministry, recognizing that the real work happens
on the ground in communities around the world through our covenant
partners, so large, overseeing bureaucracy isn't needed.
​
We try to follow the teachings of the Bible and believe that it says
that we shouldn't charge interest of the poor, so we don't.
​
Government has a role in our work in helping to set the stage,
but we shouldn't look to it as a means to fund the building of a home.
We preach the Gospel through action - the Theology of the
Hammer as Millard Fuller called it. Yet, we do not have religious
requirements of our volunteers or homeowners. All are welcome under our big tent. We believe people from all walks of life
choose to support The Fuller Center because no one is against
helping people help themselves.
​
We offer a hand-up, not a handout. Our families provide "sweat equity" in the building of their homes and repay the costs of materials on terms they can afford, over time, with no interest charged and no profit made. This allows them to be partners and not charity cases. As Thad Harris (left) says: "It gave me self-esteem." He now is one of our most dedicated volunteers, helping others build homes.
​
Volunteers are an integral component of our mission. Not only
does the use of volunteer labor help us keep construction costs
as low as possible, but the volunteers themselves have a real
tangible way to bolster their faith by putting it into action. They also boost the spirits of the families with whom they work, proving that God loves them no matter how hopeless they might feel.
​
We believe in and support local leadership. A one-size-fits-all approach is not effective in addressing the world's housing crisis. Local leaders know best what is needed in their community and how best to address it. Covenant partners in the U.S. and around the world are expected to adhere to some basic principles, but the specifics of how to apply them are not dictated from our headquarters.
from Welcome to our Faith in Action Ministry
an 8-page overview booklet 2019 - 2020
​