Genesis 1 verse 26-28

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,^[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

• All humans have been created in the likeness of God with a special purpose. We are created to be creative and productive.
• We are co-creators with God.
• We are blessed (both male and female) and commissioned to have dominion over every creature
• Work was the core responsibility of man (Gen 2 verse 15) before sinning. Laziness is a curse.
• The fall is the starting point to understand brokenness in our communities. Sin is at the root of all forms of poverty. (Gen 3 )
• Man was never cursed but the serpent and ground
• The curse on the ground was lifted (Genesis 8 verse 22)
• Despite the fall, God has provided a solution - to reconcile all His creation through Christ Jesus (2 Corinth 5vs 17-18, Eph 2 vs16, Col 1 vs 20-21)
• Every culture has both positive and negative aspects. Culture can either promote or hinder development. We must understand both positive and negative aspects.

Only God’s power can break the entanglement brought about by powerlessness and poverty. That power breaks fear of witchcraft and other superstitions.