Review of The Overnighters (2014) by Dan B — 26 Aug 2017

This documentary is well worth watching but the take-home message is not pleasant, and won't be popular with those who want to shut down government assistance programs in favor of private charity.

No one who is not a professional, with a large staff, should attempt to serve thousands of people in one place and time. Jay Reinke had his own internal problems, but his biggest external problem was that he had no backup. He put himself in a position of running something too big for him with no guidelines, little support and no professional staff - ultimately relying on current clients to help run the service. And it eventually came crashing down on his head.

He would have done well to consult with experienced people such as the Gospel Rescue Mission network. And to get his congregation solidly behind him.

What moved me the most was Reinke's emotional defenselessness, and the way disgruntled clients used that to destroy him.