The Listen Up! initiative was designed by the Diocese of Sheffield and Church Action on Poverty.
Its aim is to get church groups to hold in-depth conversations with people in their community so that they can understand their livelihoods and the way they use the resources at their disposal to sustain a living.
The project's been piloted by Hodge Hill Church in east Birmingham.
Rector Revd Al Barrett said: "I think the most shocking thing has been hearing stories of the spirals that people can get into, that one knock can knock over all the dominoes and precipitate a whole load of other things and lead to a more and more desperate situation.
"Hearing about this first hand and in-depth has been eye opening.
"At the same time, I have seen the sheer resilience of people and their resourcefulness in terms of being able to cope even when the systems have let them down and life has dealt them really tough hands.
"Their resourcefulness has been hugely impressive and awe-inspiring."
Churches across the country are now being invited to use this project to help their communities.
Revd Paul Hackwood, executive chair of Church Urban Fund, said: "This exercise shows us how important it is for churches to spend time listening to people in their communities.
"It is through listening that we see the strength and resourcefulness of people living on low incomes and build the kinds of relationships that can lead to real transformation of individuals and communities.
"We would encourage all churches to think about how they can listen to people in their communities."
Hear Revd Al Barrett speak on Premier's News Hour: