The intent of this study is to identify the various factors involved in influencing the activation of (Protestant) church local social welfare programs and to offer policy implications.For this purpose, the researcher conducted a survey by distributin...
The intent of this study is to identify the various factors involved in influencing the activation of (Protestant) church local social welfare programs and to offer policy implications.For this purpose, the researcher conducted a survey by distributing over 1,000 questionnaires to Protestant religious workers at churches in the greater Seoul region. Out of 1,000 questionnaires, 196 respondents completed the survey. The researcher analyzed the data to investigate the factors affecting church social welfare programsThe results of the research revealed the following influential variables concerning church social activities :Firstly, the degree of church social welfare activities was influenced in part by pastoral variables and in part by church variables. The social programs were mostly active in instances where there was greater pastoral recommendations of methods of engagement to church-goers, at churches where response of the laity was greater, and at churches with larger congregations.Secondly, the percentage of budget for social welfare activities was higher at churches where the pastor highly recommended social activities to church-goers, at churches where church-goers were more favorably disposed to social welfare activities, and at churches where the numbers of human resources involved in social welfare programs were higher.Thirdly, the number of social welfare programs increased with the recommendation of social service by the pastor and with the size of the church congregation.In summary, the degree of activation of church social welfare activities, the ratio of budget for social welfare programs, and the number of actual social welfare programs are not so influenced by local characteristics variables. Rather, activation is more greatly influenced by the degree of recommendation by the pastor and by the size of the congregation. That is to say, the pastor, as the most influential leader in a church, through actual participation in social welfare activities ? including his recommendations of activity through preaching as well as on an informal basis ? was found to be the most important variable influencing the activation of social welfare activities.In addition, church revival meetings proved to be an effective method for social welfare activities as well as for expanding the church''s religious influence.Following such survey results, in order to further activate local social welfare activities, the researcher have suggested the following conclusionsFirst, pastors should strengthen education related to social welfare activities. Also, there is a definite need to positively promote social service among the congregations. In addition, although not a direct result of the survey itself, the researcher have concluded that there is a definite need to develop policies by pooling human resources and volunteering in order to make actual contributions to the church group and local society.Due to the time period involved and other conditional restrictions, the survey was limited to respondents from Protestant churches in the capital region. However, following definitive analysis of the dualistic potentials of church social service and the recommendation of social welfare activities, the researcher assumes that there is a definite need for analysis and comparison of the status of Korean religious social welfare activities on a much broader scale through a follow?up study. This is in consideration of the fact that Korean religious organizations play such a major role in the area of social welfare activities. The results of such a follow?up study should contribute to development of new policies for multi-dimensional activation of programs.