The purpose of this study is to research the proper social welfare service field which they want to participate according to degree of gift recognition of lay believers as a social welfare resource. Therefore, the candidate anticipates that lay believ...
The purpose of this study is to research the proper social welfare service field which they want to participate according to degree of gift recognition of lay believers as a social welfare resource. Therefore, the candidate anticipates that lay believers will be encouraged and prompted to participate in social welfare activities through this study.
For the progress of this study, the candidate has conducted the survey of 327 lay believers total. Three churches were chosen in each of the 5 denominations, which are the Presbyterian, the Methodist, the Holiness, the Baptist, and the Full Gospel, in Seoul and Inchon area, and 20 or more at each church participated in the survey.
First of all, the candidate has measured the nineteen kinds of gift areas using the survey sheet, “The question about the identification of the spiritual gift” for lay believers and the social welfare service field they want to participate in. Then, the candidate has identified the relationship between the degree of recognition regarding the six kinds of gift elements obtained through the element analytical result and the social welfare service field through regression analysis.
As the result of this study, the relationship between the degree of gift recognition from lay believers and the social welfare service field are as follows:
First, in the participation of the welfare service for children, the gift recognition degree of the lay believers is not related.
Second, in the participation of welfare service for women, the sex, the gift for the poor, and the gift of talent of lay believers appeared to be in the positive correlation. Their religious career and the intention to participate in the social welfare activity appeared to be in the negative correlation.
Third, in the participation of welfare service for old people, the gift of the talent of the lay believers had a positive correlation. The religious career and social welfare activity participation intention had a negative correlation.
Fourth, in welfare service for the disabled, the gift of faith and the gift of the talent of the lay believers had a positive correlation. Social welfare activity participation intention had a negative correlation.
Fifth, in service for the homeless, the gift of faith and the gift of the talent of the lay believers were positively correlated. Sex, religious career and intention to participate in the activity of the social welfare, and the gift of the management had a negative correlation.
Sixth, in the participation of the multi-cultural welfare service, the gift of faith and the gift of the talent of lay believers showed a positive correlation. Age and intention to participate in the activity of the social welfare demonstrated negative correlation.
To summarize the result above, the lay believer’s monthly average income, the self-gift-recognition degree for teaching, and the gift of knowledge did not affect even in any field of the social welfare service. The lay believer’s age, religious career, the intention of participation in social welfare activity, and the gift of the management have affected negatively to the participation in the social welfare service. The gift for the poor, the gift of faith and the gift of talent have appeared as positive effect to the participation in the social welfare service.
When considering that the gift for the poor includes helping others, hospitality, and mercy, that the gift of faith includes the intercessory prayer, evangelism, and faith, and that the gift of talent includes artistic talents and spiritual discernment, the results above is caused by the lay believer’s faith which tends to take pity, to pray, to help using their own professional talents and to evangelize the alienated and weak people in the society. This could be the result which is suitable for the essences of Christian social welfare, and reflects a craving of the lay person for the practice of Christian social welfare.
Based on these results, the candidate has suggested the followings for the participation in the social welfare service of lay believers.
First, lay believers should recognize and use their own gift from God, and participate in the social welfare service actively because the gift for the poor, and the gift of faith, and the gift of talent, which correspond to the essence of the Christian social welfare, can affect the social welfare service field positively.
Second, churches should encourage lay believers to participate in the social welfare service activity with the right perspective regarding the alienated people through the biblical education because the lay believer’s sex, age, religious career, the intention of the participation in the social welfare service, and the gift of management have appeared as negative due to the wrong prejudice for them.
Third, all the lay believers either men or women should be treated as the children of God because the negative influence that the lay believer’s religious career affects on the social welfare service field came from the male chauvinism in the Korean churches.
Fourth, churches should develop not only the lay believer’s gifts but also the method and program to apply their gift to participation in the social welfare activity.
Fifth, Korean churches should be transformed from the pastor-centered Christian social welfare service to the company of the pastor and lay believer-centered Christian social welfare service.