What is Church Social Work?

Moberg defines he church as "organized religion" which includes allorganizations seeking to develop, renew, and guide persons' religiouslives (Moberg, 1984, p. 1). The church is by definition a social organiza-tion, with a structure based on a division of responsibility and privilegebetween persons, takes to be performed, and defined processes, rules,and norms for performing them. It has a body of beliefs codified in creedsand doctrines. Members identify with one another and with organiza-tion. Despite variations in structures, from large and complex to smalland simple, from highly formalized to highly informal, from autocraticti democratic. all churches are groups of people acting together on be-half of religious interests. "Any organization or association of personsstriving to perpetuate or propagate some religious belief or ideal is achurch" (Moberg, 1984, p. 16). To this sociological definition one mightadd from an insider's perspective that a church is such an organizationor association which defines the religious belief or ideals it is perpetuat-ing or propagating as Christian, however the organization or associationmay define that term.As a context for social work practice, the church and church agencyremain distinctively different from other settings for professional prac-tice (Garland & Conrad, 1990). Church social workers bring as aresource. They help the church understand the needs or persons, definethose needs as a ministry challenge central to the mission of the church,and equip church members for effective service and/or social action. Forexample, in response to the problems of homelessness in a church's com-munity, a church social workers educates the church about the complexof factors that create homelessness. The social worker guides the churchin a study of the response of the people of God to homelessness in theBible and in the history of the church, and a study of the theologicalramifications of responses the church can make. Finally, if the churchdecides to involve itself, the social worker helps the church develop

programs of ministry to homeless persons and action plans for speakingout on the societal issues that place persons and families at risk forhomelessness.Christian social ministry refers to "the activities carried out byredeemed individuals called by God to proclaim the good news to min-ister to the needy, too seek justice for all" (Davis, 1983, p. 523). It isthe work and mission of the church, of all Christians. Church social workprovides professional leadership and expertise, when they are needed,for this work. Sometimes, church social work provides guidance and con-sultation to the social ministry and social action programs of the church,as in the development and administration of programs which link familiesat risk of homelessness with church congregations who can provideneeded material and social supports, and which encourage which mem-bers to involve themselves in addressing the social problems which con-tribute to homelessness. Church social workers also use their expertiseto represent the church in ministry and social action. For example, a so-cial worker in the church-sponsored shelter for homeless familiesprovides case management and crisis intervention services for individualfamilies and advocates for legislative initiatives that will increase theavailability of low-income housing.Unlike the professional social worker in a community agency, thechurch social worker has as a primary task the equipping of others-thepeople of God-to serve. Although they serve clients directly, they can-not do this in place of the ministry of the church. Ministry is a personalall encompassing calling to a lifestyle; it is not a profession that can belimited to workdays and from which one can retire (Garland, 1988).Church members are the primary ministers. Findley Edge has argued,"A lay person cannot pay someone else to fulfill his or her ministry forGod" (1983, p. 23). Even the church social worker employed in a high-ly professionalized position, such as providing family therapy services forchildren who have been placed in residential care and their families, hasa role, whether recognized or not, in linking the community or faith incaring ways with families in crisis. That linkage may be one of suppor-

tive friendships for a family isolated in their crisis, of respite care for afamily who has no one to help them with the daily responsibility of achild with special needs, or of material assistance during a time of finan-cial crisis. Hessel (1982) concludes, "The primary role professionalchurch workers is to equip a faithful community to intervene campas-sionately in the social system and to enhance caring interpersonal rela-tions in ways that are consistent with Christian maturity" (p. 125).

Several characteristics distinguish the church setting from other con-texts for social work practice and degine the nature of church social work(Garland & Conrad, 1990). First, church social work takes place in thecontext of a voluntary organization. Church social workers often relatenot only to the organization which employs them cut also to other levelsof church organization. The social worker in a denominational agencyspends significant amounts of time consulting, speaking, and developingresources in churches. Social workers employed on the staff of a con-gregation must deal with denominational policies and programs that af-fect their work and the social issues of the community. In all the churchsettings for social work practice, the social worker must respond to aconstituency of small voluntary group who wield power that can be bothsupportive and oppressive.Second, church social work takes place as a secondary function in ahost organization, much like medical social work or school social work.Even so, when the church social worker understands the mission of thechurch and can articulate the theological ramifications of the social is-sues of the dat, social ministry and social action become indispensableways for the church to pursue its calling. Unlike the social service agen-cy, however, the church has other equally significant takes-worship, fel-lowship, evangelism. Its mission is to proclaim the Good News and toserve as a living witness to the love of God as shown in the life, death,and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Social ministry and social action areindispensable functions of evangelism (Miles, 1988) as well as ministryin their own right.Third, the role of lay persons is central in church social work. Chris-tians are called to serve, whether or not the service leads to conversionof those server. Social ministry is doing deeds of love and mercy-feed-ing the hungry , clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned(Matt.

25:31-46). Social action involves attempts to change social structures, in-cluding advocating in behalf of justice for the oppressed. Social minis-try often leads to social action as an attempt to change the forces thatcreate the needs that require social ministry. Instead of helping poorfamilies pay exorbitant utility bills, a church becomes involved in lobby-ing for legislation that will limit utility bills to a fixed percentage of in-come, or legislation requiring landlords to weatherize low incomeretal properties. Delos Miles says that the story of the Samaritan inLuke 10:25-37 illustrates the difference between social ministry and so-cial action. What the Samaritan did was social ministry. If he had soughtto change the conditions which led to robbing and mugging on the Jerichorode, that would have been social action (Miles, 1988). Clearly, churchglesocial work needs to lead the church both in social ministry and in so-cial action.Fourth, the church serves as a mediating structure in our society, onewhich, like the family, stands between individuals and the large institu-tions of public life. It mediates, or serves as a buffer, that protects per-sons and families from having to deal with these large social institutionsalone (Garland & Conrad, 1990). For example, individuals in neigh-borhood turn to the church for advocacy with a local government con-sidering changing zoning ordinances so that neighborhood restaurantscan serve alcohol. In the sanctuary movement, churches have becomeadvocates in behalf of voiceless political refugees (Bau, 1985).Finally, churches have a culture of their own. Like families, churchescome with many different structures and ways of living and defining them-selves. They have decision-making processes that vary from highly for-mal structures and hierarchies to informal, democratic, fluid processes.They have historical identities that shape their current understanding ofthemselves; these identities reflect not only denominational heritage butalso the unique histories of particular communities and the interweavingof the church with the events and development of the church's surround-ing social and physical to the human needs and resources within and outsideitself (Moberg, 1984).The church social worjer needs to be able to operate within and usethe language and cultural patterns of the church community, the Bible,theology, and Christian values and lifestyle serve as foundation andresources for practice. For example, Biblical concepts of forgiveness,

confession, and repentance can provide a foundation for helping Chris-tians work through family conflict. The concepts of the family of Godand Christian hospitality provide the ground for social action in behalfof homeless and isolated persons and social ministry programs that striveto include them in the life of the community.Understanding these distinctive characteristics of the church contextis just as important for effective social work practice as is understandingthe culture, history, and current life experiences of an ethnic family re-questing family services. Whether a small congregation or a largedenominational agency, an assessment of the context for church socialwork practive calls for sensitivity and specialized knowledge.