This research deals with poverty as a context in which pastoral care is developed and practiced. The research is done from the “belly of the whale” as liberation theologians usually say. Efforts are made to study poverty from the painful reality as experienced by the poor. It is theology (pastoral care) from the “underside of history.” The research:</p - Studies poverty from the perspective of the poor, with specific reference to their pastoral care needs. - Critically reviews pastoral care literature, with specific focus on the stand taken on poverty in the past and present. - Consolidates what emerged from literature with the empirical, qualitative research that is conducted amongst the poor. This is in view of developing a pastoral care model that is contextual, relevant and liberating. Having listened to the poor as the “living human documents” and having compared that with literature this research proposes a model of pastoral care that is contextual and liberating. The proposed model takes the following seriously: -African worldview, which is communal and systemic in contrast to the Western worldview, which is individualistic. -Socio-economic and political conditions and context of the poor. This model takes seriously the socio-economic and political dimensions of life as experienced by the poor. These conditions are to be addressed pastorally by a holistic and multi-dimensional model that is proposed in this research -The poor as “living human documents” are not only read and understood, as if they merely passive participants but are taken seriously and regarded as central to the both the pastoral action and the liberation process. Pastoral care has to help establish an environment of empowerment in which the poor play a central role in uprooting socio-economic and political roots of their problems and troubles. -Liberation theology and its methodology. -The preferential option of God, which should be adopted by the church and by pastoral care. Both the church and pastoral care should also be politically committed to the poor and be in solidarity with the poor The proposed model is referred to as holistic-multi-dimensional pastoral care / Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / PhD / unrestricted

The aim of this thesis is to show how the church can use leadership in building up the local church as a model of Pastoral theology and as a method to address the weak or even wrong leadership that has caused a negative effect on the growth of churches. The research methodology used is grounded theory within qualitative methods to collect and analyze data to develop a model of ministry for the present-day society. Fifty eight interviews were conducted including laity and clergy of Harare churches. Grounded theory analysis yielded patterns of leadership and ministry in of building up local churches. The process was intended not only to evaluate the previous effectiveness of the leaders, but also to provide validated suggestions for future leadership improvement based on the research findings. Furthermore, it was anticipated that the research would provide findings that could be of significant value to other churches that intend to create and implement their own internship programs for leaders. The descriptive method of the empirical research was used with a questionnaire and an interview as the most important instrument utilized to gather the needed data. The researcher found out that the leadership in the local churches are weak or even wrong and that has negative effects in growing churches Many leaders would agree that leadership development is a very important area in the building up of the local church. However, the shortage of time and ministry demands on church leaders and the challenges involved in this attempt often result in the neglect of this very important area of the church. It is also significant that these growing churches also have the laity involved in relational evangelism teaching, training and discipleship. Recommendations were given to map the way forward with some areas were the researcher has found that they should be a further research on issues that were not covered but came out during the interviews. / Dissertation (MA Theol)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Practical Theology / unrestricted