This project explores the relationship of Pentecostal churches in the U.S. to social ministry. Taken from the results of multivariate logistic regression and likelihood ratio tests utilizing the National Congregations Study , a nationally representative sample of US congregations, I found that Pentecostal congregations are statistically less likely to participate in social ministry than non-Pentecostal Christian congregations. Through chi-square analyses, I also found Pentecostal churches to be less likely than non-Pentecostal Conservative congregations to participate in social ministry. Through a series of interviews and observations of five Pentecostal Assemblies of God churches in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area, assessments were made on Pentecostal identity and Pentecostal perceived involvement in the community of Atlanta. Recommendations for further research are provided.

This article analyzes the technocracy emergence in social sector, through the study of the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion case, created in 2011 in response to one of the essential themes of Ollanta Humala’s electoral campaign: social inclusion. This paper aims to determine which factors led to the establishment of a technocracy linked to social policy in a country where it has been traditionally linked to political usage and patronage. There are three factors that explain the positioning of a technocracy in this ministry addressed throughout the article. On one hand, there was the presence of a consensus about the need for a technical management of this sector in the search of generating legitimacy and autonomy. On the other hand, it happened to be a favorable political environment characterized by a wide political support from the government. Finally, the wide discretion of the technical team in the design of MIDIS and during formation of the first ministerial body of bureaucrats allowed the emergence of a technocratic institution. To this end, this article describes development of the stages of the creation of the institution, design, approval and implementation and shows a corroboration of the technocratic profile of the initial top management team of this ministry. / El presente artículo analiza el surgimiento de una tecnocracia en un sector social, a través del caso del Ministerio de Desarrollo e Inclusión Social, creado en el 2011 en respuesta a uno de los ejes centrales de la campaña electoral de Ollanta Humala: la inclusión social. Este texto busca determinar qué factores permitieron el establecimiento de una tecnocracia vinculada a la política social en un país donde esta ha estado tradicionalmente vinculada a un manejo político y clientelar. A lo largo del artículo, se abordan tres factores que explican el posicionamiento de una tecnocracia en este ministerio. Por un lado, existió un consenso sobre la necesidad del manejo técnico de este sector en la búsqueda de generar legitimidad y autonomía. Por otro lado, se dio un entorno político favorable caracterizado por un vasto respaldo político del gobierno. Por último, el amplio margen de decisión de los técnicos en el diseño del MIDIS y en la conformación del primer cuerpo ministerial permite el surgimiento de una institución de carácter tecnocrático. Para ello, esta investigación describe el desarrollo de las etapas de creación de esta institución, de diseño, aprobación e implementación, así como presenta una corroboración del perfil tecnocrático del equipo inicial de alta dirección de este ministerio.

This thesis proposes that the destitute people of South Africa, and specifically Tshwane, comprise an often neglected group of people that can and must be helped by means of missions with the destitute to experience growing degrees of SHALOM. Part of this would include a drive to re-integrate the destitute into society as functioning members of that society. This is undertaken through developing a proposed model that strives to empower destitute people in a variety of ways, using a variety of "movements" and strategies. A model such as this is necessary in the light of the seeming inability of helpers (including churches, CBO's and other non-religious organizations), to come to grips with the complex problem of destitution in our country, and in Tshwane specifically. This perceived inability is addressed by exploring the problem of destitution, in the process seeking a better understanding of a complex problem, followed by considering the responsibility of the church as missiological agent of social healing and ministry. Missiologically, SHALOM is perceived as the aim/ goal of missions with the destitute, where SHALOM refers to wellbeing, justice, relational, completeness, whole-being, peace, etc. The model is intended to serve as a viable strategy in the arsenal of churches that take the missiological call towards social healing seriously, and to provide a comprehensive, holistic approach when dealing with the destitute. It is postulated that the church, more than any other organization, should enjoy an advantage when it comes to social ministry, because of two reasons, namely (1) a strong missiological point of departure as a motivation to be involved in social ministry, where we see the church as a partner in the Missio Dei, and (2) a strong missiological aim, namely SHALOM, which transcends mere charity or welfare, but seeks to empower people holistically. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

This thesis proposes that the destitute people of South Africa, and specifically Tshwane, comprise an often neglected group of people that can and must be helped by means of missions with the destitute to experience growing degrees of SHALOM. Part of this would include a drive to re-integrate the destitute into society as functioning members of that society. This is undertaken through developing a proposed model that strives to empower destitute people in a variety of ways, using a variety of "movements" and strategies. A model such as this is necessary in the light of the seeming inability of helpers (including churches, CBO's and other non-religious organizations), to come to grips with the complex problem of destitution in our country, and in Tshwane specifically. This perceived inability is addressed by exploring the problem of destitution, in the process seeking a better understanding of a complex problem, followed by considering the responsibility of the church as missiological agent of social healing and ministry. Missiologically, SHALOM is perceived as the aim/ goal of missions with the destitute, where SHALOM refers to wellbeing, justice, relational, completeness, whole-being, peace, etc. The model is intended to serve as a viable strategy in the arsenal of churches that take the missiological call towards social healing seriously, and to provide a comprehensive, holistic approach when dealing with the destitute. It is postulated that the church, more than any other organization, should enjoy an advantage when it comes to social ministry, because of two reasons, namely (1) a strong missiological point of departure as a motivation to be involved in social ministry, where we see the church as a partner in the Missio Dei, and (2) a strong missiological aim, namely SHALOM, which transcends mere charity or welfare, but seeks to empower people holistically. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)