Study of the Social Ministry of Some Charismatic Churches in Ghana: A Case Study of the Provision of Educational and Healthcare Services by Four Selected Churches
Date
2013-07
Authors
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Publisher
University of Ghana
Abstract
The research sought to investigate the social ministry of four selected Charismatic
churches in Ghana. Specifically, it examined the underlying factors influencing the
current interest of these Charismatic churches‟ contribution towards the development of
education and healthcare services in Ghana. Charismatic churches‟ interest in social
ministry is problematized due to the fact that in the past social ministry did not appear as
a prominent feature in the ethos of Charismatic Christianity in Ghana. The social
ministry of churches in Ghana can however be traced to the early European missionary
enterprise that combined evangelization with the development of formal education and
the introduction of Western medicine among others.
The research adopted the historical and phenomenological approaches as the
methodologies for the study. Findings of the study were analyzed within the mission
theological concept of diakonia. Data was gathered mainly through personal interviews
with the church founders, associate pastors, church members and through participant
observation in their social ministry programmes.
Among other things the research revealed that, the underlying factors influencing the
selected Charismatic churches‟ social ministry include the example set by the mainline
churches, their re-reading of the Bible, the need to empower their members and their
quest to become socially relevant. The study also revealed that what Charismatics refer
to as faith healing has been redefined to include the use of medicine, whilst access to
healthcare has also been made relatively easier for their members. Finally, the study also
revealed that Charismatic churches‟ involvement in social ministry is a growing
phenomenon.
The researcher among other issues recommends that measures should be undertaken to
ensure that the educational and scholarships programmes of these churches are expanded
and made more accessible to cater for the poor and underprivileged in society. In the area
of healthcare, administrative measures should be put in place to ensure that the
healthcare programmes continue to operate long after the founders (pastor-doctors) are
no longer on the scene. Church members should also regularly demand accountability
and transparency regarding the operations of the social ministry to inspire confidence in
the programmes. Founders of these Charismatic churches should also give the social
ministry of their respective churches the free hand to operate without unnecessary
interference, and the church members must be made to feel ownership of the
programmes to ensure their continuous support.
In conclusion the research posits that the selected Charismatic churches re-reading of the
Bible, the socio-economic challenges of the times and the quest to remain socially
relevant among others has accounted for these changes.
Description
Thesis (MPHIL)-University of Ghana, 2013