Living in the townships: An appraisal of Pentecostal social ministry in Tshwane

Victor Molobi

doi:10.4102/hts.v70i3.2791

Abstract

This article offers an appraisal of the social ministry of Pentecostal churches through fellowship, healing and livelihood creation in the township communities of the city of Tshwane. In meeting this aim the discussion advances a thesis of these churches as agents of social support and survival of the downcast. In particular, the article attempts to show how these churches exert themselves towards establishing not only moral responsibility, but also a context where the weakest and the least privileged can learn how to survive. The squatter camp people are unique with the special challenges requiring distinctive consideration. Pentecostal churches believe that the lost people matter to God and are of importance to their congregations as well. The backyard Bible study ministries and mutual cooperation strategies are employed for mutual support. Making use of the existing empirical research data and available literature will show how Pentecostal churches in the townships support the laity and community in times of need.

Highlights

The existence of the Pentecostal churches in the townships is not an obvious one
Many people are talking about Pentecostalism from the 1960s until 1994 as the old face and beyond to the present as the era influenced by modernity
Shorter (1991) summed it well when stating that: Memberships of younger generations of today display a frenzied urban bias, while the church struggle to lethargically shake off its load from anti-Urbanism

Summary

Introduction

The existence of the Pentecostal churches in the townships is not an obvious one. Many of these churches have existed in these semi-urbanised areas for a long time. How do Pentecostal churches in Tshwane townships address the social challenges there? How do they attempt to deal with different groups of people in the urban and black townships around the cities?

Results

Conclusion