Abstract

This article presents findings from the study of pastoral care as volunteerism from the perspective of Neo-Pentecostalism. The purpose of the study was to understand the volunteering models used by this Christian tradition based on the study conducted in Bushbuckridge in South Africa. Conducted within the discipline of practical theology using Osmer’s theory of theological reflection, the study followed a qualitative approach within the interpretivist paradigm. It used primary data collected from neo-Pentecostals that were purposively selected from members of neo-Pentecostal churches in Bushbuckridge in South Africa. Augmented by autoethnographic data, the findings were interpreted by concepts from academic literature with a selection of scriptures used to determine the biblical foundation pastoral care. Using a thematic analysis, the study found that neo-Pentecostal caregivers in the research site offer pastoral care voluntarily using three models, namely in-person, remote and hybrid volunteerism. Whereas this study reveals that the research participants offer pastoral care at no cost, this is not a commonly held standard as some caregivers in some established neo-Pentecostal churches charge a consultation fee. Regardless of these complexities and multiplicity of complementary models, pastoral care from the perspective of neo-Pentecostalism stems from the biblical foundations and personal convictions. While these findings are likely to contribute to existing knowledge, the findings may not be generalized to various contexts due to limitations of sample size and geographic context. Therefore, it is recommended that future similar studies be conducted in other geographical contexts and other Christian traditions to enhance these models for use by Christians.    

Keywords

  • Physical Attractiveness
  • Dating App
  • Generations
  • Gender
  • Photographs.

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