Congregational Social Work Initiative

Virtually every congregation has four purposes for what they do:

Congregational activities ideally serve these multiple functions, sometimes all at the same time; the spiritual and outreach activities are intertwined. Congregational social workers provide leadership in more than one, and sometimes all, of these functions. In fact, the broader their work is in addressing all four functions of congregational life, the more central they are to the life of the congregation.

Our desire is to train students to conduct congregational research, develop full-time congregational staff positions and strengthen community transformation initiatives in their communities. We raise awareness of the resource that social workers can be for strengthening congregations and their ministries.

In addition to the Congregational Initiative, the Garland School of Social Work also works with congregations through the Center for Church and Community Impact or C3I. The Center provides research and hands-on training to congregations, denominational agencies and religiously affiliated organizations that bridge the divide between church and community.

For more information about this initiative, contact:
Dr. Gaynor Yancey
(254) 710-6424
gaynor_yancey@baylor.edu

Read about pastors and vulnerability:
Pastors "get real" with congregations