Download or read book An Analysis of the Perceptions of African American Church Pastors in Their Delivery of Health and Human Services in Southeast Washington DC written by Dennis C. Parker and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: President Bush's Executive Order 13279 (December 12, 2002) encouraged the government to work with faith-based organizations to provide human services (i.e., Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, employment, homelessness services, and health care) to serve America's low-income populations. Faith-Based Initiatives, and now President Obama's Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships Initiative have created the foundation for further partnerships between faith-based organizations and local, state, and federal governments. Limited information exists regarding the overall effectiveness of the programs in encouraging churches, specifically African American churches, to engage in services delivery. This study explores the perceptions of church leaders that influence faith-based organizations, specifically African American churches in the southeast region of Washington, DC, to provide human services. The District of Columbia has eight local wards: southeast Washington encompasses Wards 7 and 8, and has a high concentration of poverty and African Americans. The District of Columbia Department of Human Services (2010) reports that in the year 2009, 97% of Ward 7 residents were African American with 26% residing in poverty; 94% of Ward 8 residents were African American with 35% residing in poverty. The work of early sociologists, W.E.B. Dubois and Franklin Frazier is utilized to frame the theoretical background (Ethnic Identity Model) for this study. Additionally, this study relies on an African American church analysis by Lincoln and Mamiya (1990) to highlight the historical and current role of the African American church. The purpose of this study was to examine the churches of southeast Washington, DC and the level of human services provided between 2000 and 2010, during both the Bush and Obama Administrations, to understand the perceptions of the factors that influenced the level of human services during the same time frame. The study utilized a qualitative design with descriptive statistics to shed light on human service delivery of faith-based organizations in the African American community. A semistructured interview was performed on a convenience sample of 20 pastors/church leaders of churches in southeast Washington, DC. These 20 churches were identified through the District of Columbia's yellow pages and, additionally, other data sets including advocacy organizations and community groups. This study found that neither President's Bush's or Obama Faith Based Initiative significantly influenced the level of provision of human services by African American Churches located in Wards 7 and 8 of southeast Washington DC. Also this study found that the majority of African American churches in wards 7 & 8 in Washington DC are more flexible and able to determine the types of services they provide by the presenting community needs. The study results will inform policymakers about whether, and how, the churches' role in service delivery changed after the implementation of President Bush's Faith-Based Initiative. Presidents Bush and Obama view churches and community-based organizations as strong frontline resources to address desperate challenges related to poverty, but little is known about the effectiveness of their initiatives. The results of this analysis will assist churches, community organizations, and policy formulators in providing information that will help policymakers to make more informed decisions about the potential impact of churches for service delivery in the African American community. It will also provide information about barriers to participating as partners with the government.

Download or read book African American Pastors Perceptions of Their Congregants Mental Health Needs written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influenced African American pastor's perceptions of mental health issues and to explore how those perceptions influenced the propensity of the pastor to counsel, consult, and or refer to mental health professionals. This study is divided into two parts. Part one examines the perceptions of the pastors and their beliefs about mental health. Part two concretized these perceptions by employing the Contextual Model of Family Stress as a guide for structuring the relationships between a pastor's perception and their attitudes toward mental health issues. Data for this investigation were gathered from a sub-sample of African American pastors originally generated from a listing of churches throughout the country. Initially 300 locally based institutions were identified. A survey was mailed to the churches explaining the purpose and goals of the study. Nearly one-third of the pastors completed the sixty-one item questionnaire. Of those who returned the original questionnaires (102), nearly three-quarters were from African American pastors (73) all of whom were included in this study. There were four hypotheses developed for this exploratory investigation: they examined the pastor's propensity to make mental health referrals; the tendency to spiritualize mental health issues; pastor's lack of support for congregants with mental health problems; and the influence of mental health training on the willingness to refer to mental health professionals. None of the hypotheses were directly supported. The application and adaptation of the Contextual Model of Family Stress to how African American pastors perceived, utilized, and responded to mental health issues was explored via path analysis. Overall, the final model explained 39% of the variance in why pastors chose to make referrals to mental health professionals. The findings suggested that the African American pastors are concerned with the mental health of their congregants. Moreover, these pastors exhibited uncommon knowledge about mental health and displayed greater willingness to work with mental health professionals than originally believed. These findings reveal that African American pastors are in touch with their congregants on multiple plains---spiritual, soul, and body---three vital dimensions, according to church doctrines and beliefs.

Download or read book The Perceived Need of Psychological Services in the African American Church and Pastor s Preparation written by Edna Veronica Weathers and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The African American church serves as a social support network for the African American community. It is in the African American church where parishioners tend to find peace, comfort, and a sense of belonging. The relationship among the pastors and their parishioners is often close and personal. This research attempts to explore male African American Baptist pastors' perceptions of psychological services and their training to provide such services to their parishioners. This research consisted of two separate methods of data collection. The first method of data collection was through the use of an anonymous, demographic survey, which was mailed out to male African American Baptist pastors. Survey questions included: education level, workshops specifically on counseling attended, length of time at present church, perceived rewards of position, problems members present with, services provided to non-members, and number of enrolled members. The second method of data collection was through a semi-structured interview process. Seven male African Baptist pastors were interviewed. The interview consisted of seven questions ranging from the pastors' educational background to the type of counseling they provide to their parishioners. The data collected from the anonymous, demographic survey and interviews provide a greater understanding of pastors' perceptions of the field of psychology as well as specific information about their preparation to provide services to their parishioners.

Download or read book Critical Collaboration written by C. Guy Robinson and published by Archway Publishing. This book was released on 2019-07-31 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Critical Collaboration is about the critical need for partnership between pastors and mental health professionals in service to urban African American communities. While the historically African American church has done commendable work in its virtually exclusive role as emotional caregiver, there is a disproportionate susceptibility to certain mental illnesses in the African American community, which calls for a collaborative effort to advance the cause of holistic health. Critical Collaboration provides historical, socioeconomic, theological, and psychological contexts that serve to increase the awareness and cultural competence needed to bridge the gap between the professional communities of faith and mental health.

Download or read book African American Pastors and Traditional Professional Mental Health Services written by Kimberly Varner Tarman and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For decades, research has consistently shown that African Americans underutilize traditional professional mental health services. Similarly, African American clergy have historically demonstrated hesitance towards these resources, opting to address their parishioners’ mental health needs on their own. Recent studies examining African American clergy’s perceptions of professional psychological resources, their preferred counseling approaches, and the rates and nature of their referral patterns have revealed that while African American clergy are more open to mental health resources than in the past, inconsistencies between their worldview and the philosophies undergirding these resources may contribute to the wedge that still exists. In order to examine this phenomenon more closely, this study will explore the relationship between African American clergy’s worldview and their perceptions of traditional professional mental health services. The purpose of this study is to assist professional mental health workers in becoming a more relevant and competent resource for African American clergy and the African American church community as a whole.

Download or read book Barriers to the Utilization of Mental Health Services in African American Church Communities written by Vickey L. Maclin and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Resilience and Success of African American Pastors written by Dr. Terence O. Hayes Sr. and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2021-04-23 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The content of this manuscript is research investigated for the resilience and success of pastors in the Church of God in Christ, a Pentecostal denomination that has over six million members, to include over three-thousand pastors. The research is a phenomenological study designed to provide a narrative, interview of the participants to share their background, role, and day-to-day practices of the work of ministry as a senior pastor in this organization. The research will consist of seven to ten pastors selected from across the country, all African-American males, age groups ranging from 42 years to 72 years of age. The information will be gathered by personal interviews conducted by asking each of them the same questions to gather all the facts and data for this research design. The instrument used will be a recording device that will record all conversations that will be transcribed in writing verbatim. As the human instrument conducting this research, it will constitute travel, lodging, and scheduling of each participant that will give the researcher an intimate up and close contact with each participant. The information will be safeguarded, names will be protected and all information will be useful as a model example of what constitutes success for ministry and the tools and resources needed to maintain a healthy and productive state of mind to be resilient in leading the charge as clergymen in the field of ministry. It is with great joy and a privilege to conduct this interview with pastors serving in the Church of God in Christ.

Download or read book Voices of Four African American Female Clergy and Their Perceptions of Gender Equity and Leadership Styles in the African American Urban Church written by Evelyn Lorine Ogletree and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this qualitative study was to give voice to the experiences of African American female pastors of African American churches and their perceptions of gender and equity as it pertains to their role in the pastorate. This phenomenological study identified the lived experiences of each participant through her personal narrative, which reflects her path from birth to present. Participants' experiences as a senior pastor provided a personal historical path of the journey of female pastors for a span of four decades. This dissertation shares the challenges, barriers, and support to female pastors. This study examined personal characteristics, acts of leadership, and acts of negotiating the system within the African American church. The participants' ages ranged from 40-70+. The findings of this study indicated that there has been a slow change in the acceptance of female pastors. Female pastors have been a part of our culture since biblical times, but resistance is still present. The electronic version of this dissertation is accessible from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/148281

Download or read book African American Male Pastors Perceptions of Managing Racism as Black Men and Spiritual Leaders written by Priscilla Lenora Miles and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this psychological phenomenological study was to give African American pastors a platform to express their perceptions of racism as Black men and spiritual leaders. The appropriate relationships can endure unforeseen trauma with Erickson's (2013) recognition of the dependability and reliability of the scriptures, as well as Bowlby's (1969/1982) concept of pastors' attachments fostering trust. The research questions were as follows: How would African American pastors describe the challenges they face when addressing the issue of racism with their congregations? What strategies would African American pastors encourage to congregates when addressing racism? How would African American pastors describe the context of the sermon on racism differently from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermons in the 1960s? What would African American pastors say their role is in the Black community as a spiritual leaders concerning racism? Who would African American pastors say provide comfort when disturbed about racial issues, not excluding an image of a spiritual figure? In what ways would African American pastors say that racism has affected their behavior? The Brief COPE Assessment tool was used as a pre-evaluation method for African American participants to identify coping strategies when addressing traumatic issues, such as racism. The data collection method included semi-structured interviews, cognitive representation and was validated through participant checks. Utilizing Moustakas’ (1994) modified Van Kemp method, data analysis consisted of a series of operations: horizonalization, reduction, elimination, clustering, theme development, validation, and description to report the essence of participants’ experiences. Data analysis identified the following five major themes and their recurring themes regarding the Black male pastor’s perception of racism: 1) Growth of the Black Church, a) Church Growth in comparison to the 1960s; 2) Role of Black Pastors; 3) Influences, a

Download or read book What Then Shall We Say to These Things written by Janeé Avent and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "African Americans are often disproportionately represented in vulnerable populations that could likely cause them to be at a greater risk for struggling with anxiety and depression (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001), however, they tend to seek professional counseling at a much lower rate than other racial and ethnic populations and instead turn their spiritual leaders as a resource (Ayalon & Young, 2005). Because of under-utilization of mental health services within the African-American community (Avalon & Young, 2005), more research attention should be directed toward factors that affect the help-seeking behaviors of African Americans (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001). Generally, the Black Church is considered a less stigmatized method of getting help in the Black community (Andrews, Stefurak, & Mehta, 2010), a solution for many mental health problems (Newhill & Harris, 2007) and pastors are valued as credible sources for assistance with social and psychological problems because of their status as pastor, often regardless of the pastor's educational background, knowledge of mental health issues, and previous experience (Kane & Greene, 2009). There remains much that is unknown about pastoral motivations, beliefs, attitudes, and influence related to mental health needs of their parishioners. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the pastors' response to parishioners dealing with anxiety, depression, unemployment, bereavement, and familial concerns; their motivations to encourage or discourage help-seeking outside of the Black Church; their perspectives on secular counseling services in their community; their perspective on spiritual, biological, psychological, and social coping methods; and their beliefs about identifying and responding to maladaptive religious coping strategies. Consensual Qualitative Research was used as the research protocol to collect and analyze the data. Findings from this study suggest that African Americans frequently seek help from their pastors regarding anxiety, depression, bereavement, unemployment, and relationship issues. Further, results from this study also suggest that African American pastors attribute anxiety and depression to social and spiritual spheres of influence and endorse spiritual, social, and integrative coping strategies. Moreover, African American pastors seem to differentiate between adaptive and maladaptive forms of religious coping."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.

Download or read book Depression in African American Clergy written by Wynnetta Wimberley and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-10-31 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book Wynnetta Wimberley addresses the often overlooked crisis of depression in African American clergy, investigating the causes underlying this phenomenon while discussing possible productive paths forward. Historically, many African American pastors have had to assume multiple roles in order to meet the needs of congregants impacted by societal oppression. Due to the monumental significance of the preacher in the African American religious tradition, there exists a type of ‘cultural sacramentalization’ of the Black preacher, which sets clergy up for failure by fostering isolation, highly internalized and external expectations, and a loss of self-awareness. Utilizing Donald Winnicott’s theory of the ‘true’ and ‘false’ self, Wimberley examines how depression can emerge from this psycho-socio-theological conflict. When pastors are depressed, they are more prone to encounter difficulties in their personal and professional relationships. Drawing from a communal-contextual model of pastoral theology, this text offers a therapeutically sensitive response to African American clergy suffering with depression.

Download or read book African American Pastoral Care written by Edward P. Wimberly and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2010-10-01 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Respond to God's unfolding drama to bring healing and reconciliation. In this major revision of his classic book, Dr. Edward Wimberly updates his narrative methodology by examining current issues in African American pastoral care and counseling.

Download or read book A Phenomenological Study of Pentecostal Pastors written by Tonnya Lorraine McClure and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Pentecostal pastors can reduce the stigma of mental health in African Americans in the Church of God in Christ churches in Northwest Georgia. The theory guiding this study is phenomenology based on Edmund Husserl’s theory as it explains the lived experiences of African American Pentecostal pastors and stigma within the African American community. The research questions for this study were: How do the perceived beliefs of African American pastors affect the way stigma and mental health illness are treated within the church?, How do Pentecostal beliefs affect help-seeking behavior for mental illness?, and How do African American pastors’ views of their role of leadership affect or overshadow how mental illness is presented in the church? Data collection consisted of semistructured, open-ended interviews with eight participants. Interviews were recorded and transcribed by the researcher utilizing Zoom and word processing software. The systematic data analysis method of Huberman and Miles was utilized to organize the data, analyze the data for theme creation, and provide a written description of results. The themes identified for this study were: (a) challenges facing the church, (b) beliefs about mental illness and stigma in the church, (c) help-seeking behavior of Pentecostals, (d) leadership roles in the church, and (e) collaboration between pastor, church, and community. Pentecostal pastors can reduce the stigma of mental health in the African American community by addressing the whole man or woman in a holistic manner.

Download or read book Counseling Religious African Americans written by Rachelle Delorse Smith and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Due to a complex history of unethical societal and medical practices towards African Americans from U.S. institutions such as the U.S. Public Health Services and Johns Hopkins Hospital, a consistent lack of collaborative relationships between the African American religious community and the professional counseling community has emerged. Thus, some religious African Americans who may have needed counseling services did not receive them, as Black churches commonly dismiss the relevancy and necessity of professional counseling. The purpose of this theory-building study was to examine the perceptions that lead to such dismissals and, inspired by action research approaches, derive the best methods that secular professional counselors could implement in partnership with African American churches to provide effective social justice approaches to mental health service delivery to their parishioners. This study utilized a basic qualitative design with grounded theory tenets. Research questions were: 1) How can professional counselors effectively work with the leaders of African American religious institutions to provide professional counseling services to their parishioners? 2) How do religious African Americans think that a model of professional counseling should operate in their church? 3) What, if any, are the ethical concerns that could arise from a social justice model of counseling service delivery that is implemented within an African American church? Methods included semi-structured interviews with eight pastors and church administrators found through purposeful sampling, 50 pages of field notes and reflective journals entries about the interviews, and research derived from relevant literature. Open, axial, and selective coding were used to analyze the data. Four overarching themes emerged from the data: 1) establish and maintain trust, 2) assist the church in developing an increased awareness of counseling resources and ethical practices, 3) assist the church in developing counseling resources that are culturally appropriate for its parishioners, and 4) implement an evaluation process. The analysis of these themes led to the development of a social justice model of intervention that could be utilized to establish and maintain collaboration between some African American churches and the professional counseling community. The study also yielded relevant implications for teaching, practice and research.

Download or read book The Health and Wellness Ministry in the African American Church written by Edwin H. Hamilton and published by Xulon Press. This book was released on 2004-08 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Edwin H. Hamilton, M.D., D.Min., writes this provocative book introducing and establishing throughout the Black Church a program of Preventive Health Education through a Health and Wellness Ministry. Riggins R. Earl, Jr., Ph.D., noted theologian/philosopher, writes an insightful introduction based on Booker T. Washington?s teachings.The prevailing spiritual thought embodies I Corinthians 6:19: ?Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit??A three-part Model-in-Ministry design comprises the Minister of Health and Wellness?Preventive Health Education and Community Health Outreach. These are explained for Health Ministers and laity alike. The ministry?s theological foundation is presented succinctly. The planning of the Ministry and The Community Health Fair is clearly explained. The summary and conclusions give precise points regarding the ministry. Empowering course outlines for the Health and Wellness Ministry give concise pathways for any church to use for Health Ministry establishment. A chapter on Water and two of the author?s sermons from the Hampton University Ministers? Conference are included in this new edition.

Download or read book Determinants of Minority Mental Health and Wellness written by Sana Loue and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-12-19 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The United States is experiencing a dramatic shift in demographics, with minorities comprising a rapidly growing proportion of the population. It is anticipated that this will likely lead to substantial changes in previously established values, needs, and priorities of the population, including health and mental health for individuals, families, and society at large. This volume focuses on determinants of minority mental health and wellness. This emphasis necessarily raises the question of just who is a minority and how is minority to be defined. The term has been defined in any number of ways. Wirth (1945, p. 347) offered one of the earliest definitions of minority: We may define a minority as a group of people who, because of their physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from the others in the society in which they live for differential and unequal treatment, and who therefore regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination. The existence of a minority in a society implies the existence of a corresponding dominant group enjoying higher social status and greater privileges.

Download or read book Resilience and Success of African American Pastors written by Dr Terence O Hayes, Sr and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2021-04-23 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The content of this manuscript is research investigated for the resilience and success of pastors in the Church of God in Christ, a Pentecostal denomination that has over six million members, to include over three-thousand pastors. The research is a phenomenological study designed to provide a narrative, interview of the participants to share their background, role, and day-to-day practices of the work of ministry as a senior pastor in this organization. The research will consist of seven to ten pastors selected from across the country, all African-American males, age groups ranging from 42 years to 72 years of age. The information will be gathered by personal interviews conducted by asking each of them the same questions to gather all the facts and data for this research design. The instrument used will be a recording device that will record all conversations that will be transcribed in writing verbatim. As the human instrument conducting this research, it will constitute travel, lodging, and scheduling of each participant that will give the researcher an intimate up and close contact with each participant. The information will be safeguarded, names will be protected and all information will be useful as a model example of what constitutes success for ministry and the tools and resources needed to maintain a healthy and productive state of mind to be resilient in leading the charge as clergymen in the field of ministry. It is with great joy and a privilege to conduct this interview with pastors serving in the Church of God in Christ.