Fight Truth Decay. Brush Up on your Fight Truth Decay. Brush Up on your Bible Every Day: Challenges to Bible Every Day: Challenges to

Researchers Studying Faith-Based Researchers Studying Faith-Based InitiativesInitiatives

Darrell Irwin, Ph.D.Darrell Irwin, Ph.D.University of North Carolina at WilmingtonUniversity of North Carolina at Wilmington

Research Methodology PresentationResearch Methodology Presentation

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Canada

Spain

Germany

Australia

G.Britian

Ireland

USA

France

Percent of those rating importance of God in Percent of those rating importance of God in their lives on a scale of ’10’their lives on a scale of ’10’

The American BelieverThe American Believer

• 90 percent of 90 percent of Americans believe Americans believe in a higher power.in a higher power.

• Most, 60 percent, Most, 60 percent, are certain that are certain that God exists.God exists.

• In 1963, 2 of 3 of us In 1963, 2 of 3 of us believed the bible was the believed the bible was the literal Word of God. Today literal Word of God. Today it is 1 of 3. Still, 4 of 5 of it is 1 of 3. Still, 4 of 5 of us believe that the bible is us believe that the bible is the inspired word of God.the inspired word of God.

Religion Becomes IdentityReligion Becomes Identity

• Affirming that the bible is the inspired Affirming that the bible is the inspired Word of God serves in part to identify Word of God serves in part to identify oneself as part of the community of oneself as part of the community of Bible believing Christians. In doing this, Bible believing Christians. In doing this, knowledge of the bible is not as knowledge of the bible is not as important as establishing a group important as establishing a group identity. identity.

• Trend is increasing variety of Trend is increasing variety of denominations.denominations.

Steps for Studying Faith Based Steps for Studying Faith Based InitiativesInitiatives

1. Approaching Faith Community2. Being Effective3. Meeting the Needs

Approaching the Faith Based Approaching the Faith Based Community Community

• Initiating contact Initiating contact

• Give positive reason Give positive reason for partnering with for partnering with faith organization.faith organization.

• Agree to terms –Agree to terms –– AccessAccess– BoundariesBoundaries– Who owns Who owns

information.information.

Being Effective in the Faith Being Effective in the Faith CommunityCommunity

• Respect Church or Respect Church or Organization.Organization.

• Religious Service may Religious Service may be a priority over be a priority over Social Service Social Service provision. provision.

• Cultural RelativismCultural Relativism– Know ABCs (American Know ABCs (American

Born Chinese) from Born Chinese) from AMEs (African Methodist AMEs (African Methodist Episcopal).Episcopal).

Meeting the Needs of the Faith-Meeting the Needs of the Faith-Based CommunityBased Community

• Give of your timeGive of your time

• Make media contactsMake media contacts

• Be entrepreneurialBe entrepreneurial

• Discover spiritual Discover spiritual meaning of servicesmeaning of services

• Hold governments Hold governments and churches and churches accountableaccountable

The truth – in Teen Challenge, Blue The truth – in Teen Challenge, Blue Nile and all Faith-Based initiatives – is Nile and all Faith-Based initiatives – is universal and makes the prevention of universal and makes the prevention of delinquency and drug dependence delinquency and drug dependence possible.possible.

BLUE NILE - BLUE NILE - Harlem’s Alternative to Harlem’s Alternative to Delinquency Delinquency

The Cross, Switchblade and Christmas The Cross, Switchblade and Christmas TreeTreeLong Island’s Teen ChallengeLong Island’s Teen Challenge

Pray Ball Ministries - ArizonaPray Ball Ministries - Arizona

Long Beach Faith-Based Long Beach Faith-Based OrganizationsOrganizations

• Father Leo BoothFather Leo Booth

Spiritual ConceptsSpiritual Concepts

• Asian Pacific FamilyAsian Pacific Family

Center, Pacific Center, Pacific ClinicsClinics

• Dr. Ven’ble Kong Dr. Ven’ble Kong Chhean, Long BeachChhean, Long Beach

Asian Pacific Mental Asian Pacific Mental

Health ProgramHealth Program

The Wealth of FaithThe Wealth of Faith

HHS RESEARCH GRANTSHHS RESEARCH GRANTS

Caliber Associates VA $ 236,633Caliber Associates VA $ 236,633

Florida International University FLFlorida International University FL $210,622$210,622

University of Pennsylvania PA $ 193,456University of Pennsylvania PA $ 193,456

University of Maryland, College Park MD $ 218,098University of Maryland, College Park MD $ 218,098

TOTAL $ 858,809TOTAL $ 858,809

Comparisons with Standard Comparisons with Standard ResearchResearch

Standard Standard Faith-BasedFaith-Based• Statement of Statement of

problemproblem

• Ethical NeutralityEthical Neutrality

• OutreachOutreach

• Logic and RationalLogic and Rational

• Goal OrientedGoal Oriented

• Positive ViewpointPositive Viewpoint

• Committed ActionCommitted Action

• Outreach/Spiritual Outreach/Spiritual InreachInreach

• Faithful and Faithful and SpiritualSpiritual

• Means to Means to TransformationTransformation

Published Research on Faith-Based Published Research on Faith-Based ProgramsPrograms

http://www.http://www.uncwiluncwil..eduedu/news/research/2002//news/research/2002/decdec/200212-/200212-

irwinirwin.html.html

Thank you for listeningThank you for listening

To share further:To share further:

Darrell IrwinDarrell Irwin

Dept. of Sociology and C. Dept. of Sociology and C. JusticeJustice

UNCWUNCW

601 S. College Road601 S. College Road

Wilmington, NC 28428Wilmington, NC 28428

Irwind@uncw.eduIrwind@uncw.edu