10. Data and Preliminary Analysis: Ecclesial Motifs
10.1.1 Topic code H1: Leveraging organisational influence
This topic code focuses on leveraging the organisational influence of the church. This is a broad theme with a number of sub-elements. The way this influence was leveraged differed according to geography and the nature of the local church within each setting. This fully distributed connection had 38 supporting data references, making it the strongest connection in the analysis (Figure 10.1).
1 Mt 25:40.
The data showed that each World Vision office had personnel with dedicated
responsibility for CC work, which included the specific task of establishing and strengthening relationships with Christian
churches. Some personnel involved in this work were described as being of the highest calibre, and they represented a strategic risk to national offices because their connections were so strong and deep. The competency,
networking ability and hard work of church relationship personnel attracted high praise in several evaluations. For example, ‘WV Armenia has a good relationship with churches. The key to this relationship has been as much a personal investment as an institutional one. The manager … has worked extremely effectively to find key players in the church structures and to promote WV as a reliable and strategic partner.’2
In Eurasia, the work of CC personnel in building church relationships is remarkable when set against the evangelical heritage of World Vision. In strongly orthodox countries like Armenia and Georgia, evangelical churches are regarded as a ‘sect’. Therefore, the very strong partnership World Vision enjoys in these countries ‘suggest their efforts to overcome their partner’s fear and misconceptions have been effective.’3
A strong relationship will require contacts at different levels within church organisations. For churches with an episcopal or centralised administrative structure, relationships are needed with senior bishops and officials to enter into agreements and exercise a guiding influence. The data showed that World Vision had close relationships with the established churches in Armenia and Georgia, right up to the level of their most senior clergy. Several were willingly interviewed as part of World Vision’s evaluation process.
Effective relationships are also needed at a local level where programs are implemented. Taken as a whole, the evidence showed that there were good connections with local priests and pastors, with most ADPs having an Inter-Church Committee or a Pastors’ Committee of some description. As one example, it was reported that World Vision in Albania had
2 Newmarch 2010, p. 22.
3 Goode, A 2010a, World Vision evaluation report: World Vision Georgia, Christian Commitments Programme,
established relationships with many church partners: ‘They have linked to the major Christian groupings, that is, Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical groupings. Within the Orthodox and Catholic churches, more particularly at the local level, there is a good relationship with WVA and a good understanding of who we are, what we are doing and why we are doing it.’4
In most cases World Vision was able to maintain an ecumenical balance in its church relationships. The exception was Lebanon, where church partnerships were mainly with ‘like- minded’ churches that tended to be more evangelical in their leaning. All offices reported good working relationships with the Roman Catholic Church. There was no evidence of reticence to engage with World Vision by any church, although some had relationships in place with other denominationally based development agencies.
One reason for wanting to engage with churches is their position of influence within civil society. Working constructively with churches provided World Vision with both the means and opportunity to further its developmental goals. In some places, this was about exercising social influence. For example, in Albania it was reported that the ‘Church has a part to play, giving hope, faith, values and good examples.’5 Staff in Lebanon stressed that the ‘Church is definitely at the centre. If World Vision wants anything to happen, it will call/negotiate with the church first. Social change needs to be done through the church.’6 In places like Rwanda it was noted that ‘there is no question that the church is the most pervasive, trusted and well- functioning institution in Rwandan civil society’ and that ‘It is impossible to conceive of undertaking meaningful long-term development in Rwanda without engaging with the churches.’7
In other places, there was a blurring between the church as an actor within civil society and the church as civil society. In particular, the data for Armenia and Georgia suggested that it was difficult to meaningfully disentangle the church from the broader culture or society. This is partly a function of the extraordinary history of their national churches, which date back to the fourth century.
For example, the report for Georgia notes the almost total identification between the broader society and the GOC: ‘To be Georgian, you need to speak Georgian and be Georgian Orthodox.’8 Similarly, in Armenia it was claimed that ‘The church is the place of national
4 Newmarch & Goode, p. 20.
5 A senior operations manager, Albania.
6 FGD with ADP Bcharre Staff, Lebanon.
7 Goode 2011a, pp. 14, 6. 8 Goode 2010a, p. 9.
identity.’9 It is true that the Armenian Apostolic Church is the most pervasive religious institution in the country, with 93% affiliation. It also enjoys an ‘exclusive mission’ under the Armenian Constitution to the people of Armenia. The reality, however, is that in both
Georgia and Armenia there are smaller religious minorities from other denominations and some adherents of other faiths.
The extraordinary influence of these national churches represents a unique opportunity for World Vision. The advantage was clearly explained: ‘The Church is very close to
community. It is often more trusted than government. It is critical that we work with them. Very few, if any, other international NGOs work with church … Partnership with church has helped our development work because [the] church is well trusted in community. If you work with the church you are trusted as well.’10 It was reported that the community is generally suspicious of outside organisations so the endorsement of the GOC is especially important.11 This was confirmed at the community level. It was reported that ‘World Vision is the only NGO we like because the patriarchate is involved.’12
In a society with no state church but a strongly Christian culture, it was reported that it is difficult to achieve development outcomes without engaging with the churches. Rwanda was a case in point. The combined Rwandan churches minister to about five million people every Sunday. It was claimed that ‘if you want to send a message, you must pass it through these channels. … People believe a message coming from the church is coming right from God.’13 The data showed that the church in other parts of East Africa, including Tanzania, is also held in very high regard by the local community.
One important aspect is the longevity of the church in terms of its continuing influence. A senior executive at World Vision explained the position succinctly: ‘The Church is an
institution that has endured the test of time, but World Vision will come and go, so let’s train and get alongside the church …’14 This underscores the need for the church to communicate messages which are conducive to development goals. This is discussed at topic code H4 below.
In Senegal, the data identified a more significant role for the church even though it was a minority religion in that country. Comments were made suggesting that the churches
generally could adopt a more holistic and socially active role. There was a passivity that
9 A senior bishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenia. 10 KII with a senior program manager, Georgia.
11 KII with an HEA Manager, Georgia.
12 FGD with Family Club and Sunday School parents, Dimi Shool, Katuasi, Georgia.
13 KII with Zone Manager 2, Rwanda.
characterised many churches in Senegal, which tended to focus on internal pastoral concerns, rather than engaging in social programs or advocacy. Despite this, a senior executive
explained that his vision for the churches is to ‘be the light and salt to their communities … for holistic ministry.’15 For World Vision, this meant encouraging churches to understand their role as extending beyond evangelism or simply tending the flock to ‘reaching out and helping in communities.’16
A final type of influence of World Vision on churches was indirect and came about because of the role of World Vision staff within congregations, especially in small
communities. Their presence did more than swell the numbers, providing a benefit through cross-fertilisation. There were ‘Many churches of different denominations showing
appreciation … for the wealth of theology and missiology they brought.’17 Where World vision staff were congregants for an extended period, this could influence the thinking of the church on a range of issues.
10.1.1.1 Preliminary analysis
As a whole, the data showed that World Vision made consistent and concerted efforts to work through churches of all varieties. It has been reported that ‘faith organisations play major roles in communities and together constitute the world’s largest distribution system.’18 World Vision is strategically aware of the pervasive influence of churches within some developing communities and its attempts at relationship building were generally successful. At a practical level, World Vision was able to leverage the influence of churches, while also encouraging them to think differently about their own role within society. In qualitative terms, World Vision’s relationships with churches were described as less episodic or
instrumental, in contrast to those NGOs which would see the churches merely as a convenient delivery channel for their programs. World Vision’s relationships were based on ongoing friendships which saw World Vision as a steady ally. An emphasis here is that World Vision sees development as something that does not happen apart from religion, but hand-in-hand with it.
Networks of participation are required to get people involved in building their community. It has been bluntly observed that: ‘it is simply a fact that religion generates networks of
15 KII with a senior executive, WV Senegal. 16 Ibid.
17 KII with a Roman Catholic Church leader, Kaffrine, and Goode 2011b, p. 16.
18 Marshall, K 2005a, Africa: how and why is faith important and relevant for development, Berkeley Centre for Religion Peace and World Affairs, Georgetown University, online at
participation that are far stronger, more lasting, and more committed than secular civic organizations are capable of.’19 Social capital is disproportionately important to the poor
since they lack any other forms of capital, such as financial capital or human capital in the form of educational opportunities. For this reason, religious institutions have a special role to play. They can provide material support and act as an engine room for both civic and political participation, which in turn generates other forms of capital. Religious leaders are often the gatekeepers who can unlock this potential, and this introduces the next topic code.