The Faith Factor and Social Welfare: Evidence, Practice, Policy

by Byron R. Johnson, Alfreda Alvarez Wubbenhorst, William Wubbenhorst

Overview

The Faith Factor and Social Welfare: Evidence, Practice, Policy comprises case studies and impact evaluations on the important work done by faith-based organizations (FBOs) in the United States to address a wide range of issues, including prisoner reentry, high-risk youth behaviors, family fragmentation, and homelessness. Byron Johnson, Alfreda Alvarez Wubbenhorst, and William Wubbenhorst have designed this textbook as a learning tool and framework for understanding key components of FBO programs and ministries.

The setting of each featured FBO initiative and the social impact made within its community is examined and explained, followed by a description of the organization: its origins and motivations, how and why it was formed, and analysis of the results and outcomes associated with its work. The authors then assess the potential future possibilities drawn from these observations and from examples of collaboration among government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and FBOs, and make recommendations on how these partnerships could be developed, deepened, and replicated. Discussion points and research topics are also included at the end of each case study.

A resource for undergraduate and graduate classes in theological seminaries, schools of social work, sociology, public health, public and nonprofit management, education, and public policy, this textbook is also ideal for implementing a variety of leadership development classes focused on community organizing, family strengthening, and other domestic mission and ministry efforts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481323505
Publisher:	Baylor University Press
Publication date:	12/15/2025
Pages:	730
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Byron Johnson is the Director of the Institute for Studies of Religion and Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor University.

Alfreda Alvarez-Wubbenhorst is is a nonresident fellow at the Institute for Studies of Religion, Baylor University, and cofounder of Harvest Home Institute, LLC, an organization dedicated to helping faith-based and community-based organizations develop strategies and implement best practices for service to their communities.

William Wubbenhorst is the former Associate Commissioner for the Family and Youth Services Bureau and currently a nonresident scholar at the Institute for Studies of Religion, Baylor University.

Table of Contents

1 Volunteerism and Community Engagement with the Faith Community
2 Building Community Capacity Through Government Funding: The Compassion Capital Fund
3 Intermediary Organizations — Bridging Government and Community Stakeholders
4 Assessing the Effectiveness of Prison-Based and Prisoner Reentry Ministries
5 Family Strengthening and Healthy Marriage for Ex-Offenders
6 Family Fragmentation: Addressing Family Homelessness, Runaway and Homeless Youth, and Child Welfare
7 Faith-Based Responses to Homelessness
8 Faith-Based and Community Organization Collaborations with Public Schools
9 Youth Mentoring and Development
10 Youth Violence Prevention and Reduction
11 Rethinking Evidence: Evaluating Faith-Based and Community-Based Programs
12 Rethinking Public Policy and the Engagement of Faith-Based Organizations: Observations and Recommendations

What People are Saying About This

Pete Peterson

Though a vital part of on-the-ground social service provision in America, academic analysis of the faith community's role (from churches and synagogues to faith-based nonprofits) has been sorely lacking. In The Faith Factor and Social Welfare, scholar-practitioners, Byron Johnson along with Alfreda and William Wubbenhorst, have filled this gap in public policy education with a book that is both practical and deeply researched. Myriad readers will benefit from Faith Factor - from policy students to long-time service administrators.

Brad R. Fulton

This comprehensive textbook represents a significant contribution to our understanding of faith-based organizations’ vital role in addressing America’s most pressing social challenges. Johnson, Wubbenhorst, and Wubbenhorst have meticulously assembled several case studies and impact evaluations that demonstrate how faith communities serve vulnerable populations—from homeless youth to formerly incarcerated adults to at-risk families—often filling gaps where traditional social services fall short. The authors’ systematic approach to documenting evidence-based outcomes demonstrates the value of "faith factor research" while providing practitioners and policymakers with concrete examples of successful collaborations between government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and faith-based organizations. The authors’ also emphasize relationship-centered approaches that recognize "people in need, need people"—a principle that resonates deeply with both social work practice and sociological theory about community resilience. This textbook is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand how faith communities contribute to social welfare and community flourishing in contemporary America.