Building Social Capital
Motivation, Biblical Basis, and Practical Applications
Rinto Dasuki

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This paper focuses on the practical aspect of building social capital. It gives some suggestions and practical applications. While not trying to be comprehensive, it provides a starting point to get engaged in the effort. First, it starts with a simple definition of social capital used throughout this paper. Second, it discusses the relevance of Christian’s responsibility in building social capital and addresses the rationale behind the effort. Third, it provides a method in the effort. Fourth, it describes the various roles Christians play in workplace, family, church, and community. Finally, it encourages active, prayerful involvement in the effort.

According the World Bank [1], social capital refers to the norms and networks that enable collective action. For simplicity, this paper utilizes this definition to explore its applications. The World Bank also states that increasing evidence shows that social cohesion — social capital — is critical for poverty alleviation and sustainable human and economic development. If this proposition is true, progress in society can be directly linked to the role Christians play in building social capital. In other words, as Christians fulfill their role as salt and light to the world, they have the responsibility to influence the communities surrounding them through their action, love, and dedication.

While it is apparent to some Christians that engagement in culture, like building social capital, is part of their responsibility, some may not accept this notion right away. Some may even doubt its relevance to their faith, suggesting that the only main responsibility for Christian is saving souls. Because of these differences, it is important to establish the reason for cultural engagement. As we observe God’s hand moves through civilizations, we’ll see that God cares not only for our eternal salvation, but also in the history of the world and in every aspect of our daily lives. Globally, He controls the destiny of the nations. Individually, He cares for the quality our work; how we spend our idle time, how we take care of environment, how we treat our neighbors, and so on. The Kingdom of God is both present and in the future. God calls us to be His witnesses in this world and be His instruments in addressing the social ills. David Hegeman provides one of the clearest arguments on the importance of Christian cultural engagement.

David Hegeman [2] argues that “there are two principal strands of human history: culturative history and redemptive history. Culturative history is God’s unfolding purpose for men, in which mankind plays a chief role in the development and transformation of the earth from garden-paradise to the glorious city of God.” In contrast, he explains “Redemptive history is God’s unfolding purpose for man to make a covenanted people for Himself from the fallen, sinful human race. The ultimate purpose of redemptive history is restoring mankind to holiness of body and soul in order that God’s original culturative program may be fulfilled with joyful obedience.” It is clear these two strands of human history are inseparable. There is no option to ignore one at the expense of the other. We can’t ignore what is happening in the culture as we try to outreach our communities or we will be out of touch and appear to be disconnected.

Establishing a good Christians World View is a first step in understanding the link between faith and work. Pearcey [3] states that Christianity is the truth about total reality. Consequently, in order to live a life consistent with our faith, we need a mental map that informs us how to navigate in this world and guide us as we make various decisions. Comprehensive worldview sees life as one integrated package, not as fragmented parts, such as separation between sacred and secular. In contrast, inadequate theological understanding of God’s purpose in this world contributes to the close-mindedness or “bunker mentality” in some circles. They only see the dark side of the world, attempting to pull out completely from the culture. They only read Christian books, see Christian movies, have Christian friends, and send their children to Christian schools. While this may seem to make them insular to the outside influence, it does not really accomplish what they desire. In fact, there is no avoidance at all. The way we dress, the food we eat, and the shops we buy our groceries – they are all part or product of the culture. We can buy a loaf of bread at the local grocery store because the culture provides the means to do it, involving technology, farmers, bakers, bus drivers, store managers, and the like. Pearcey [4] has showed that avoiding the culture may even be counterproductive. For example, children abandon their faith while in university because they don’t know how to handle attacks against Christianity from their roommates, classmates, or professors. Their parents and their home churches do not prepare them to face the conflict in worldviews common in the university settings.

As described above, it is important that we understand the reason behind our involvement in building social capital. Without this understanding, any attempts will be unsustainable or just some type of knee-jerk reactions. To do this, we need a theological framework that is comprehensive and convincing. This means spending time in personal study of broader topics related to worldview development. Christians play a crucial role in bringing God’s Kingdom in this world. Paul gives an example in his encounter with the Greek philosophers in Areopagus. Paul does not start with ecclesiastical terms unfamiliar to the Greeks, but use quotes from Greek philosophers and meet them where they are. The story is told in Acts 17:

22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 24”The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' 29”Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:22-31, NIV).

There are few points we can learn from Paul’s sermon above with respect to cultural engagement. First, our God made everything and He is in control of everything. He owns everything in this universe and no bird falls down without His knowledge. This gives us confidence that even though we live in a sinful world, He is sovereign and He holds the future. His hand has guided nations and people throughout the ages and He wants His people to bring peace, justice, and righteousness in this world. Secondly, we learn that, like the Athens, people are seeking. They want to seek the truth and find purpose in life. Christians are more effective in spreading the good news when there is peace in the land and people have freedom to choose what they believe. Freedom of religion is something that Christians should fight for. This is made possible if there is enough social capital in the society to value and respect differences. Thirdly, we did not pick where or when we were born. God did. This means as Indonesian Christians we cannot escape from the responsibility to make a difference in Indonesia. Finally, we know that eventually Christ will judge the world with justice. In this world we may see a lot of troubles and tribulations, but we know Christ will defeat the darkness and become the ultimate Victor, as written in the book of Revelation.

Bosch [5] gives us a vivid description of the mission of the people of God. He proposes that we should not only deal with individuals but also with oppressive structures in the culture. We are to actively bring the values of His Kingdom here and now. He affirms, “Christians can combat the oppressive structures of the powers of sin and death, which in our world cry out for God’s world of justice and peace, as well as the false apocalypses of power politics, which assert themselves on both the left and the right, only by accounting for the hope that is in them (1 Pet. 3:15) and by being agitators for God’s coming reign; they must erect, in the here and now and in the teeth of those structures, signs of God’s new world.”

We have addressed the reasons behind our engagement, but some questions remain. What is the right approach in building social capital? Is one particular way better than the other? Do we really need a big plan in the implementation of building social capital? This paper argues that one does not have to have a big plan or a brilliant idea to make a difference. They can start right away and it does not require a big change in one’s life. The key is to rethink the existing engagements in terms of what can be done to influence someone else’s life and to make improvement in the ability to make collective action.

A tendency in the cultural engagement is to go from one extreme to another. Two common responses in this type of engagement are extremely optimistic (we can save the world by one grand plan) and overly pessimistic (there is nothing else we can do; it’s hopeless). One way to avoid these extremes is to work through your circle of influence. That is, focus on the things that you can change and don’t get too tangled up in things that you can’t control. This paper proposes a model that work through the circle of influence in order to achieve results. First, it will focus on the individual efforts in your study or work. Secondly, it will describe what can be done in the family either as a child or as a parent. Thirdly, it will move on to the things that can be done within the local church. Finally, it will propose some ideas in a broader context.

Students and workers can both contribute to building social capital. Students can make a difference in college campus by showing a life consistent with biblical commands. This includes consistency in ethical behavior, diligence, willingness to help other students, involvement in local campus groups, and so on. If others get involved in destructive behaviors (cheating, sex, drugs, alcohol, and rock-and-roll), they don’t. However, they are not afraid to befriend anyone and be ready to help those who need help in their lives. Furthermore, Christians in the workplace can make a difference in cultivating a healthy work culture by being an example in integrity, productivity, and excellence. They are involved in improvements of the work environment. They work wholeheartedly because they know ultimately they are responsible to God, not only to their bosses. They are sensitive to prompt of the Holy Spirit. When an opportunity comes, they are open to share their life story, testifying how God changes their lives.

While workplace involvement has been suggested above, families can also be involved in building social capital. For families with children, a fine prospect is related to the child’s activities. Organized sport association is a good vehicle in developing trust and network among parents. Two of my children signed up for soccer league in the neighborhood a few months ago. I was surprised by this all-voluntary organization was organized. Older kids played a role as referees. Parents signed up to be coaches. Every parent took turn to bring after-game drink for the players. A commissioner and a manager were assigned to each team. Through the practices and games, parents got to know each other. Christians who are involved in organized sport activities are in a good position to witness for Christ and strengthen the social capital.

How about the role of church in building social capital? Jesus has said that the city on the hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, the people of God cannot hole up in the church building. They need to be active in their communities. Some may serve in local schools, while others engage in committees in the City Hall. Some may contribute to the local food shelf, while others may run to be city officials. As Christians contribute and bring value to any organizations they’re involved with, they build social capital and they witness the grace and the power of the Gospel.

Briner [6] challenges Christians to get out of the pews, work diligently in the local community, and help shape public policy. He asks the following questions: “What strategy is your own church pursuing to provide the salt in areas of local public policy? Does your strategy consist solely of your pastor’s preaching against the “pervasive evils of our day”? What is the strategy and what are the tactics your church is using to retard the growth of evil in your city, town, or village? What positive alternatives are people in your congregation making available to people in your community? What are your methods of “speaking” to people outside the four walls of your church? How is your church working to demonstrate the relevance of Christ to taxes, housing, mass transit, and education in your city?” Those questions may never come up in your thinking, as we usually associate church only to the building or the activities within the building. Those questions may be tough to answer, but the church consists of people and they are the ambassadors of Christ in their respective communities.

Spiritual capital, a term that is closely related to social capital, is coined by Ken Eldred [7]. He defines spiritual capital as “the faith, trust and commitment that we and others will do what is right.” Those who build spiritual capital do what is right and do it to the best of their ability because they are doing their work “as unto the Lord.” Christians particularly should be very familiar with this concept because it is embedded in the Greatest Commandment. They can play a great role in teaching the importance of spiritual capital and in showing how they are practiced in everyday life.

In a broader context, the areas of involvement can vary from business to school to neighborhood organizations, depending of our callings. A Christian who starts up a business should bring Kingdom values in the workplace. They should attempt to improve the condition of the workers and actively contribute to the local community through social actions. While profit is essential to run and sustain a business, it is not the only goal. Its purpose is to grow spiritual capital and share the blessings to the workers and community. The opportunity to connect with others is not limited in the business world. It is pervasive. The cashier you see at the grocery store or the bookstore, the coworkers you see everyday, the parents you see while watching games – these are people you can connect with and touch their lives. Whenever an opportunity comes up to be involved in any organizations, consider it to be a vehicle to build social networks. These networks are the basic building block in building or sustaining a civil society.

Building a social capital is like saving money in a checking account. It takes time to build enough quantity to make a difference. If there is more withdrawal than deposit, then the balance will be negative. Sectarian violence in many parts of Indonesia is an example of a negative balance. When there is not enough trust or confidence in the governmental or legal system, people can be easily manipulated, harassed, and divided against one another. Therefore, any participation by Christians in building social capital will directly impact the communities and make them better places to live in. No matter where they live, they should pray and concern for the prosperity of the city.

The call to enlarge the Kingdom of God is particularly strong and compelling. In Matthew 9, Jesus asks his disciples to notice the vastness of the harvest before he asks them to pray for more workers in the field. Jesus prompts them to be the answer to their own prayers. In the same way, as we pray for Indonesia, please remind ourselves how God should use us as His witness. Consider how we can use our talent, time, and resources to make impact in society for God’s glory.

35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:35-38, NIV)

Building social capital requires an active involvement from each of us. It also requires a new way of thinking by looking for opportunities to connect with people. We need to courageously take initiative and prayerfully consider our roles in enhancing social capital. We can make a difference by working through our circle of influence. With God’s help, we will see that our efforts will be rewarded. Our hope is more people will know Christ and the culture will be transformed to conform to God’s new world. In closing, the LORD’s command and encouragement to Joshua as a new leader replacing Moses are also suitable for us:

6 “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9, NIV)

Rinto Dasuki graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, with an M.S. in Computer Science. He is currently working as a firmware engineer and resides in Eden Prairie, MN, with his wife and three sons.

[1] http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/EXTTSOCIALCAPITAL/0,,menuPK:401021~pagePK:149018~piPK:149093~theSitePK:401015,00.html

[2] David Bruce Hegeman, Plowing In Hope – Toward a Biblical Theology of Culture, pp. 27, 31, 65.

[3] Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth, p. 23.

[4] Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth, p. 19.

[5] David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission, p. 176.

[6] Bob Briner, Roaring Lambs, p. 56.

[7] Ken Eldred, God is at Work, pp. 98-99.

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