A Comparative Case Study of Black Pastors with and without Msw Training In Underserved Communities”

Black pastors have long served as frontline providers of social, emotional, and material support within underserved communities. Yet, limited research examines how formal social work training shapes pastoral approaches to care. This study explores how Black pastors with Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees navigate ministry compared to those without formal social work training, with particular attention to motivations, perceived roles, and strategies for addressing community needs.

Using a qualitative multiple case study design, this research draws on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with twelve Black pastors (n=12) serving in underserved urban communities, including six pastors who obtained an MSW during their pastorate and six who did not pursue formal social work education. Interviews were conducted using a motivational interviewing, informed approach to elicit reflective, strengths-based narratives of calling, training, and practice. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key patterns across and within cases.

Findings highlight three major themes. First, pastors with MSWs described their training as providing “language, structure, and legitimacy” to practices they had already been informally performing, particularly in areas of mental health, case management, and systems navigation. In contrast, pastors without MSWs emphasized relational, spiritual, and experiential approaches to care, often relying on prayer, mentorship, and community networks. Second, both groups reported significant structural barriers to addressing community needs, including limited resources, burnout, and mistrust of formal institutions; however, MSW-trained pastors were more likely to engage formal service systems and interdisciplinary partnerships. Third, pastors without MSWs expressed both openness to and ambivalence about formal training, citing time, cost, and concerns about over-professionalization of ministry as key barriers.

This study contributes to social work by illuminating the intersection of faith-based leadership and professional training in underserved contexts. Findings suggest that Black pastors, regardless of formal credentials, serve as critical, culturally trusted providers of care, while MSW training may enhance capacity for systems-level intervention and resource coordination. Implications include the need for culturally responsive partnerships between schools of social work and Black churches, as well as the development of accessible training pathways that honor the theological and relational foundations of pastoral care.