Pastoral care amidst the multicultural context of a Lutheran church: Basel Christian Church of Malaysia. A proposal for a theological model of contextual pastoral care in a diverse Christian community of Malaysia

This study explores how the multicultural local churches of the Lutheran church, namely, the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia (BCCM), deals with the Malaysian multicultural environment. The BCCM was first started in Malaysia in 1882 with its local churches remaining purely Hakka speaking Chinese communities until the 1960s. The situation changed when most of the BCCM local church contexts turned into multicultural communities. The change that took place was due to the multicultural development of the country. The development entails a challenging adaptation and readjustment in the communal life of BCCM Churches.;Using the qualitative and quantitative mixed-methods research approach, this dissertation uncovers the reactions of the BCCM local congregational communities toward the ongoing development of the diverse cultural context. In-depth interviews with 20 pastoral and lay leaders of 10 local churches were conducted. The statistical results were analyzed providing a more complete picture and understanding of the situation confronting the BCCM.;What kind of pastoral care and leadership model has been provided for these BCCM local communities? How can one develop a relevant pastoral care program as well as exercise effective leadership in such diverse communities? What type of contextual pastoral care and leadership models need to be developed in order to serve each unique context? As this study proceeds with reflections on the struggles of the multicultural context in Malaysia, theological considerations and pastoral care leadership implications will be discussed in the process.