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According to these analyses, \u2018the dominant class, who has power and the means of production, represents the relationship of production established in society over the dominated class. These relationships are reflected in the power structures and in the State (Stavenhagen 1972: 37). Within this theoretical framework social stratification is essentially rigid.\u000AOther studies affirm that the systems of stratification of the modern world are not so rigid and allow an individual to pass from one social class to another one. In other words, en western society all the citizens have the same opportunities to ascend. Of course, it is evident that those who do not have economic means or educational background will not always be able to access these opportunities. Some sociologists say that social mobility of the population is a part of the social dynamic of the developing world (Stavengahen, 1972: 28). From the perspective of functional analyses, social stratification is defined in function of the social ideal of immediate accessibility for those who consume less to be able to rise to become high consumers (Recalde, 1968: 54-56). This mobility is called \u2018the passage of an individual or group from one social strata to another, higher one or to descend to one that is lower, which may or not be accompanied by the movement from one social class to another\u2019 (Gallino 2005: 598). According to Stavengahen the change in strata happens mostly at the level of the individual, as the change in the position of strata has more to do with evolution and social development (1972: 26). It is possible to affirm that in Guatemala certain changes can be observed in social stratification more on an individual level than in the social structure. Later the analysis with respect to the social mobility witnessed by the laity in the NPCs will be considered.\u000AHow about the Neo-Pentecostal churches? Stoll suggests that the population of the high class in the Guatemalan NPCs does not pass 5 per cent of the Guatemalan elite (1994: 108). According to the analysis of the SEPAL, the Evangelical population in Guatemala City is distributed in the following way: high class 4 per cent, middle/middle class 10 per cent, lower middle class 10 per cent, upper lower class 20 per cent, middle lower class 25\u000A163\u000A