Program
Doctor of Ministry
Year Approved
2017
First Advisor
Friesen-Smith, Katie
Abstract
The goal of this research project was to investigate the perspectives and practices of self-care among Pentecostal-Apostolic (P-A) clergy, and create a set of principles to assist the P-A clergy in conducting a God-honoring self-care. This was done through use of a convergent-parallel mixed method research design, with a case study approach. Literature reviews were conducted in biblical, theological and psychological research areas, while a survey containing both qualitative open-ended questions and quantitative Likert-scale items was developed and distributed via email to P-A clergy from the United Pentecostal Church International, Worldwide Pentecostal Fellowship, and Independent organizations. Thirty-four complete responses were returned and the data analyzed led the researcher to the following conclusions about the sample population. While P-A clergy recognize the necessity of self-care to effective ministry and are interested in accessing methods of improvement, they have a fragmented understanding of the holistic nature and practices of self-care, tending to one or two parts instead of their whole self. Also, the P-A clergy sampled believed that they did not practiced adequate self-care over the last year, and experienced a lack of organizational/leadership support for effective self-care. When coupled with findings from biblical, theological and psychological literature reviews, the survey data led to development of four principles for assisting P-A clergy to practice holistic self-care. First, to be effective clergy self-care must be holistic, addressing all facets of the minister’s self. Second, the priority of such self-care must be the well-being of the minister himself, before attending to anyone else. Additionally, effective clergy self-care requires development and/or attempts to practice active, non-judgmental self-awareness. Finally, a minister engaging in effective self-care must practice acceptance of his personal limitations in order to develop his strengths and keep his self-worth founded in God’s acceptance as opposed to success or failure in ministry.
Degree Name
Doctor of Ministry
Document Type
Doctoral thesis
Recommended Citation
Hall, C. A. (2017). An Investigation of Self-Care Practices and Principles Among the Pentecostal-Apostolic Clergy [Doctoral thesis, Bethel University]. Spark Repository. https://spark.bethel.edu/etd/255
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