The emotional health of senior pastors in the Christian and Missionary Alliance of Canada and its

198 Pages·2006·2.83 MB·English

ABSTRACT
THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF SENIOR PASTORS IN THE CHRISTIAN AND
MISSIONARY ALLIANCE OF CANADA AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE
SPIRITUAL HEALTH OF THEIR CHURCHES
by
David R. Walls
In many denominations and churches, little emphasis is placed on the emotional
health of pastoral leaders. The underlying assumption seems to be that if the spiritual life
of leaders is in order, other aspects of their lives will fall naturally into place. Such
reasoning subconsciously minimizes the impact that emotions have on leaders’ lives.
Further, the link between leaders’ emotional health and the spiritual health of the church
has also been given little, if any, attention.
The purpose of this research project was to describe the relationship between the
emotional health of senior pastors and the spiritual health of the churches they lead. The
research utilized two instruments for data gathering: (1) a survey that assessed the
presence or lack of presence of eight church health characteristics (i.e., intentional
evangelism, mobilized laity, transforming discipleship, engaging worship, passionate
spirituality, empowering leadership, authentic community, and effective structures), and
(2) a temperament analysis that measured nine contrasting personality/emotional
characteristics along with a measure of emotional stability (i.e., nervous or composed,
depressive or lighthearted, active-social or quiet, expressive-responsive or inhibited,
sympathetic or indifferent, subjective or objective, dominant or submissive, hostile or
tolerant, and self-disciplined or impulsive). The temperament analysis was then compared
to particular indices of church growth that could be linked most naturally.
A positive relationship between emotional health and church health was
discovered.
DISSERTATION APPROVAL

This is to certify that the dissertation entitled

THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF SENIOR PASTORS IN THE CHRISTIAN AND

MISSIONARY ALLIANCE OF CANADA AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE

SPIRITUAL HEALTH OF THEIR CHURCHES

presented by

David R. Walls

has been accepted towards fulfillment

of the requirements for the

DOCTOR OF MINISTRY degree at

Asbury Theological Seminary

March 31, 2006
Internal Reader Date

March 31, 2006
Representative, Doctor of Ministry Program Date

March 31, 2006
Dean, Doctor of Ministry Program; Mentor Date
THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF SENIOR PASTORS IN
THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE OF CANADA AND ITS
CONNECTION TO THE SPIRITUAL HEALTH OF THEIR CHURCHES

A Dissertation
Presented to the Faculty of
Asbury Theological Seminary

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Ministry

by
David R. Walls
May 2006
© 2006
David R. Walls
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................vii
LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................................ix
CHAPTER 1 PROBLEM....................................................................................................1
Introduction..............................................................................................................1
Context of the Study................................................................................................6
The Purpose and Hypothesis Stated.........................................................................7
Research Questions..................................................................................................8
Definition of Terms..................................................................................................8
Methodology..........................................................................................................10
Population and Subjects.............................................................................10
Variables....................................................................................................11
Instrumentation..........................................................................................12
Data Collection..........................................................................................12
Delimitations and Generalizability........................................................................13
Biblical and Theological Foundations...................................................................14
Overview of Study.................................................................................................17
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE.............................................................................................19
Pastors and Emotions.............................................................................................19
Pastoral Leaders in Distress...................................................................................22
Wholeness and Health................................................................................27
The Importance of Emotionally Healthy Leadership.................................31

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A Biblical and Theological Framework.....................................................38
A Theological Conundrum....................................................................................46
Self-Worth, Emotional Health, and Leadership.....................................................56
Toward an Understanding of Self-Worth..................................................56
A Biblical Perspective on Self-Worth and Emotional Health...................58
Impact of Self-Worth and Emotional Health on Pastoral Leadership.......64
Implications for and Connections to Church Health..................................72
Conclusions and Applications................................................................................96
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY....................................................................................106
Research Questions..............................................................................................106
Research Question 1................................................................................106
Research Question 2................................................................................107
Research Question 3................................................................................107
Population and Sample........................................................................................108
Instrumentation....................................................................................................108
Church Health Characteristics.................................................................109
Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis..................................................109
Reliability and Validity........................................................................................110
Data Collection....................................................................................................112
Data Analysis...........................................................................................113
Generalizability........................................................................................115
CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS OF THE STUDY...................................................................116
Profile of Subjects................................................................................................116

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Church Health Characteristics.............................................................................117
Emotional Characteristics of Pastors...................................................................122
Church Health and Emotional Health of Pastors.................................................126
Correlation Analysis............................................................................................128
Summary..............................................................................................................132
CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS........................................................134
The Health of the CMA (Ontario Districts).........................................................135
The Emotional Health of the Pastors of the CMA...............................................136
Church Health and Emotional Health..................................................................139
Implications of the Study.....................................................................................148
Limitations and Weaknesses................................................................................148
Suggestions for Further Studies...........................................................................150
Recommendations................................................................................................150
Personal Reflections.............................................................................................152
APPENDIXES
A. The Wholeness Wheel...................................................................................154
B. Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis Sample Report...............................155
C. Beeson Church Health Questionnaire...........................................................161
D. Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis Profile Sample...............................166
E. Detailed Correlations and Regressions.........................................................167
WORKS CITED..............................................................................................................177

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LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1. Beeson Church Health Characteristics Ranking.............................................122
Table 4.2. TJTA Traits Distress Ranking........................................................................125
Table 4.3. Correlations and Regressions Summary I.......................................................131
Table 4.4. Correlations and Regressions Summary II.....................................................132

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 4.1. Beeson church health (Overall Scores by churches).....................................118
Figure 4.2. Church health characteristics and churches ..................................................119
Figure 4.3. Beeson church health vs. Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis I ...........120
Figure 4.4. Beeson church health vs. Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis II ..........121
Figure 4.5. Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis pastoral health...............................124
Figure 4.6. Beeson characteristics and Taylor-Johnson traits..........................................126

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