Finding a Work-Life Balance: A Study of the Spiritual and Social Roles of Pastors’ Wives at the International Church of Christ, Nairobi

Abstract

The role of women in the church has been an ongoing debate. On the one hand, the complementarians maintain that women should only be supportive in church affairs. On the other hand, the egalitarians believe that the Bible expressly sets women free to be church leaders, including being ordained as church ministers. The latter school of thought and other socio-economic factors have precipitated an influx of women into the full-time church ministry. However, one unaddressed issue is how these female ministers can balance their spiritual and social roles without neglecting the other. This concern is significant because research shows that most women in full-time employment tend to suffer burnout and stress due to the inability to find a work-life balance. These challenges lead to physical and mental health, marriage and parenting challenges, and poor job performance and satisfaction. Furthermore, studies also indicate that role conflict due to playing multiple roles results in reduced effectiveness at home and work, leading to work overload. This study investigated the effect that the dual roles of the pastors’ wives of the International Church of Christ, Nairobi, have on their well-being and effectiveness. The qualitative method was used, and a purposive sample of six pastors’ wives with ten years of experience in that role was selected. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. The results suggest that the dual roles impact each other negatively, resulting in a lower effectiveness and poor well-being. Therefore, the study concludes that a more effective model for the work of the pastors’ wives is needed to enable them to be more effective and improve their well-being as they serve God and care for their families.