Rediscovering pastoral identity : the influence of church role expectations in undermining a pastor’s personal ministry identity

Abstract

This thesis explores the relationship between a pastor’s personal ministry identity and the church role expectations that he encounters in the local church within which he ministers and takes place in the context of the discipline of “Building up the local church”. It is the hypothesis of this thesis that many Baptist pastors within the Baptist Union of Southern Africa are compromising the integrity of their own personal ministry identities in an attempt to meet the church role expectations of their local churches. The study considers firstly the nature development of personal identity in general as a precursor to understanding the nature of development of a personal ministry identity. At least six key elements are identified as being important in the development of an authentic personal ministry identity namely, spiritual gifting, personality, natural talentsabilities, divine call, congregational influence and finally passion. Pastoral ministry can be understood as an interface of expectations between the church role expectations of the church and the pastor’s expectations derived from his personal ministry identity. The consequences of this interface of expectations may be both positive and negative and may include role confusion, conflict, collusion or congruence. Role negotiation and renegotiation may be used to address some of the negative consequences of this interface. Empirical research results obtained as part of the study that explored the relationship between a pastor’s personal ministry identity, church role expectations and the current approach to ministry, clearly indicate that church role expectations are far more influential on current pastoral practice than are the personal ministry identities, indicating that the identities of these pastors have been undermined by church role expectations. A correct understanding of the Biblical view of self-denial and self-esteem would result in a greater freedom on the part of pastors to resist the undermining of their personal ministry identities. Copyright 2005, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Baston, GA 2005, Rediscovering pastoral identity : the influence of church role expectations in undermining a pastor’s personal ministry identity, MA(Theol) dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-06172005-101131 / >