The abuse of church leadership : a pastoral care perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to help people who have been hurt by bad leadership, and also to find out why they move from one church to the other. This is an undercover issue since in most cases the Pentecostal church family projects strength than weakness. This study deals with people who have been hurt by bad leadership that verbally attacks and curses them from the pulpit. The pulpit is already a position of power and if not handled rightly, it has negative ramification on the hearers. One of it is the mobility of membership, from one Assembly to the other in search for more understanding and encouraging atmosphere.This particular abuse of power has been a burning issue within some of the Pentecostal churches and has been overlooked and without any redress. Therefore this thesis attempts through pastoral care approach, to deal with these issues, that have affected some church members. The problem in the study has been extensively explained and a method of helping and healing those that are hurt is also projected substantially. The different types of leadership and leadership qualities are also tabulated and explained to enable an understanding that people deserve a better approach. Since the researcher has been in the church for a long time, and through observation has experienced how some people were verbally abused from the pulpit has motivated her to conduct a research. Specially, on how to care for those who are wounded in spirit, as she mentioned some of the members have been hurt for almost three decades, yet they are still looking for a church where they can be spiritually fulfilled. It is appropriate to make this valuable research in the field of practical theology as the generated knowledge, shall help the people to heal the hurts and stabilize. It is reasonable to surmise that when a miss-normal is perpetuated without any challenge it takes a toll and becomes a standard behaviour. This research refuses to remain silent and has exposed and projected a healing solution to the plight of members that the pulpit victimises whether consciously and unconsciously. The willingness of the interviewees in these case studies is also highly commended as it roots the studies in concrete realities and generates lessons that are based on real life research. Copyright