Pentecostal leadership disputes in Zimbabwe : a pastoral challenge

Abstract

The study assessed the Pentecostal leadership disputes in Zimbabwe in light of Pastoral Challenges. An African proverb states that "When two elephants fight, the grass suffers." This saying is particularly relevant to the Pentecostal church, where leadership disputes between top leaders affected junior pastors and their ability to care for congregants.

The challenge is that junior pastors are traumatised due to the leadership disputes caused by two top leaders. The church has not helped these traumatised junior pastors to be able to journey with church congregants during their church conflict. The research seeks to investigate and understand the depth of the trauma caused by leadership disputes among juniors. Conflicts are mainly cantered on power struggles, resulting in physical altercations. As a result, these altercations have affected junior pastors who are traumatised and are struggling due to the unending squabbles for control of power and church infrastructures. As a result, a study is underway to find effective ways to help them heal and journey with junior pastors.

In order to fully study issues in depth the research implored qualitative research which allowed the research to gather data in depth. Sampling, In-depth Interviews, and questionnaires we used to gather data. In-depth interviews were carried out with the selected sample group and a single questionnaire was utilized for interviewing junior pastors, with ten being interviewed individually. The researcher then analysed their responses to determine the healing process of the junior pastors while also investigating the impact of leadership disputes. In finding healing for then junior pastors, the pastoral care method of Gerkin and Pollard was used. This healing method will assist pastors and pastoral caregivers to pastorally journey with the traumatised junior pastors.

It should, however, be noted that despite aiming at coming up with a healing model, healing is an individual journey and one size does not fit all but acts as a template that can be personally utilised subjective to individual differences.