the effects of preacher's family lifestyle on the spiritual and numerical church growth

 

Abstract: The study investigated the effects of preacher's family lifestyle on the spiritual and numerical church growth; a case study of Methodist Church Nigeria. Five (5) research questions were raised to guide the study. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The Population of the research consisted of all the     Pastors In-Charge of Zones, Areas, Parishes, Altar Ministers of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 28. The sample size of this study consists of 120 Pastors selected from different parishes within the RCCG, Lagos Province 28 using simple random sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection in the research was a structured questionnaire titled “Effects of Preacher's Family Lifestyle on Church Growth (EPFLCG)”. Simple percentage statistical method was used to analyse the data collected. From the findings of the study, it was discovered that: preacher's family lifestyle have a significant effects on church growth; preacher's family lifestyle affect the spiritual church growth; preacher’s family lifestyle affect the numerical church growth; and that preacher’s family lifestyle have a significant impact on the general well-being of a church. Based on the findings, it was recommendation among others that, the church must regain the conviction that Christ wants His church to grow, both in quality disciples and in quantity of disciples, the preachers, as well as the Christians, must be in control of his faculties, that is, their emotions, actions and deeds, the preachers should make every concerted effort to ensure they are fulfilling the major biblical purposes to develop a healthy church growth, the preachers should never forget the responsibility they have as a Christian, and never forget the even greater responsibility of a leader.

1.1  Background to the Study

Definitely, every pastor has a family.  Sometimes the congregation forgets, sometimes even the pastor seems to forget.   As each member of our individual family has needs to be met and potentials to be developed, so also the Preacher’s family does.  

Apostle Peter preached, recalling the book of Genesis and God's promise to Abraham in Acts 3:25 “In your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed”. So we become one family in Christ caring for every member of the body.  Sometimes, a pastor's family may feel that church members are the pastor's family.  This is because they seem to have more impact on the pastor. Whenever they call and whatever they want, the pastor seems to be ready to counsel, teach, preach and visit.  This is because pastor cares about what they do.  It is often difficult for them to turn people away who crowd into family time.  More and more pastors, however, are scheduling regular time away from their pastoral duties for their families and in addition to time for themselves.

Frankly speaking, there are great rewards in the pastor's home.  One of such is that Pastor’s children have access to their parents at times while some are not privileged to reach theirs.  They understand what their parent, who is a pastor, does more clearly than children whose parents "go to the office".  But there may be a sense of intrusion especially when the pastor's family lives in a Parsonage.