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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ministerial education as it impacts Nazarene clergy pastoring small churches. The questions this study addressed were: 1) What are the perceptions of small-church Nazarene pastors regarding the Church of the Nazarene Modular Course of Study (NMCOS) in terms of educational preparedness for managing volunteers and understanding how to foster growth in a small church in a consumer culture? 2) What are the perceptions of small-church Nazarene pastors regarding the issues of leading the small church in a consumer culture and pastoral burnout? 3) What are the perceptions of small-church Nazarene pastors regarding managing volunteers and pastoral burnout? This qualitative study involved twelve Nazarene clergy who had: 1) completed the designated modules in the Nazarene Modular Course of Study, 2) pastored in the small church setting for five consecutive years, 3) experienced burnout in their assignment. The researcher themed the data, and the following themes emerged: 1) Consumer culture training is insufficient, vital, preventive; 2) People management training is inadequate, paramount, relational; 3) Pastoral burnout is consumer-driven, volunteer-void. The literature indicates that small-church pastors are at a disadvantage in a consumer culture when their churches cannot compete with larger churches. The literature also indicates the necessity for leaders in non-profit organizations and churches to understand how to manage volunteers. The broad diversity of this study’s demographic data validated the results’ propensity to represent the larger population.
Advisor: | Carrim, Rhonda, Curtis, Heidi |
Commitee: | Middendorf, Jesse, Payton, Karl |
School: | Northwest Nazarene University |
Department: | Education |
School Location: | United States -- Idaho |
Source: | DAI-A 81/2(E), Dissertation Abstracts International |
Source Type: | DISSERTATION |
Subjects: | Clergy, Educational psychology, Educational leadership |
Keywords: | Clergy burnout, Clergy education, Consumer culture, Qualitative analysis, Small-church clergy, Volunteer management |
Publication Number: | 22618452 |
ISBN: | 9781085672658 |