This presentation is based on the Church Planter Wives Research Project 2007.
description
Transcript of This presentation is based on the Church Planter Wives Research Project 2007.
This presentation is based on the Church Planter Wives
Research Project 2007.
The research report can be downloaded at www.ChurchPlantingVillage.net/wives
Top Issues Faced by CP Wives
- Understanding the wife’s role in CP- Boundaries between home life & church life- Lace of emotional/spiritual support from local
churches- Effect of church plant on family- Personal finances- Overwhelmed with needs/responsibilities- Criticism/Rejection from individuals - Time management/priorities - Loneliness/Isolation
- Lack of time with husband
Her
Response
1. Personal finances2. Overwhelmed with needs/responsibilities3. Time management/priorities4. Boundaries between home life and church life
5. Lack of time with husband6. Effect of church plant on family7. Loneliness/isolation8. Lack of emotional/spiritual support from local churches9. Criticism/rejection from individuals10. Understanding your role as the wife of a church planter here.
His
Response
1. Personal finances2. Boundaries between home life and church life3. Overwhelmed with needs/responsibilities4.Loneliness/Isolation5. Lack of time with her husband
6. Understanding her role as the wife of a church planter7. Effect of church plant on family8. Time management/Priorities9. Lack of emotional/spiritual support from local churches10. Criticism/Rejection from individuals
Finances
“I really expected more support emotionally, spiritually, and financially from the leadership of
the (sponsoring) church. We also had others promise financial support and then not come
through for us.”
- CP Wife
Do you work outside the home?
37%
10%
33%
20%
No
No, but I have a home-based business
Yes, full-time
Yes, part-time
Over half of church planter wives work outside the home.
Finances
Finances play a huge role in the decision for a church planter wife to work outside of the home.
FinancesIf you work outside the home, what is your
reason for doing so?
64%3%
33%Financial
Emotional/Social
Both financial andemotional/social
Boundaries
“Please be aware of allowing the church to become ‘the other woman’ in your marriage. Yes, it is important to be there for the families in your church, but don’t allow their problems and their
sin to keep you away from your family.”
- CP Wife
It is not uncommon for the church planter wife to have to take on responsibilities that may be out of her giftedness
and/or comfort zone.
BoundariesI feel obligated to be involved in certain
ministries in the church because there's no one else to do it or no one else willing to do it.
15%
11%
30%
44%
Strongly Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Somewhat Agree
Strongly Agree
Personal
Care
“It is easy as a church planter’s wife to assume that your husband is going to meet your spiritual needs, and they
can’t always do that. God reminded me, ‘You are responsible for yourself,’ so I joined a women’s Bible Study
at another church. That was a really great thing for me. Before that I had gotten to a point where I felt like I was in a drought spiritually. I told my husband that we couldn’t start
a church with me like this.”
- CP Wife
CP wives conveyed the importance of having a mentor, being a part of a small group, having close friends to whom they can
confide, and being a part of a network.
Personal Care (Spiritual, Emotional, & Physical)
If a network of church planter wives was available in your area, would you be interested
in attending?
86%
14%
Yes
No
In spite of the need and biblical mandate for times of rest and relaxation, many church planters and their families don’t do
this on a regular basis.
Personal Care (Spiritual, Emotional, & Physical)
We regularly take family vacations.
47%
53%
Yes
No
The majority of church planter wives believe church planting has placed stress on their marriage.
Marriage & Family
Church planting has placed stress on our marriage.
19%
20%
44%
17%
Strongly Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Somewhat Agree
Strongly Agree
The majority of church planter wives believe church planting has placed stress on their family.
Marriage & Family
Church planting has placed stress on our family.
4%9%
55%
32% Strongly Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Somewhat Agree
Strongly Agree
Marriage &
Family
“My relationship with my husband has been the most challenged through this. He is needed by everyone, where before he was there for me
anytime I needed him.”
- CP Wife
Church Planter Wives believe that church planting has a positive effect on their children.
Marriage & Family
Church planting has had a positive effect on our children.
3%12%
54%
31% Strongly Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Somewhat Agree
Strongly Agree
Criticism
Local pastors have embraced us as we've planted a church in the community.
27%
33%
30%
10%
Strongly Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Somewhat Agree
Strongly Agree
Criticism
We receive an adequate amouont of emotional/spiritual support from our
sponsoring church.
30%
29%
29%
12%
Strongly Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Somewhat Agree
Strongly Agree
Criticism
“This has been really tough. Three families quit coming and I took it very personally.”
- CP Wife
It is important for the wife to feel called to plant the church, just as her husband is called.
Calling
93.7%
75.4%
95.9%
51.8%
11.1%
77.2%
0.0% 20.0%
40.0%
60.0%
80.0%
100.0%
120.0%
Partneringwith my
husband inchurch
planting fulfillsme
Churchplanting is my
passion
Though churchplantingrequires
sacrifices, Ifeel it is worth
the cost.
% A
gre
e
My sense of calling to plant thischurch is not as strong as myhusband's.
My sense of calling to plant thischurch is as strong as myhusband's.
Calling
“I think the wife of a church planter should also be a church planter, meaning, she needs to be just as committed to the project as her husband is. Her role will be very different from his, but if she doesn’t really want to be there, the whole
family will be miserable.”
- CP Wife
QuickTime™ and aYUV420 codec decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Training &
Preparation
“I simply did not know how stressful it would be - mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially.
A conference where people who have been there and get real about the experience would
have helped.”
- CP Wife
Less than 60% of our participants felt that they were prepared for the realities of church planting and the impact it would have upon
their marriage and family.
Training & Preparation
98.1%
80.8%
92.3%
82.7%
59.5%
46.3%
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0% 120.0%
Partnering with myhusband in churchplanting fulfills me
Church planting is mypassion.
The care and supportoffered by the
denomination make mefeel like a valued partner.
The denomination has not provided training for my role as a church planter's wife.
The denomination has provided training for my role as a church planter's wife.
In spite of the struggles, challenges, and sacrifices identified by church planter wives, they gave an overwhelming positive
response to church planting.
Overall
Though church planting requires sacrifices, I feel it is worth the cost.
2% 4%
22%
72%
Strongly Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Somewhat Agree
Strongly Agree