The Biblical Role of the Pastor's wife - South African Theological ...

counterparts. Further research in this area would be of great value to the
church and theological community in Africa.
2.3.4 How many years have you been in ministry?
22B5q: 6-10
23B3w: 6-10
34D5p: Over 21
12B1s : 11-15
22B3q: 16-20
23C2y: Less than 5
12B5t: 11-15
44D3w: Less than 5
12B4z: 6-10
22B4w: Over 21
On average, most of the wives had up to 10 years experience in
ministry. Interestingly, just over half of the wives indicated they were in fulltime
ministry. All wives indicated that they were involved in ministry, either
part-time or full-time, even if they were not fulfilling a certain task within the
church.
Years of experience became a very important question in
understanding the stages at which a wife found herself. Wives with less
ministry experience seemed to struggle with perceptions of congregational
members whilst the more experienced wives had learned to become more
confident and sure of who they were, being realistic and understanding of
congregational expectations.
Wives varied in relation to age and years of service; they also differed
in stages of life, whether a new mother, mother or grandmother. Mothers with
young children often expressed a need for more privacy and family time,
whilst mothers with older children or children who had left home expressed a
desire to spend more quality time with their husbands.
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