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

immediate family requirements, this has been a terrible struggle over the last
while.
22B3q: A rebellious son – who has now come right. As a young couple our
weekends were terrible because they were always busy, I felt very alone.
23C2y: False expectations.
12B5t: Conflicts and issues with members of the congregation and learning to
deal with negative relationships toward my husband. I feel I have an overinvolved
husband and this can be a struggle at times.
44D3w: There have been very few struggles over the last 8 months of being a
pastor’s wife. My husband is a widower so I felt a little apprehensive coming in
as the new pastor’s wife knowing that they all knew his previous wife and
loved her, but I have been mostly accepted and welcomed.
12B4z: Loss of close friendships in the church. People leaving the church
when things are taken personally or out of context. It hurts when they leave
because they don’t like my husband’s preaching, etc. Changing expectations
people had with the previous minister and his wife who were older and very
involved in church ministries.
22B4w: At the beginning of our ministry lives I was worried about what might
be expected of me as a pastor’s wife but I became more comfortable in myself
and abilities. I experienced some false expectations like one time the ladies
commented on the previous wife and all her accomplishments (going with her
husband on visitations, etc.) and involvements, but that was not me. I
emphasised that there are many wonderful ladies in the church who are able
to perform certain tasks better then myself and I will do what God has called
me to do, at the time it was to be home with my children and be a good
mother and a supportive wife and that is what I did.
The wives had faced various problems throughout their years of
ministry experience, including unrealistic expectations, unfair comparisons
and loss of friendships and congregational members. It is very evident that
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