Characteristics of pastoral support of children's educators in the PC (USA)
Subject
Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.--Clergy.Christian education directors.
Encouragement--Religious aspects--Christianity.
Theses Ed. D.--Christian education.
Description
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Abstract
Children's ministries in the local church play a significant role in church growth. The purpose of this research, therefore, was to explore the characteristics of pastoral support of children's educators in PC (USA) congregations.
The research had two key parts. The first part was ethnographic interviews of children's educators, inquiring what has been, or would be, the most significant and meaningful expressions of support that they have received from their senior pastors. That information was used to prepare a Likert-scale survey for senior pastors. Those results were combined with autobiographical information. Correlation coefficients and frequencies were calculated. The most frequently displayed supportive behavior was pastoral, the least frequently displayed involved public displays of support. The most significant autobiographical factor showing supportive behavior was being a parent of older children.