<p> The purpose of the current phenomenological research was to explore the burnout experiences of Assemblies of God clergy in the United States in order to identify the stressors associated with burnout and what strategies participants used to cope with burnout. The current study also focused on what participants considered to be effective types of support and resources church and denominational leaders can provide to help clergy who are experiencing burnout, and what types of support and resources church and denominational leaders can provide to help prevent clergy burnout. The researcher interviewed 21 participants who reside in Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas. The researcher recorded and transcribed interviews, coded responses of the participants into categories, analyzed the data, and identified 26 findings that emerged from common themes. Participants described their experiences with burnout in terms of emotional, physical, and relational concerns, identified stressors that contributed to their burnout, and described coping strategies they found to be effective in dealing with burnout. Findings included participants’ dependence on prayer, Bible reading, developing relationships with colleagues, hobbies, exercise, and taking time off as coping strategies for burnout. The researcher determined 15 conclusions that resulted in 11 recommendations for clergy, six recommendations for church leaders, four recommendations for denominational leaders, and five recommendations for future researchers. The researcher attempted to fill a gap in the literature regarding burnout among Assemblies of God clergy. </p><p> <i>Keywords:</i> Clergy burnout, Stressors, Coping strategies, Phenomenological, Qualitative.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10103257 |
| Date | 11 May 2016 |
| Creators | Brewer, Eddy D. |
| Publisher | Dallas Baptist University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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