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CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Introduction

This chapter presents the research methodology that will be employed on the main

purpose of this research which is “to conduct biblical and psychological analysis on the

suitability and efficacy of Nouthetic counselling in mental health of caregivers who are

ECWA Jos DCC pastors.” The research methodology indicates the logical path and step-by-

step process used in answering the research questions.

Coming from practical field of biblical counselling and psychology, the research

work has based its specialty on field survey. It has to do with collection of relevant facts,

perceptions and misconceptions from both serving and retired pastors from the DCC

(District Church Counsel) through all the LCCs (Local Church Councils). Therefore, the

chapter presents research design, population of the study, sample and sampling technique,

instruments for data collection, validation of the instrument, procedure for data collection

and procedure for data analysis.

Research Design

The focus of the research is on the cause and effects of Psychomachia; battle for the soul

and mental health of ECWA pastors as caregivers, while the emphasis is on ECWA Jos DCC

pastors that are both in active service and retired. Therefore, the quantitative method was

used to collect data, which was collected through the distribution of questionnaires to it
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respondents. This process led to the derived conclusions concerning the causes and effects

of psychomachia; the battle for the soul of pastors and their mental health as caregivers in

ECWA Jos DCC.

According to the problem and focus of this research, the study adopted a cross

sectional design whereby, the exploratory and descriptive design used aid in adequate

observation of the variables. That also helped in the data collection, analysis and

presentation processes without influencing any data collected. The data collection process

involved participants with similarity in their unique work of pastoring or shepherding. In

this case, the pastors are of the same denomination and region: Evangelical Church

Winning All (ECWA), Jos District Church Council (DCC).

The researcher collected data from different individuals at a single point in time for

the sake of the study. Data that were collected in this cross-sectional study involves

participants that are similar in all variables of which in this case are pastors of Evangelical

Church Winning All (ECWA) Jos District Church Council.

The cross-sectional design selection was basically yielding to safeguard the

researcher from any attempt of influencing statistical information or data. It was also due

to the analogous nature of the participants’ characteristics: age group, working experience,

location of service in the district, and so on. The questionnaires were distributed to the

respective quarter for analysis methods which determined the foundational measures used

for the design framework that helped in ensuring the effectiveness of pastors’ role as

caregivers.
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Population and Sample

The sample population of this research comprised of both serving and retired pastors

within ECWA as a denomination, in Jos District Church Council (DCC) of Plateau State of

Nigeria. This population includes the licensed pastors, ordained pastors serving in Local

Church (LC), and retired pastors.

The population of targeted group of this research is indefinite but they cut across

different Local Church Councils (LCCs). The sampling population was decided on because of

the convenience in terms of location to the institution of the researcher, and to allow for a

variety of responses. The survey involved pastors with minimum of five years of working

experience to those that are retired as qualifiers respondents to the questionnaires.

Sample and Sampling Techniques

The participants of this research were purposefully selected as sample for a good reason.

They (sample) comprised of seventy (70) questionnaires shared among seventy (70)

pastors from five (5) years of experience in active service to those already retired pastors

within all the LCCs in Jos DCC. The classification of those within the five (5) to retirement

years of service is intentionally selected since the research seek out for experience to build

its fundamental framework. Secondly, the sampling sample techniques is gender sensitive

because ECWA as a denomination only employs masculine personnel to serve in pastoral

leadership or administration position of overseeing a Local Church (LC).

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Instruments for Data Collection

Quantitation research design has been adopted as research methods or as instruments for

data collection. The data were collected through individual’s questionnaires after filling in

consent letters, with the assurance of accountability of keeping respondents’ response with

confidentiality. The aim of the questionnaires was to analyzed and generated into themes

and categories that are presented with contemporary support of participants’ direct

response to set of quotations strictly designed for sole purpose of this thesis research work.

Methodologically, the quantitative research method conducted within seventy (70)

masculine participants from five years to retirement age of service as caregivers in a local

Church. This is with the intention of knowing their experience (s) as caregivers but also

struggling with battles for the soul (psychomachia) as any other normal human being.

And knowing from their experiences how their mental health status is influencing or

has already influenced their efficacy as caregivers in their ministerial work as ECWA

pastors and how they are copying in service now; for those in active service and how they

have coped; for those retired already. The specific group selection further influenced the

subjected questionnaires’ analytical processes yielding to the number of themes that

provided support to the main aim of the study case respectively.

Description of Instrument

The research here has been conducted through the act of distributing seventy (70)

questionnaires to respondents within Jos metropolitan DCCs level of ECWA Plateau State of

Nigeria. The sharing of the questionnaires was within the same zone for easy collections of
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the already distributed questionnaires that led to the cautious of the end data result. The

researcher used tabular table in explaining each of the responded questionnaires. That

point out the reflected information gotten from the questionnaires sample with the main

goal of knowing the cause and effects of caregiving impact on ECWA Jos DCC Pastors.

Validity and Variability

The instruments used in this research study is questionnaire. There was lot of deliberations

and verbal and electronic discussions that took place between the researcher and some

selected pastors before drawing out the questionnaire in line to contemporary issues faced

by pastors as caregivers. The questionnaire underwent the process of supervisory tedious

work of reading, making observation and confirmation to check its validity before been

distributed to the participants. All those vigorous processes were taken in order to prove

the authenticity of the questionnaire in agreement to vet the variability for a positive

outcome of the research work.

Procedure of Data Collection

All the procedure involve in the data collection was followed. Since data collection has to do

with collecting information, it was successfully achieved by the help of some group of

persons that helped in the distribution of the questionnaires. Those group of persons

helped in following some of the respondents to their homes and some to their offices to

retrieve the response within time limit of the research work.

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Ethical Consideration

Accordingly, all the participants were well informed about the purpose and benefits of the

research study. That will be of benefits to both the researcher, the academic institution, the

participants and their families, the congregations, the DCC, ECWA as denomination, and to

the larger part of the society. Hence, the participants’ privacy and confidentiality was

assured and protected in agreement. Their personal information will be kept in

confidential and will not be shared without their consent.

All questionnaires were willingly responded to without any force from the

researcher nor the team they worked together. There was assurance given to the

participants of no discrimination of any nature to them directly nor to their families,

churches, the DCC, nor to ECWA as a whole or denomination. The researcher was careful

and sensitive in following and respecting the cultural norms and ethical beliefs of the

participants. This was achieved by avoidance of imposing value and personal of the

researcher’s belief on the respondents. The researcher equally demonstrated respects to

intellectual possession of rights by conferring credit anyone that deserved it.

Methods of Data Analysis

The methods of analyzing data involved collection of distributed questionnaires and

presenting it in a frequency tabular form. That was helpful in presenting all findings in a

simple way and according to the groups that the questions were asked for accurate

presentation of percentage information. And also for more clarity and accuracy and easy

way of understanding the frequency interpretation. The outcome of the results also helped
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in drawing conclusion to every obtainable response presented by the respondents for

conclusion.

Conclusion

To the best knowledge and understanding, an organized method has been developed. That

which helped in categorizing and analyzing the factors responsible for the mental health

issues of pastors as caregivers in ECWA Jos DCC. Thus, the causes and effects of battle for

the soul and the impact it has on the mental health of pastors and further, in the efficacy it

plays on their role as caregivers to their families, churches and the society at large.

The data obtained was subsequently analyzed thematically to develop themes and

subthemes that will be of help in proffering biblical and psychological solution to such

challenging and contemporary issues befalling pastors as caregivers. The methodology was

followed in step by step methods of designing questionnaires, distributing them and

collecting them for proper interpretation in a concluding form as tabular, bar chart and pie

chart frequency for clarity and better understanding or assessment.

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Sampling Question Suggestions

1. Bio Data (You might have already developed this)

a) Age Range

b) Marital status

c) Years of service

d) No need for gender, since it’s already determined

2. How do you think that pastors in ECWA Jos DCC feel about their roles as caregivers?

a) They feel happy and satisfied to help

b) The feel neutral and indifferent

c) They feel stuck in the same cycle

d) They feel unhappy and overwhelmed

e) Others (state it) _________________________________

3. What is your opinion about the mental state of pastors serving as caregivers in ECWA
Jos DCC?

a) Fit to serve and functioning well

b) Fit to serve but not functioning well

c) Unfit to serve but functioning well

d) Unfit to serve and not functioning well

e) Others (state it) _________________________________

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4. What do you consider to be the factor most responsible for the mental health issues of
pastors in ECWA Jos DCC? (for this one, i came up with two different sets of
options. The first one focuses solely on the pastor, the second one explores
external issues also. Check to see what fits best)

a) They are spiritually unfit a) Personal challenges

b) They are academically unqualified b) Family burdens

c) The are financially incapable c) Church issues

d) They are overburdened by d) National problems

member care
e) Others (state it)
e) Others (state it) _________________________________
_________________________________

5. How have the mental health issues of pastors in ECWA Jos DCC affected their roles as
care givers to themselves and their families?(for this one, i came up with two
different sets of options. The first one focuses solely on the pastor, the second
one explores external issues also. Check to see what fits best)

a) Personal walk with God is stunted a) They fail to provide leadership at

home
b) Family is neglected
b) Their family feels neglected
c) The work feels overwhelming
c) They home takes on too much
d) The pastors develop unhealthy pressure
habits to cope
d) Their children are becoming
e) Others (state it) wayward
_________________________________
e) Others (state it)
_________________________________

2. How have the mental health issues of pastors in ECWA Jos DCC affected their roles as
care givers to their church, and the society at large?

a) The sermon quality drops

b) Church finances are mismanaged

c) Members do not receive the best care possible and are discouraged from seeking
professional help
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d) Members develop unhealthy habits to cope

e) Others (state it) _________________________________

3. In what ways have pastors tried to cope the impact of their mental health issues on
their work?

a) Refusal to seek personal checks

b) Increased workload to distract themselves

c) Pursuit of more finances to cover lapses

d) Competition for position as a means to attain satisfaction

e) Others (state it) _________________________________

4. What is your opinion on serving pastors seeking counseling about their mental health
issues?

a) A waste of time

b) Unnecessary

c) Neutral

d) Necessary

e) A matter of urgency

5. What do you think prevents serving pastors from seeking counseling about their
mental health issues?

a) I am ashamed to ask for help

b) I am afraid of what I might discover about myself

c) I am worried about others knowing

d) I cannot afford to pay for it

e) Others (state it) _________________________________

6. If someone would be truly willing to listen and counsel pastors in ECWA Jos DCC, will
that interest them?

a) Strongly agree

b) Agree
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c) Neutral

d) Disagree

e) Strongly disagree

7. In what ways can the biblical counseling model help to address the mental issues of
pastors in ECWA Jos DCC?