This presentation is based on the Church Planter Wives

Research Project 2007.

The research report can be downloaded at www.ChurchPlantingVillage.net/wives

Top Issues Faced by CP Wives

- Understanding the wife’s role in CP- Boundaries between home life & church life- Lace of emotional/spiritual support from local

churches- Effect of church plant on family- Personal finances- Overwhelmed with needs/responsibilities- Criticism/Rejection from individuals - Time management/priorities - Loneliness/Isolation

- Lack of time with husband

Her

Response

1. Personal finances2. Overwhelmed with needs/responsibilities3. Time management/priorities4. Boundaries between home life and church life

5. Lack of time with husband6. Effect of church plant on family7. Loneliness/isolation8. Lack of emotional/spiritual support from local churches9. Criticism/rejection from individuals10. Understanding your role as the wife of a church planter here.

His

Response

1. Personal finances2. Boundaries between home life and church life3. Overwhelmed with needs/responsibilities4.Loneliness/Isolation5. Lack of time with her husband

6. Understanding her role as the wife of a church planter7. Effect of church plant on family8. Time management/Priorities9. Lack of emotional/spiritual support from local churches10. Criticism/Rejection from individuals

Finances

“I really expected more support emotionally, spiritually, and financially from the leadership of

the (sponsoring) church. We also had others promise financial support and then not come

through for us.”

- CP Wife

Do you work outside the home?

37%

10%

33%

20%

No

No, but I have a home-based business

Yes, full-time

Yes, part-time

Over half of church planter wives work outside the home.

Finances

Finances play a huge role in the decision for a church planter wife to work outside of the home.

FinancesIf you work outside the home, what is your

reason for doing so?

64%3%

33%Financial

Emotional/Social

Both financial andemotional/social

Boundaries

“Please be aware of allowing the church to become ‘the other woman’ in your marriage. Yes, it is important to be there for the families in your church, but don’t allow their problems and their

sin to keep you away from your family.”

- CP Wife

It is not uncommon for the church planter wife to have to take on responsibilities that may be out of her giftedness

and/or comfort zone.

BoundariesI feel obligated to be involved in certain

ministries in the church because there's no one else to do it or no one else willing to do it.

15%

11%

30%

44%

Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

Personal

Care

“It is easy as a church planter’s wife to assume that your husband is going to meet your spiritual needs, and they

can’t always do that. God reminded me, ‘You are responsible for yourself,’ so I joined a women’s Bible Study

at another church. That was a really great thing for me. Before that I had gotten to a point where I felt like I was in a drought spiritually. I told my husband that we couldn’t start

a church with me like this.”

- CP Wife

CP wives conveyed the importance of having a mentor, being a part of a small group, having close friends to whom they can

confide, and being a part of a network.

Personal Care (Spiritual, Emotional, & Physical)

If a network of church planter wives was available in your area, would you be interested

in attending?

86%

14%

Yes

No

In spite of the need and biblical mandate for times of rest and relaxation, many church planters and their families don’t do

this on a regular basis.

Personal Care (Spiritual, Emotional, & Physical)

We regularly take family vacations.

47%

53%

Yes

No

The majority of church planter wives believe church planting has placed stress on their marriage.

Marriage & Family

Church planting has placed stress on our marriage.

19%

20%

44%

17%

Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

The majority of church planter wives believe church planting has placed stress on their family.

Marriage & Family

Church planting has placed stress on our family.

4%9%

55%

32% Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

Marriage &

Family

“My relationship with my husband has been the most challenged through this. He is needed by everyone, where before he was there for me

anytime I needed him.”

- CP Wife

Church Planter Wives believe that church planting has a positive effect on their children.

Marriage & Family

Church planting has had a positive effect on our children.

3%12%

54%

31% Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

Criticism

Local pastors have embraced us as we've planted a church in the community.

27%

33%

30%

10%

Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

Criticism

We receive an adequate amouont of emotional/spiritual support from our

sponsoring church.

30%

29%

29%

12%

Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

Criticism

“This has been really tough. Three families quit coming and I took it very personally.”

- CP Wife

It is important for the wife to feel called to plant the church, just as her husband is called.

Calling

93.7%

75.4%

95.9%

51.8%

11.1%

77.2%

0.0% 20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

Partneringwith my

husband inchurch

planting fulfillsme

Churchplanting is my

passion

Though churchplantingrequires

sacrifices, Ifeel it is worth

the cost.

% A

gre

e

My sense of calling to plant thischurch is not as strong as myhusband's.

My sense of calling to plant thischurch is as strong as myhusband's.

Calling

“I think the wife of a church planter should also be a church planter, meaning, she needs to be just as committed to the project as her husband is. Her role will be very different from his, but if she doesn’t really want to be there, the whole

family will be miserable.”

- CP Wife

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Training &

Preparation

“I simply did not know how stressful it would be - mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially.

A conference where people who have been there and get real about the experience would

have helped.”

- CP Wife

Less than 60% of our participants felt that they were prepared for the realities of church planting and the impact it would have upon

their marriage and family.

Training & Preparation

98.1%

80.8%

92.3%

82.7%

59.5%

46.3%

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0% 120.0%

Partnering with myhusband in churchplanting fulfills me

Church planting is mypassion.

The care and supportoffered by the

denomination make mefeel like a valued partner.

The denomination has not provided training for my role as a church planter's wife.

The denomination has provided training for my role as a church planter's wife.

In spite of the struggles, challenges, and sacrifices identified by church planter wives, they gave an overwhelming positive

response to church planting.

Overall

Though church planting requires sacrifices, I feel it is worth the cost.

2% 4%

22%

72%

Strongly Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree