The role of clergy can be demanding, as they are tasked with providing spiritual guidance and support to their congregation. This responsibility can result in occupational stress, which can affect the clergy and their family relationships. This study investigated the influence of occupational stress on quality family relationships among clergy in Christ Is the Answer Ministries, Kenya (CITAM). A pragmatist lens which informs the adoption of mixed methods research design was used. Out of a sample size of 135, 115 respondents comprising 57 pastors, 40 spouses, and 18 children participated in the study. Ethical considerations were adhered to by receiving the necessary approvals and licenses before commencing the study. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and focus group discussions which were all done online. Quantitative data were analyzed using the linear regression technique in SPSS Version 28 and presented through tables. The qualitative data were transcribed and analysed using a thematic analysis approach with the identification of key themes. Findings showed that the clergy families have high-quality family relationships (x̅=3.4635, x = .37655). Thematic analysis revealed that having intentionality and maintaining clear boundaries between work and personal life would help clergy improve the quality of their family relationships. The study recommended that churches should collaborate with family therapists to offer therapy sessions to all members of the clergy.
In most marriages, marital problems are encountered once in a while. Couples who have very happy marriages also encounter problems in their relationship with each other due to an offense committed by the spouse. For a couple to maintain a healthy marital relationship, they need to have the ability to forgive each other. Through forgiveness, married partners become more like Christ and invite the Holy Spirit to enable them to show their love for the spouse and build a safe and holy relationship that could bring contentment. The study examined the role of trait forgiveness in marital contentment among married men and women selected in two Christ Is the Answer Ministries (CITAM) assemblies in Nairobi, namely Woodley and Valley Road. The objectives of the study were to examine the role of trait forgiveness on marital contentment and to investigate how commitment, empathy, and communication affect the relationship between forgiveness and marital contentment. A mixed-methods design was used to collect data using questionnaires and a focus group discussion guide. Results showed a very strong positive correlation between trait forgiveness and marital contentment with a relatively high composite score being obtained for trait forgiveness. Results revealed themes of intimacy, patience, affirmation, self-control, reflection, and praying together on the moderating role of commitment, empathy, and communication. This calls for its magnification in both counseling practice and marriage and family therapy sessions as a sustainable antidote to marital contentment under relational stress, especially among Christian couples. Counseling practitioners should therefore emphasize the principle of forgiveness as the key to healing emotional wounds that are caused by offenses that manifest in the course of a marriage.
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