Verspreiding van persoonlikheidstipes by predikante in die gereformeerde Kerke van Suid-Afrika – om risikogroepe vir diensverlating te identifiseer

Abstract

Distribution of personality types among ministers in the Reformed Churches of South Africa – to identify groups at risk for leaving service. With the use of a personality assessment based on the Hippocratic personality module, the researcher established that there is a significant distribution of personality types among pastors in the Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA). The main focus was to establish whether high-risk groups groups, which may be predisposed to leave the ministry prematurely, exist. This study revealed significant results in a group of pastors posing as possibly at risk for leaving the ministry, as well as a group of pastors that will function optimally within the RCSA. To establish this risk factor, the concept of ‘goodness of fit’ was used. In this way, the information gathered was used to develop a norm group, making it possible to effectively compare the individual pastor’s personality within the larger scope of pastors in the RCSA. With the use of this norm group, the researcher was able to make conclusions that are specifically applicable to the pastors in the RCSA. It was established that the Phlegmatic personality type has the largest representation among ministers in the RCSA. This is significant due to the fact that ministers with this personality type are largely drawn to the ministry in the RCSA. On the other side of the spectrum, the Sanguine and Melancholic personality types have the lowest representations. This may represent a possible higher risk group for leaving the ministry.Contribution: The research presented in this artcle, therefore, focused on the degree to which some pastors in the RCSA’s personal tendencies influence their ministerial work and the likelihood of leaving the ministry.