Table Of ContentABSTRACT 
THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF SENIOR PASTORS IN THE CHRISTIAN AND 
MISSIONARY ALLIANCE OF CANADA AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE 
SPIRITUAL HEALTH OF THEIR CHURCHES 
by 
David R. Walls 
  In many denominations and churches, little emphasis is placed on the emotional 
health of pastoral leaders. The underlying assumption seems to be that if the spiritual life 
of leaders is in order, other aspects of their lives will fall naturally into place. Such 
reasoning subconsciously minimizes the impact that emotions have on leaders’ lives. 
Further, the link between leaders’ emotional health and the spiritual health of the church 
has also been given little, if any, attention. 
  The purpose of this research project was to describe the relationship between the 
emotional health of senior pastors and the spiritual health of the churches they lead. The 
research utilized two instruments for data gathering: (1) a survey that assessed the 
presence or lack of presence of eight church health characteristics (i.e., intentional 
evangelism, mobilized laity, transforming discipleship, engaging worship, passionate 
spirituality, empowering leadership, authentic community, and effective structures), and  
(2) a temperament analysis that measured nine contrasting personality/emotional 
characteristics along with a measure of emotional stability (i.e., nervous or composed, 
depressive or lighthearted, active-social or quiet, expressive-responsive or inhibited, 
sympathetic or indifferent, subjective or objective, dominant or submissive, hostile or
tolerant, and self-disciplined or impulsive). The temperament analysis was then compared 
to particular indices of church growth that could be linked most naturally. 
  A positive relationship between emotional health and church health was 
discovered.
DISSERTATION APPROVAL 
 
 
 
This is to certify that the dissertation entitled 
 
THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF SENIOR PASTORS IN THE CHRISTIAN AND 
 
 MISSIONARY ALLIANCE OF CANADA AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE  
 
SPIRITUAL HEALTH OF THEIR CHURCHES 
 
 
 
presented by 
 
David R. Walls 
 
 
 
has been accepted towards fulfillment 
 
of the requirements for the  
 
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY degree at 
 
Asbury Theological Seminary 
 
 
 
 
           
 
 
      March 31, 2006   
Internal Reader        Date 
 
      March 31, 2006   
Representative, Doctor of Ministry Program       Date 
 
      March 31, 2006   
Dean, Doctor of Ministry Program; Mentor    Date
THE EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF SENIOR PASTORS IN  
THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE OF CANADA AND ITS 
CONNECTION TO THE SPIRITUAL HEALTH OF THEIR CHURCHES 
 
 
A Dissertation 
Presented to the Faculty of  
Asbury Theological Seminary 
 
 
 
 
In Partial Fulfillment 
Of the Requirements for the Degree  
Doctor of Ministry 
 
 
by 
David R. Walls 
May 2006
© 2006 
David R. Walls 
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................vii 
LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................viii 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................................ix 
CHAPTER 1 PROBLEM....................................................................................................1 
Introduction..............................................................................................................1 
Context of the Study................................................................................................6 
The Purpose and Hypothesis Stated.........................................................................7 
Research Questions..................................................................................................8 
Definition of Terms..................................................................................................8 
Methodology..........................................................................................................10 
Population and Subjects.............................................................................10 
Variables....................................................................................................11 
Instrumentation..........................................................................................12 
Data Collection..........................................................................................12 
Delimitations and Generalizability........................................................................13 
Biblical and Theological Foundations...................................................................14 
Overview of Study.................................................................................................17 
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE.............................................................................................19 
Pastors and Emotions.............................................................................................19 
Pastoral Leaders in Distress...................................................................................22 
Wholeness and Health................................................................................27 
The Importance of Emotionally Healthy Leadership.................................31 
   
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A Biblical and Theological Framework.....................................................38 
A Theological Conundrum....................................................................................46 
Self-Worth, Emotional Health, and Leadership.....................................................56 
Toward an Understanding of Self-Worth..................................................56 
A Biblical Perspective on Self-Worth and Emotional Health...................58 
Impact of Self-Worth and Emotional Health on Pastoral Leadership.......64 
Implications for and Connections to Church Health..................................72 
Conclusions and Applications................................................................................96 
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY....................................................................................106 
Research Questions..............................................................................................106 
Research Question 1................................................................................106 
Research Question 2................................................................................107 
Research Question 3................................................................................107 
Population and Sample........................................................................................108 
Instrumentation....................................................................................................108 
Church Health Characteristics.................................................................109 
Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis..................................................109 
Reliability and Validity........................................................................................110 
Data Collection....................................................................................................112 
Data Analysis...........................................................................................113 
Generalizability........................................................................................115 
CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS OF THE STUDY...................................................................116 
Profile of Subjects................................................................................................116 
   
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Church Health Characteristics.............................................................................117 
Emotional Characteristics of Pastors...................................................................122 
Church Health and Emotional Health of Pastors.................................................126 
Correlation Analysis............................................................................................128 
Summary..............................................................................................................132 
CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS........................................................134 
The Health of the CMA (Ontario Districts).........................................................135 
The Emotional Health of the Pastors of the CMA...............................................136 
Church Health and Emotional Health..................................................................139 
Implications of the Study.....................................................................................148 
Limitations and Weaknesses................................................................................148 
Suggestions for Further Studies...........................................................................150 
Recommendations................................................................................................150 
Personal Reflections.............................................................................................152 
APPENDIXES 
A.  The Wholeness Wheel...................................................................................154 
B.  Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis Sample Report...............................155 
C.  Beeson Church Health Questionnaire...........................................................161 
D.  Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis Profile Sample...............................166 
E.  Detailed Correlations and Regressions.........................................................167 
WORKS CITED..............................................................................................................177 
 
   
vi
LIST OF TABLES 
Table 4.1. Beeson Church Health Characteristics Ranking.............................................122 
Table 4.2. TJTA Traits Distress Ranking........................................................................125 
Table 4.3. Correlations and Regressions Summary I.......................................................131 
Table 4.4. Correlations and Regressions Summary II.....................................................132 
   
vii
LIST OF FIGURES 
Figure 4.1. Beeson church health (Overall Scores by churches).....................................118 
Figure 4.2. Church health characteristics and churches ..................................................119 
Figure 4.3. Beeson church health vs. Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis I ...........120 
Figure 4.4. Beeson church health vs. Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis II ..........121 
Figure 4.5. Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis pastoral health...............................124 
Figure 4.6. Beeson characteristics and Taylor-Johnson traits..........................................126 
   
viii
Description:to particular indices of church growth that could be linked most naturally. A positive relationship  Representative, Doctor of Ministry Program. Date.