Assessing the importance of Self-Care of Pastors in Selected Rural Communities in the Ashanti Region, Ghana

Emmanuel Twumasi-Ankrah &  Lawrence Anthony

Issue: Vol.7  No.1 May Article 1 pp. 1 – 17
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/pecanep.2026711  |   Published online 20th May 2025.
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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This study assesses the importance of pastors’ self-care in some selected rural communities in the Ashanti Region. It reveals that Christian teachings often neglect the self-care of pastors as “spiritual leaders” in the context of African cultural expectations that exacerbate the demands on the clergy. Drawing from theological perspectives, the study highlighted the contributions of some African scholars who advocate for a reimagined pastoral theology that integrates self-care as an essential aspect of ministry. Additionally, biblical foundations such as the kenosis principle (Phil. 2:3-8), Jesus’ practice of rest (Mk, 6:31), and the Imago Dei (Gen. 1:27) were analyzed to demonstrate that self-care does not contradict Christian service but rather a form of responsible stewardship. This study used a qualitative research approach to collect data from selected pastors through interviews, participant observation, and literature analysis, offering a comprehensive understanding of how theological frameworks and cultural spins influence pastoral self-care practices. The findings revealed that many pastors in rural Ghana experience burnout due to socio-cultural and theological pressures, yet little institutional support exists to address this issue. The study concludes by advocating for a more holistic theological model that integrates self-care into pastoral formation, ensuring clergy sustainability and ministry effectiveness. The significant contribution of the study is that it has redefined pastoral care by expanding its scope to include “the caregiver-well-being” as a critical factor for sustainable Christian ministry in Ghana.

Keywords: Pastoral care, self-care, ministerial burnout, stress, the caregiver-well-being

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Emmanuel Twumasi-Ankrah is a Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies in the Department of Theology, Christian Service University, Kumasi-Ghana. He holds a PhD in Biblical Studies (Old Testament) from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He is a Part-time lecturer at the Department of Religion & Human Development, KNUST.

Lawrence Anthony holds a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry with Management from the Department of Theology at Christian Service University, Kumasi-Ghana. He also holds a Master of Science in Geotechnical Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana.

 

Twumasi-Ankrah, Emmanuel, and Lawrence Anthony. “Assessing the importance of Self-Care of Pastors in selected Rural Communities in the Ashanti Region, Ghana.” Pentecostalism, Charismaticism and Neo-Prophetic Movements Journal 7, no.1 (2026): 1 – 17. https://doi.org/10.38159/pecanep.2026711

© 2024 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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