Date of Award

Fall 10-27-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Philip Pendley

Second Advisor

Stephen Foster

Third Advisor

Chris Kueng

Abstract

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to determine the global job satisfaction of long-tenured Protestant pastors in southern California; to determine what are the facets of job satisfaction that motivate them to remain in their job; to discover what personal characteristics they perceive to have contributed to their long tenure.

Methodology: This study utilizes an explanatory, mixed method design. It is explanatory because it utilizes quantitative methods first, then seeks to better understand those results through qualitative methods (McMillan & Schumacher, 2010).

Findings: The subject pastors are very satisfied with their jobs; report high global job satisfaction; substantially higher global job satisfaction than both managers and non-managers; express higher satisfaction with their pay, work, coworkers, and supervision than managers and non-namagers; report scores slightly lower than managers and slightly higher than non-managers for the job facet of promotion. Long-tenured Protestant pastors: (a) prioritize their family, (b) don’t interpret problems as an indication they should quit, (c) their “calling” is central to their longevity, (d) they are comfortable evolving as people and pastors, and (e) they are planning for an extended ministry career.

Conclusions: Job facets are not the cause of job satisfaction among long-tenured Protestant pastures and they are not just predisposed to job satisfaction. Their job satisfaction arises from a combination of who they are as people when they arrive at the job and the way they practice or experience the job.

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