Ohanessian, C. (2023). Reaching out, drawing in: The lived experience of evangelical ministers’ wives as spiritual leaders [Unpublished Master’s thesis]. Alef Trust & Liverpool John Moores University.

This multi-site case study explores the lived experience of nine evangelical ministers’ wives in their roles as spiritual leaders. Five major themes are uncovered: Faith as primary motivator; Freedom to choose their own path; the importance of Relationships; Service, or finding meaning in doing for others; and Coming Home to Self, which is the culmination of the self-actualisation processes for each participant. To better understand the underlying motivations for each woman’s leadership and Coming Home to Self, underlying value systems are explored using a modified version of the SVT Model of Relations among 10 Basic Values. Results indicate two distinct mythologies under which the participants have created their roles: Drawing In, which aims to bring others into alignment with their religious beliefs and subculture, and Reaching Out, which aims to understand the perspectives of others without a proselytising agenda. The two mythologies are each rooted in love, and though distinct from one another, they each have transpersonal self-actualising characteristics.