Bridging Faith and Family: The Role of Spiritual Leaders in Marital Enrichment

Background: Spiritual leaders play a central role in promoting healthy marriages within Christian communities through pastoral guidance, counseling, and faith-based teachings. However, empirical evidence on the extent to which their engagement contributes to marital enrichment remains limited, particularly in the Kenyan context. Aim: This study examined the role of spiritual leaders in enriching marriages among Christian couples in selected mainstream churches in Kitui Central, Kitui County, Kenya. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional research design was employed. Data were collected from 82 married couples selected through simple random sampling using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Results: Respondents generally perceived spiritual leaders positively, particularly in promoting forgiveness and reconciliation (M = 4.32) and being approachable for marital advice (M = 3.87). The overall perception of spiritual leaders' role was moderately positive (M = 3.43, SD = 0.49). However, regular teaching on marriage received the lowest rating (M = 2.02). A weak positive but statistically non-significant relationship was observed between spiritual leaders' engagement and marital enrichment (r = 0.177, p = 0.112). Regression analysis further indicated that spiritual leaders' engagement did not significantly predict marital enrichment (β = 0.434, p = 0.112), explaining only 3.1% of the variance. Conclusion: Spiritual leaders provide valuable pastoral and emotional support to married couples, particularly through guidance, accessibility, and the promotion of forgiveness. Nevertheless, strengthening structured marriage education and integrating evidence-based marital support interventions within church ministries may enhance their contribution to marital enrichment.

Spiritual leaders, marital enrichment, marriage counseling

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