CHRISTIAN WOMEN PRAYER ASSEMBLIES AND MARRIAGE STABILITY IN IKORODU LAGOS STATE

Abstract

Although marriage between men and women is a universal phenomenon, women usually play a central role in relationship maintenance which often-times places a strain on them. Existing studies have dealt with different aspects of women’s lives and their spirituality, there is however a dearth of scholarship in linking women’s spiritual engagement in a Christian women’s prayer assembly and the stability of marriages. This study was, therefore, designed to examine the relationship between Christian women prayer assemblies and the stability of marriages, by exploring the influence of the assemblies on marriage stability, the benefits, challenges, and the combination of marriage and church attendance in Ikorodu, Lagos State. Needs and Gender Role theories provided the framework. Convenience sampling and mixed-methods design were used. Primary data was collected from 346 respondents and 40 informants in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (126 respondents and 12 informants), Joy Cometh Ministries (72 respondents and nine informants), Christ Apostolic Church (59 respondents and seven informants), New Covenant Gospel Church (48 respondents and seven informants), and We are Alive in Him Overcomers Ministry (41 respondents and five informants) using convenience and purposive sampling techniques. The frequency and benefits of their attendance, spousal support, and the timing of the programme with their family roles were among the questions answered. Participant observation was used to collect data on activities within the assemblies. Books, online articles, and journals were used as secondary data sources. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, while thematic and narrative analyses were adopted for qualitative data. Respondents age range from 18 to 55 and above, with 53.0% having a bachelor’s degrees. Marriage length ranged from a few months to more than ten years. Majority Women (74.8%) believed the prayer assemblies had an impact on their marriage stability. While a few women, however, believed that individual attitude and spousal communication were most important for marriage stability. They also perceived (25.2%) that a woman could leave the marriage to preserve her life should prayers and interventions fail. Majority (96.7%) of women believed that attending prayer assemblies was beneficial in terms of peace of mind and child training. Most in-laws of women (87%) did not object to their attendance at the assemblies. However, (13%) had in-laws who objected. The in-laws who objected were of a different religion. Furthermore, spousal awareness (64%) and support (87%) were high among the participants. Participants had opposing views on how to balance routine housework and attend assembly meetings. The liturgy of the women prayer assemblies investigated was similar, and the wife of the presiding pastor was head of the assemblies. The participation of male pastors in offering prayers, as well as the institution and nature of the annual women's conference, are significant differences among the assemblies studied. Women attending prayer assemblies perceived that the meetings contributed to the stability of their marriage. Further research should explore men prayer assemblies towards understanding how they are similar or different from women assemblies.