A Study to Understand the Experiences of Black American Christian Women in Leadership Positions Who Serve Within the Black Church

This study contributes to the gap in academic literature through the identification of themes within the participants' experiences of being a Black American female leader within the Black church. This study uses a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative design to understand the experiences of Black American Christian women in leadership positions who serve within the Black church. The findings offer insight into the role of race, gender, religion, and environmental factors in the human experience. Through this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological research approach, data were analyzed to find universal themes of commitment to calling, pastor idolization, exclusion, navigating church culture, balancing personal and ministry life, mental health challenges, spiritual parent discipleship, and gender bias experienced by all participants who are Black women serving in leadership positions within the Christian Black church. Implications for counselor education are provided.