Re-Framing Pastoral Leadership: Exploring New Assumptions for Ministry in a Changing Culture.

2007·12.1 MB·English

by  TIMOTHY DANE COX

RE-FRAMING PASTORAL LEADERSHIP:
EXPLORING NEW ASSUMPTIONS FOR MINISTRY
IN A CHANGING CULTURE.
A THESIS
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
TIMOTHY DANE COX
MAY, 2007
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DEDICATION
I dedicate this project to my wife; Autumn; she, more than any other, has
encouraged, challenged, and helped me to love Jesus with my whole heart. And to our
daughters, Devin, Charissa, and Analise; may you always know that you only need to be
you! I love the four of you with my whole heart.
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CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . viii
LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . x
PREFACE . . . . . . . . . xi
ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . xiii
Chapter
1. THE PROBLEM AND SETTING . . . . 1
The Nature of the Cultural Shift: A Season of Change 1
The End of a Season of Contentment. . . 2
The Impact of the Shift on the Role and Tasks of
Leadership . . . . . 6
The Cultural Shift and Its Influences on the North
American Church . . . . 14
The Current Challenge to Church Leaders . . 18
Research Questions . . . . . 23
Definitions . . . . . 26
Assumptions . . . . . . 27
2. THEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK . . . . 29
New Creation in the Jewish Scriptures:
An Overview . . . . . 35
Jesus: The Spirit and the Promise of God 48
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Paul: The Sprit as the Renewed Presence of God 61
3. LITERATURE REVIEW . . . . . 65
Introduction . . . . . . 65
Defining Leadership . . . . . 67
The Creative Art of Self-Leadership . . . 83
The Fundamental State of Leadership. . . 90
The Question of Mental Models . . . 94
Transformative Learning . . . . 97
Summary Comments on the Nature of Leadership . 97
Pastoral Education . . . . . 101
Professional Development . . . . 104
Leadership Development . . . . 120
Theoretical Propositions . . . . 121
4. PROJECT DESIGN . . . . . . 125
Methodology: Research Orientation . . . 127
Selection of Appropriate Methods of
Data Collection . . . . 129
Research Design . . . . . 130
Methods of Data Collection . . . . 133
Project Design . . . . . 144
Summary . . . . . . 160
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5. PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF CASE STUDIES . 162
Introduction . . . . . . 162
Data Gathering Process . . . . 163
Conceptions of Leadership at the Beginning of
the Program . . . . . 164
Case Studies . . . . . . 167
Conceptions of Leadership at the End
of the Program . . . . 180
Case Studies . . . . . . 183
Data from Interviews on Changes in
Leaders’ Thinking . . . . 200
Summary of Data of Leaders’ Thinking . . 204
Presentation and Analysis of Data on
Pastoral Leaders’ Practice . . . 209
Data From Interviews and Writings . . . 210
Summary of Analysis of Leaders’ Practice . . 215
6. OUTCOMES . . . . . . . 222
Key Findings From the Research . . . 225
Summary of Research Findings . . . 237
An Overview of the Process of the Program . . 240
Implications of this Study . . . . 246
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Recommendations for Future Research . . 250
Ongoing Issues . . . . . 251
Conclusion . . . . . . 253
APPENDIX
A. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS . . . . . 256
B. PROGRAM OVERVIEW . . . . . 258
C. EXTRACT OF TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW WITH JULIE 262
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . 264
VITA . . . . . . . . . 271
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TABLES
TABLE TITLE PAGE
4.1 Summary of Two Paradigms 128
4.2 Pastoral Leadership Development Program Phases 145
4.3 Summary of Links between Phases of the Program,
Theoretical Bases, and Methods of Data Collection 155
4.4 Summary of Research Methods 161
5.1 Frequency of Concepts within Categories in
Concept Map 1 165
5.2 Interviewees. Concept Frequencies from Map 1 167
5.3 Frequency of Concepts Within Categories in
Concept Map 2 181
5.4 Category Comparisons between Concept Map 1
and Concept Map 2 182
5.5 Interviewees’ Concept Frequencies from Map 2 184
5.6 Interviewees’ Concept Frequencies from
Concept Maps 1 and 2 185
5.7 Interviewees’ Comments on Leader’s Thinking 200
5.8 Summary of Changes in Leaders’
Assumptions of Pastoral Leadership 205
5.9 Summary of Changes in Leaders’ Thinking
About Themselves as Leaders 207
5.10 Summary of Changes in Leaders’ Practice 216
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FIGURES
FIGURE TITLE PAGE
3.1 Framework for Pastoral Leadership
Development Program 121
5.1 Amy’s first concept map 169
5.2 Julie’s first concept map 172
5.3 Vernon’s first concept map 174
5.4 Jared’s first concept map 176
5.5 Sky’s first concept map 178
5.6 Amy’s second concept map 187
5.7 Julie’s second concept map 190
5.8 Vernon’s second concept map 193
5.9 Jared’s second concept map 195
5.10 Sky’s second concept map 197
6.1 A Revised Framework for Pastoral
Leadership Development Programs 239
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have many to thank for this project. All thanks must first go to God who gave
me my life and my calling as a pastor. It continually amazes me that He has chosen to use
someone like me to make a difference in the lives of others. Thanks to my Dad and
Momma who encouraged me from the time I was a child to be no one else but me.
Thanks also for your encouragement, support and provision for my pursuit of this degree.
Thanks to the Board and congregation of Miami Valley Community Church who have
allowed me a place to learn and grow. Thanks for the time and encouragement you
provided through this process. Thanks especially to my small group. You are for me a
source of comfort and joy. Thanks to those who serve on the staff with me: Jason, Duane,
Kevin, Tammy, and Sandra; thanks for modeling Jesus in your leadership and
challenging me to do the same.
I am indebted to my mentor and teacher from Gordon-Conwell: Jack Lindberg,
who challenged me to find my voice, and my thesis advisor Steve Klipowicz. Steve,
you’re more than a footnote. You challenged and encouraged through the process.
Special thanks to my colleagues in this DMin cohort. You encouraged my gifts and
nurtured my soul.
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