Transforming the Leadership Development Culture in Church Revitalizations: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

As the church in North America declines, many search for answers to turn the tide. One avenue is church revitalization: turning plateaued or declining churches into growing churches once again. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between leadership development culture and church revitalizations. Phase 1 of the study identified growing, declining, and plateaued churches. In phase 2, churches that met the criteria of revitalization were invited to participate in a survey related to their experiences. In phase 3, select churches that identified leadership development as a significant influence on their revitalization participated in interviews. The interviews examined how churches developed leaders and how this contributed to revitalization. The study identified key factors of how the revitalized churches transformed leadership development environment. The study also identified implications for pastors, churches, and seminaries. Finally, research applications are discussed for pastors and church wanting to experience revitalization.