A Mixed Methods Multiple Case Study of Church-Based Multiethnic Leadership Development Programs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to better understand how multiethnic churches develop leaders from within their congregations. The urgency for this study arises from two observations. First, the biblical-theological narrative points towards leadership teams reflecting the ethnic makeup of the environment in which they are situated. Second, leadership teams that match the diversity of their context have been demonstrated to better reach their cities and the next generation and more effectively lead diverse churches. These two convictions, in combination with demographic trends that point toward a diversifying United States, create a need to develop leaders who will faithfully and effectively lead the next generation of multiethnic American Christians. If we are to develop these leaders for tomorrow, then we must better understand how multiethnic churches are developing these leaders today.

The research sought to identify two aspects of leader development within the multiethnic church context: (1) the desired outcomes for developing leaders and (2) the designed strategies for accomplishing those outcomes. A mixed-methods design was utilized by which a questionnaire established the desired outcomes and in-depth interviews uncovered the strategies.

Chapter 1 outlines the theological and practical need to better understand leader development in a multiethnic church context. Chapter 2 presents the precedent literature in the field of leadership development. This chapter is organized from broad to narrow, starting with the historical development of leadership theory, followed by Christian leadership development literature. Finally, this chapter presents literature addressing leader development in a multiethnic church context.

Chapter 3 overviews the mixed-methods multiple case study methodology utilized in this research study. Chapter 4 presents the findings from the research study. Specifically, the themes from the coded interview transcripts and an in-depth analysis of the leader outcomes questionnaire are provided. Chapter 5 summarizes the findings from chapter 4, relates them back to the precedent literature, lists possible implications for multiethnic churches, and suggests further areas of needed research.