Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Abstract

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

College

Barnett College of Ministry & Theology

Department

Department of Christian Ministries and Religion

Primary Advisor

Dr. Micheal Robinson

Second Advisor

Dr. David Cantillo

Third Advisor

Dr. Jeremy Sims

Abstract

This dissertation examines how collaborative leadership, grounded in theological and practical applications, impacts ministry effectiveness in United Pentecostal Churches (UPCI) in the Southeastern United States. It employed a mixed-methods design, with in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with twelve senior UPCI pastors, and quantitative surveys administered to 63 members of their core leadership teams. Although collaborative leadership is a widely held ideal in ministry, a gap often exists between its theory and its practical implementation. The findings reveal a significant convergence in the relational, visionary, and developmental dimensions of collaboration. The pastors are theologically committed to rejecting autocratic models. They are perceived by their teams as highly effective at building trust; cultivating a safe, collaborative climate; and unifying teams around a clear, compelling vision. These strengths correlate with increased ministry effectiveness, congregational unity, and reduced pastoral burnout. However, the study also identifies a critical divergence in systemic and operational areas. Data triangulation shows a significant gap between pastors’ stated commitment to accountability structures and ministry excellence, as their teams reported weak “results-driven” structures for performance monitoring and feedback. The study concludes that the collaborative praxis in these churches is strong in vision and in relational and personal development, but underdeveloped in operational terms. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the model requires integration of the visionary and relational foundations with formal systems for accountability and ministry excellence.

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