Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Joshua D. Henson

Second Advisor

Dr. Debra J. Dean

Third Advisor

Dr. Darin Poe

Abstract

Congregations across the United States are experiencing significant declines in youth and young adult engagement and retention, raising a red flag when thinking about the long-term sustainability of the church. While previous research has focused on senior pastoral leadership, there has been limited exploration of youth pastor leadership and its effects on church growth and adolescent retention. This qualitative study utilizes McGavran’s church growth theory to investigate how youth pastors’ leadership styles influence ministry effectiveness. This research used semistructured interviews with six youth pastors from diverse congregations to collect the data. After completing thematic analysis, four themes emerged: (a) the multifaceted role of youth pastors, highlighting their unique administrative and relational responsibilities; (b) leadership styles and their impact, highlighting the efficaciousness of relational, transformational, and servant leadership on student ministry; (c) vision and strategic ministry planning, emphasizing the need for clear and adaptable strategies; and (d) adaptability and digital discipleship, underscoring the significance of cultural and technological engagement with students. These findings exhibited that intentional intergenerational mentoring relationships, parental engagement, and the employment of an adaptive leadership style profoundly influence youth retention. Moreover, the study identifies youth ministry vision alignment as vital to congregational growth. Churches that prioritize relationship-driven discipleship and student leadership empowerment experience stronger engagement from students. This research contributes to the leadership literature by offering practical strategies to enhance youth ministry effectiveness and providing insights for churches aiming to cultivate thriving, intergenerational congregations.

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