Date of Award

Fall 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Joshua D. Henson

Second Advisor

Dr. Bethany Peters

Third Advisor

Dr. Houston Thompson

Abstract

The transformational leadership model is associated with positive outcomes in the follower experience, as well as in educational, healthcare, and business sectors. There is limited research on the impact of transformational leadership on church health and growth (George & Sreedharan, 2023; Kouni et al., 2018; Rahmatulloh et al., 2023; Tian & Guo, 2024). The purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore how transformational leadership contributes to the health and growth of Nazarene churches in the Africa East Field (comprising Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda). Eight pastoral leaders were interviewed to share their thoughts, perspectives, and experiences via Zoom. Five themes and 10 related categories emerged from the research. First, the theme of Pastor as Shepherd-Leader included the categories of Pastoral Character, Role of the Pastor, Pastoral Leadership, and Pastoral Preparation. Next, Adherence to Foundational Truths encompassed the categories of The Role of the Holy Spirit and Sound Doctrine. Interconnectedness between Church Growth and Church Health functioned both as a theme and a category. Effective Church Ministry incorporated the categories of Church Characteristics and Activity of the Church. Finally, the fifth theme, Overcoming Adversity, was also a category. Theoretical and practical implications, along with suggestions for future research, are included.

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