Leadership Crises In Churches

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RESEARCH PROJECT TOPIC ON LEADERSHIP CRISES IN CHURCHES

 

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to look into the Nigerian church’s leadership crisis. This study used a survey research design. To collect the 900 respondents required for the study, cluster random selection was used. The instruments used to determine the influence of leadership crises in churches on the expansion of churches in Nigeria were a kind of questionnaire divided into two sections and an interview. The data was analyzed using descriptive data analysis, which included percentages, means, and t-tests. The study’s main findings are that leadership crises in churches lead to jealousy, envy, and wrangling within the church; it contributes to the church’s numerical decline; it has resulted in hatred between members and between leaders and their members, and has thus devolved into physical confrontation among the various factions formed. It has paved the path for the wrong people to become church leaders. The church’s unity has been jeopardized by divisions or various factions. Members and leaders’ prayer lives, evangelizing spirits, and devotion to Bible study have all been reduced as a result of leadership problems in churches, and moral degradation has resulted. It was suggested that Church leadership crises can be overcome if members and clergy perceive leadership as a way of serving God and mankind rather than themselves. Members and clergy alike should strive to embody Christ’s humility.

 

CHAPTER 1

                                                INTRODUCTION

   1.1 Background to the Study no

Leadership is ideal in every existing culture or organization, in general. This is due to the fact that human civilization requires leadership. Without leadership, a community or organization is like a flock of sheep without a shepherd; there will be chaos, disorder, and anarchy, and nothing positive will be accomplished. Leadership, according to Oluwasegun (2005), is the ability to achieve consensus and commitment to common goals that go beyond organizational needs and can be achieved by experience, participation, and satisfaction from the working group. Leadership may also be defined as a relationship in which one person, or the leader, persuades others to collaborate on related duties willingly in order to achieve the leader’s goals. It’s a compass. Management’s capacity to persuade subordinates to work confidently and enthusiastically toward a group’s objectives is known as leadership. It implies that the leader accepts responsibility for the group’s attainment of its goals, and that trust and collaboration from both parties must be demonstrated at all times (Oluwasegun 2005).

Even before the modern concepts of leadership came into being, the apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul in the Pastorals lists the qualifications for church leaders to ensure sustainable growth and survival (Dairo, 2007). These have remained the model for ages. For any church leader to steer the ship of the church successfully, these qualities must be imbibed. But contemporary experience in Nigeria has shown a marked departure from this Pauline list of qualifications for church leaders which has really affected growth and survival of churches. The level of understanding expected from both the leaders and the followers is missing in most cases. This often results in crises within “the body of Christ”.

Leadership squabbles are a feature of the global system of governance. That is why the world is constantly beset by chaos, disorder, division, and crises. As a result, the Christian Church, which was supposed to be the answer to the world’s problems, particularly those of leadership, has become part of the issue. The church is supposed to teach the world, yet it appears that the opposite is true. The church follows the secular model of political campaigning, bribery, and corruption, implying that there is no distinction between secular and church politics. Due to the influence of politics in the church, it has inevitably found its way there.

The early Christian church did not experience  leadership crisis, but as the church grew, the desire for materialism, power, and popularity seeped in, allowing for conflict and the proliferation of churches. Leadership  crisis can create  a battleground for power battles among diverse groups, victimising the community and destroying pastoral leadership and church growth, rather than a haven of comfort and security. The failure of a pastor to resolve conflicts with other members of the church is the most common reason for his removal from ministry (Sande, 2004).

This study, therefore examines Leadership Crises in churches. It will also investigate

its implication for the growth of the church.

   1.2 Statement of the Problem

The notion of Leaders  as solitary heroes controlling their organisations from on high will have to be abandoned in the knowledge era. Even when followed, top-down commands foster a culture of fear, distrust, and internal competition, which discourages collaboration and cooperation. They encourage conformity rather than commitment, but true commitment is the only way to achieve courage. Imagination, patience, and perseverance, which will be required in the future, will be spread among a varied group of individuals and teams that will share responsibility for the organization’s destiny.

This research project is primarily concerned with the current church’s leadership issue. The existing church culture is barely surviving. It subsists on the labour, money, and energy of preceding generations under a former world order.

Church leadership crises pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s Christian unity. The pluralistic aspect of Nigerian society is most likely to blame for this. However, in Nigeria today, church leadership difficulties are seen in church elections and personnel transfers, causing a halt in the church’s expansion.

   1.3   Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this research is to find out the implication of Leadership crises in Churches for the growth of churches in Nigeria. The specific objectives are to:

  1. examine the factors responsible for Leadership crises in Churches in Nigeria
  2. examine the implication of Leadership crises in Churches for the physical growth of churches in Nigeria
  3. examine the implication of Leadership crises in Churches for the spiritual growth of churches in Nigeria

   1.4   Research Questions

This study focuses on providing explanations to the following questions:

  1. What are the factors responsible for Leadership crises in Churches in Nigeria?
  2. What is the implication of Leadership crises in Churches for the growth of churches in Nigeria?
  3. What is the implication of Leadership crises in Churches for the spiritual growth of churches in Nigeria?

   1.5 Significance of the Study

This research will be useful to public and private institutions, particularly churches, in identifying hidden causes of crises and prudently managing the situation utilizing crisis management tools. The study will also provide a template for church leaders to use in order to effectively direct resources in order to avoid crisis situations in the church. Academics and practitioners working in the subject of crisis management are likely to benefit greatly from the study.

The suggestions and recommendations that will be made will aid in reducing the church’s leadership issues. It will also educate the Christian community about the dangers this poses to the physical and spiritual growth of Nigerian churches. This research will serve as a resource for people interested in studying or conducting research in this field. Individuals who want to do more research in this area in the future will benefit from the findings.

   1.6   Scope of the Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate leadership issues in Nigerian churches. As a result, the findings of this study can be applied to a wide range of Nigerian churches.

 

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