A Qualitative Study Exploring Lead Pastor Perceptions on the Influence of Their Leadership Style

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate lived experiences of lead pastors in the northwest region of the Assemblies of God (AG) on the effect of their leadership style on ministerial staff motivation. The purpose of the study was to gain a better understanding of which leadership styles lead pastors found most helpful in motivating their ministerial staff. The study employed a qualitative, phenomenological methodology to gather detailed data from participants who met research criteria and conveyed an expansive perspective of their lived experiences. The researcher amassed detailed information from multiple AG lead pastors from the AG northwest region, comprising the Northwest Ministry Network, Oregon Ministry Network, Alaska Ministry Network, Montana Ministry Network, Wyoming Ministry Network, and the Southern Idaho Ministry Network. The researcher conducted 16 interviews to collect data showing how pastoral leadership influences motivation of ministerial staff. The findings revealed emergence of staff development, downward empowerment, teamwork, psychological safety, and fair treatment as frequent to highly frequent motivational factors. Authoritarian leadership factors repeatedly surfaced as a highly frequent demotivational factor. Key findings suggest the preceding factors influence ministerial staff motivation. As a result of the findings, recent guidance recommends promoting and supporting staff development, downward empowerment, teamwork, psychological safety, and fair treatment, which may increase ministerial staff motivation. As such, lead pastors, district networks, practitioners, and church policy makers can cultivate these motivational factors in their interactions with ministerial staff members to help achieve the church organization’s mission.