Strategy for Adopting Servant Leadership Practices by the Local Church Elders in the Greater Equatoria Field

Abstract

This study was envisaged to help local church elders to adopt servant leadership as their primary style of leadership. They adopt this by implementing clearly identified practices of servant leadership. The initial observation indicated that local church elders in Greater Equatoria Field of the Seventh-day Adventist Church were not practicing servant leadership. The study of the lives of selected biblical characters demonstrate that servant leadership is biblical, although Robert K. Greenleaf is credited for coining the phrase “servant leadership” as well as popularizing it as a style of leadership. The literature review indicates that servant leadership is popular in secular circles and among religious groups. The Seventh-day Adventist Church encourages its practice. This style of leadership is defined as the leader putting the interests of the led above his/her personal interest. It occurs when the actions of a leader make the followers wiser, freer, healthier, more autonomous and more likely themselves to become servant leaders. Therefore, this study presents ten practices that were drawn from the literature review. The initial survey that used both the qualitative and quantitative (mixed/blended) methods revealed that there was a need to train elders in the servant leadership practices that were identified, although there was evidence that these elders were perceived to be already practicing some of these practices. Seminars were conducted for twenty hours in each of the four churches. After elders were trained, they implemented what they had learnt for three months or more. A final evaluation was conducted in two of the four churches that participated in the implementation of servant leadership practices. The evaluation was done using qualitative research method. The results were presented through a narrative inquiry. For the duration of the implementation, eight (80%) of the ten elders evaluated implemented two (20%) of the ten practices identified. Most have implemented vision casting and the church as a center of healing. The result of the evaluation exceeded expectation as indicated in the logical framework. It was expected that six (60%) of the elders evaluated would have practiced one (10%) of the ten servant leadership practices identified. The elders expect further training in these areas. It is the intention of the researcher to transform the seminars into a handbook called The Elders’ Handbook on Servant Leadership. This handbook may be used in the future for training as other trainers are developed.