Professional Dissertations DMin

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Project Report

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry

College

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Program

Doctor of Ministry DMin

First Advisor

Jeanette Bryson

Second Advisor

Barry Gane

Third Advisor

Roger Dudley

Abstract

Problem

Providing leadership for a diverse Papua New Guinea (PNG) remains a challenge for the Seventh-day Adventist church. There are more than 750 languages in current use and yet very little is being done to provide representation or give consideration to the cultural differences.

Method

A mixed-method research, both qualitative and quantitative, that included a review of literature, interviews, case studies, and a survey designed for use in PNG was used to conduct this research designed to explore and identify the knowledge of leadership from the context of PNG and how that understanding influences the support, perceptions, and practices of the Church..

Results/Findings

PNG, despite its diversity, is grouped into two main people groups: the Austronesians and the non-Austronesians. Scholars in the area of anthropology have thus identified two cultural leadership practices that are dominant in PNG: Big Man and Chieftancy—and a cause for the tension. Research substantiates that developing a cross-cultural servant model of leadership that speaks to the diversity in PNG sensitive to the issues of respect, fairness, justice, and unity is paramount for leadership practices to succeed.

Conclusions

PNG, composed of diverse people groups, will experience difficulties if led strictly from either a Chieftancy or Big Man mindset. Both practices, however, thrive on serving others. The first step in providing servant-leadership training is to develop a process based on the biblical model. The Jesus model, if followed, would unify the leadership for the Seventh-day Adventist church in PNG and its associate area, the South Pacific Division and the Seventh-day Adventist Church at-large.

Subject Area

Seventh-day Adventists--Papua New Guinea, Servant-leadership--Religious aspects--Seventh-day Adventists, Servant-leadership--Cross-cultural studies

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/dmin/279/

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