Professional Dissertations DMin

Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Project Report

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry

College

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Program

Doctor of Ministry DMin

First Advisor

Bruce L. Bauer

Second Advisor

Rudi Maier

Abstract

Problem

Albania opened to Christian missions in 1992. The church is new and the pastors are young and with limited experience. Initial rapid growth has been followed by slow decline. Leadership and leadership development is in the hands of foreign missionaries with limited experience in Albania. There is a need to develop culturally-appropriate, apostolic leadership for a country with a predominately Muslim population.

Method

Library research, questionnaires, interviews, and observations were conducted to develop an understanding of the Project Director, the Albanian culture, a theology of leadership and church, and methods in leadership development. An appreciative inquiry approach was used to create and implement a plan for developing apostolic leadership.

Results

Apostolic leadership was chosen as the preferred leadership model to plant the church in this recently-entered country. An appreciative inquiry summit was conducted that successfully partnered young Albanians with experienced foreign missionaries in creating a preferred pattern for leadership. A plan was partially developed and implemented. There is greater confidence and enthusiasm in leadership but the process is at an early stage of implementation. If proven to be effective, this approach will help develop apostolic leadership in the current pastors of the Albanian Church and provide for future generations of leaders.

Conclusion

An apostolic leadership approach created through appreciative inquiry will increase the effectiveness of the leadership of the Albanian Church. It affirms the skills and experience of the Albanian pastors and creates ownership through participation. Apostolic leadership will increase the health and growth of the church.

Subject Area

Christian leadership--Seventh-day Adventist; Leadership--Religious aspects--Christianity; Seventh-day Adventists--Albania

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/393/

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