Abstract:
This article contends that major changes are taking place in society to such a
degree that a revision of Christian leadership paradigms is necessary to respond
effectively to these changes. The nature of the changes taking place in society and
the extent to which these changes are taking place are rendering existing leadership
paradigms ineffective to the point of rendering some approaches to leadership
obsolete. The article proposes that the Church adopt an Equipping paradigm
of Christian Leadership, and that the text of Ephesians 4:11- J 2 be used as the
basis of this paradigm. Not only must the text be given greater precedence when
constructing leadership paradigms in general, but the text also offers a new organising
centre for a theology of Christian leadership. The article concludes with
a brief examination of the possible implications of an Equipping paradigm for
Ecclesiology, Leadership Practice, the Challenge of Transitioning to an Equipping
Paradigm in Churches and for the Training of Leaders.
Description:
This article is a partial condensation of a recently completed PhD thesis entitled
"Redefining The Christian Leader's Role based on Ephesians 4:11-12: The
Leader as Equipper". The bibliographic details of the thesis lists Prof J Muller as
Supervisor, University of Pretoria, and Dr. Linzay Rinquest as Co-Supersvisor,
Cape Town Baptist Seminary.
