Professional Documents
Culture Documents
(Download PDF) Transformational Pastoral Leadership Ushering in Lasting Growth and Maturity Tim Gregory Full Chapter PDF
(Download PDF) Transformational Pastoral Leadership Ushering in Lasting Growth and Maturity Tim Gregory Full Chapter PDF
(Download PDF) Transformational Pastoral Leadership Ushering in Lasting Growth and Maturity Tim Gregory Full Chapter PDF
https://ebookmass.com/product/learning-transformational-
leadership-a-pedagogical-and-practical-perspective-stig-
ytterstad/
https://ebookmass.com/product/crucial-influence-leadership-
skills-to-create-lasting-behavior-change-3rd-edition-joseph-
grenny/
https://ebookmass.com/product/crucial-influence-leadership-
skills-to-create-lasting-behavior-change-3rd-edition-joseph-
grenny-2/
https://ebookmass.com/product/product-maturity-
volume-2-principles-and-illustrations-1st-edition-franck-bayle/
CISM All-in-One Gregory
https://ebookmass.com/product/cism-all-in-one-gregory/
https://ebookmass.com/product/the-rise-of-carry-the-dangerous-
consequences-of-volatility-suppression-and-the-new-financial-
order-of-decaying-growth-and-recurring-crisis-tim-lee/
https://ebookmass.com/product/product-maturity-1-theoretical-
principles-and-industrial-applications-1st-edition-franck-bayle/
https://ebookmass.com/product/growth-and-development-planning-in-
india-k-l-datta/
https://ebookmass.com/product/philosophy-and-model-theory-tim-
button/
Transformational
Pastoral Leadership
Transformational
Pastoral Leadership
Ushering in Lasting Growth and Maturity
Tim Gregory
Santa Fe, TX, USA
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2023
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of
translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on
microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval,
electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now
known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are
exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information
in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the
publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to
the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The
publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and
institutional affiliations.
This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature
Switzerland AG.
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Contents
1 A
Case for Transformational Leadership: Leading to
Bring Change 1
Leading Toward Transformation 2
The Problem 3
Leadership 5
Discipleship 6
Influence 7
Transformational Leadership 8
The Purpose of This Book 12
The Significance of This Book 14
Bibliography 15
2 L
etter to the Philippians: Paul’s Blueprint 23
Paul’s Authority to Speak on Pastoral Leadership 24
Setting the Scene: Leaders and Laity 25
Expected Spiritual Growth: A Life of Transformation 25
Living Sacrificially: Transformed by a Relationship with Christ 28
Shining Like Stars: Continued Transformation 29
Comparison of Christ-Hymn and Isaiah’s Servant Song 30
Moving Forward: Reaching for New Heights 36
Renewed Thinking: The Doorway to Transformation 40
Virtues Described 41
Transformed Living: Touches the Pocketbook 43
v
vi Contents
3 G
odly Examples: Shining a Light for Others to See 51
Paulinian Examples 52
The Effects of Modeled Behavior 54
The Call to Local Pastoral Leaders 56
Bibliography 59
4 P
ersonal Attention: Attending to the Needs of the
Individual 61
Paulinian Examples 62
The Effects of Personal Attention 64
Call to Local Pastors 66
Bibliography 68
5 A
uthentic Behavior: Saying What You Mean and Meaning
What You Say 71
Paulinian Examples 72
The Effects of Authentic Behavior 73
The Call to Local Pastoral Leaders 75
Bibliography 78
6 G
ospel Infusion: Making the Main Thing the Main Thing 79
Paulinian Examples 80
The Effects of Gospel Infusion 82
The Call to Local Pastoral Leaders 84
Bibliography 86
7 C
orrective Teaching: Approaching the Scriptures
Responsibly and Ethically 87
Paulinian Examples 88
The Effects of Corrective Teaching 90
The Call to Local Pastoral Leaders 91
Bibliography 94
Contents vii
8 C
larity of Vision: Creating an Image for Members to
Embrace 95
Paulinian Example 96
The Effects of Clarity of Vision 98
The Call to Local Pastoral Leaders 100
Bibliography 102
9 H
umility: An Attitude for Success103
Paulinian Example 104
The Effects of Humility 105
The Call to Local Pastors 107
Bibliography 110
10 S
acrifice: Living Selflessly113
Paulinian Example 114
The Effects of Sacrifice 116
The Call to Local Pastors 118
Bibliography 120
11 L
ooking to Christ: The Pastor’s Strong Tower123
Paulinian Examples 124
The Effects of Looking to Christ 126
The Call to Local Pastors 128
Bibliography 130
12 A
Model for Transformational Pastoral Leadership:
Bringing It All Together133
Transformation Requires a New Mindset 133
Transformation Never Ends 135
Transformation Has a Purpose 136
Transformation Requires Inspiration 136
Transformation Does Not Fear Evaluation 137
Transformation for the Mission of Christ 138
A New Model 140
Bibliography 141
viii Contents
13 E
ternal Perspective: Keeping Your Eyes on the Prize143
Bibliography 149
14 G
reat Commission Driven: Keeping the Mission at the
Forefront151
Bibliography 157
15 H
umbly Sacrificial: Surrendering to the Will of God159
Bibliography 165
16 P
ersonal Involvement: Developing and Maintaining
Relationships167
Bibliography 172
17 S
criptural Evaluation: Systematic Examination of God’s
Word173
Bibliography 179
18 C
hrist Dependency: Leaning on the Lord181
Bibliography 187
19 C
ontinuum of Transformation: An Ongoing Process189
Continuum of Transformation 190
Transformational Pastoral Leadership Behaviors as a Moderator 191
Emerging Transformational Follower Behavior 193
Bibliography195
Index209
CHAPTER 1
God” (Phil. 1:9–10). Comfort (2017) points out that the completion of
the good work of which Paul wrote highlights the will of God to see all
believers transformed into the image of His Son, so that they may com-
plete the works He has prepared for them to do. Melick (1991) sees Paul’s
prayer as indicating his desire for the saints in Philippi to grow, continuing
to develop in their Christian character, living transformed lives that would
allow them to live to the fullest of God’s redemptive purpose for them.
Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi highlights several reasons for the
believer to experience ongoing transformation and how that transforma-
tion should look in order for them to fulfill the mission Christ gave to His
Church to share the gospel and make disciples of all people groups
(Ware, 2011).
The followers of Christ must experience a transformation that brings
them to a new way of living and perceiving the world they are a part of, if
they are going to be successful in completing the mission Jesus entrusted
to His Church (Engen, 1991). This transformation will require pastoral
leadership that transcends a mere transactional relationship between pas-
tors and congregants; it will require leadership that is able to deliberately,
and even systematically, usher in transformation under the power of the
Holy Spirit (Metcalf, 2015). Therefore, a model of transformational pas-
toral leadership is needed and can provide a guide to help local pastors to
lead their churches in a manner that brings about lasting change within
the hearts of their congregational members, so that in turn they may also
efficiently and confidently lead those congregational members in the work
of the Great Commission.
The Problem
The Barna Group (2017a) published a study in which they examined the
phenomenon of individuals who claimed to have Christian values and self-
identified as a Christian, but no longer attended church. For many of these
individuals the church was seen as outdated and out of touch with the
world. These people who had left their local church, but claimed to still
love Jesus, felt there was no reason for them to attend a church service.
Olson (2008) notes the fluctuation in weekly church attendance and
believes local churches have the ability to create an atmosphere in their
services that promotes the value of being there, which can create a desire
within congregants to attend Sunday morning service on a regular basis.
Hirschle (2010) examined the relationship between economic success and
4 T. GREGORY
Leadership
Drane (2000) points out that many pastors are competing with one
another over numbers, judging their own success, and being judged by
others, on the number of attendees they are able to gather in a service,
causing many pastors to lead their churches in a manner aimed at simply
attracting new people rather than making disciples. Clarke (2008) notes
that throughout Paul’s letters to the churches, the concept of leadership is
always connected to the mission of the church as Paul understood it: to
reach the world with the gospel message and then to make disciples of
those who had embraced the message. Local pastors must understand the
mission of the church and how to draw the congregations they pastor into
a profound engagement with the world for the sake of their Lord and the
advancement of the gospel message (Britton, 2009). The authority Paul
possessed as a leader of the church was wielded in a manner that looked to
advance the mission of Christ, as he established new churches and helped
converts to set off in a new way of living; Paul understood the pastoral role
as one of helping the church to advance the gospel (Carson, 2005). Paul,
as a leader, set the example of how his followers should live their lives for
the furtherance of the Gospel and gave them a pattern to imitate to ensure
they were able to fulfill the mission of Christ (Johnson, 2004).
Pastoral leaders need to understand their biblical role in mobilizing and
equipping their congregations to advance the gospel message (Witmer &
Ferguson 2010). When local pastors lose sight of the mission to reach the
world, they become absorbed with only growing and changing the church
they pastor, failing to lead their members on a transformational journey
that enables and releases them to bring the gospel message to those
trapped in darkness (Cole, 2010). Pastors need to understand their respon-
sibility to create a missionary culture within the churches they lead that
empowers members to go out and reach their communities with the gos-
pel of Christ (Elkington, 2013). When pastors fail to understand the task
they have been called to, depression and anxiety can set in, causing them
to leave the ministry and seek employment in some secular industry
(Elkington, 2013). Local pastoral leaders, who understand their role as a
leader of God’s people and the purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ
upon this earth, will be diligent to equip the saints of God to fulfill their
6 T. GREGORY
purpose in the Great Commission (Nichols, 2007; Cole, 2010). They will
set the course of the church they pastor to be a missional force in their
local community and throughout the earth, crafting a shared vision that
helps to bring transformation to their congregational members
(Nichols, 2007).
Discipleship
Research has shown that pastors overwhelmingly understand the Great
Commission to involve the total transformation of individuals who choose
to follow Christ, that it goes beyond the sharing of the gospel to making
disciples of those who embrace the message of Christ (Stone & Mettes,
2018). Unfortunately, research also shows that over half of all pastors view
themselves as having little influence, living in a state of depression where
they are unable to help the followers of Christ to transform into the new
creation they are called to live as (Barna, 2017b). The work of the Great
Commission goes beyond the preaching of the gospel for the making of
saved individuals, to the making of disciples who have received the gospel
message and are trained in the teachings of Christ in a manner that helps
to produce transformation in their lives (Hertig, 2001). Reken (1997)
notes the local church should not write down just any mission statement
that it feels comfortable with, and the pastor of the local church should be
cautious of the vision they are casting; both pastors and other leaders in
the church should take steps to ensure the mission and vision of the local
church fall in line with the Great Commission assigned by Christ to His
followers. When local churches fail to heed the Great Commission, mak-
ing disciples of fresh converts, these individuals fail to experience the true
transformation God intended for them to have in the new life He created
for them, which causes them to continue to live according to the standards
of the world they have just come out of (Beard, 2015).
The spiritual development of new believers may often go neglected by
the leadership of the local church, causing these converts to continue in
their old way of life, failing to experience the new life God desires for them
to live (Kreminski, 2015). Pastors and leaders of the local church must
purposely address the spiritual growth of new believers to help them in the
transformational process that needs to take place in order for these Christ
followers to live lives that are reflective of their Savior upon the world
(Ortberg, 2014). The spiritual formation, or lack thereof, aimed at the
Christ follower speaks directly to the transformation that will take place in
1 A CASE FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP: LEADING TO BRING… 7
their lives or the spiritual infancy they will find themselves stuck in
(Åkerlund, 2016). The purposeful spiritual development of new believers
will help to equip them to fulfill their God-given role in the Great
Commission and to ensure they are able to become a productive part of
the local church (Issler, 2010). The Apostle Paul exhorted the believers in
Philippi to live lives worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that they may be
able to strive together as one for the advancement of that gospel (Phil.
1:27). Paul expected the believers in Philippi to be prepared to move for-
ward with the work of the gospel, which required that they continue to
grow in their faith, developing spiritually (Witherington, 2011). The spiri-
tual development of new believers cannot be overlooked or discarded if
they are going to become productive parts of the local faith community.
Influence
The local church, as a part of the global Church stretched throughout
time, serves as a representation of God to the world and as such is to influ-
ence the world in a manner that is reflective of the values and beliefs that
are recorded in the Scriptures (Hanson, 1985). Although the local church
should be making an impact on the cultural values of the community it
exists within, research has shown a steady increase in the number of
American cities that can be identified as post-Christian—having once dis-
played certain Christian values, but now having discarded those values
(Barna, 2019). In the increasing number of cities that are becoming post-
Christian, the lack of influence asserted by local church bodies can be testi-
fied to. Boehme (2013) reports on the growing number of millennials
who profess to be Christians and practice daily prayer but have departed
from many of the traditional and foundational Christian values held by
previous generations. Recent research shows that only 11% of teenagers
around the world believe the Bible is the inspired word of God without
errors (Barna, 2022a). Homan et al. (2017) report on the increasing
problem of poverty in America and how despite being one of the wealthi-
est nations in the world still host one of the highest rates of poverty among
Western nations. The church in America doesn’t seem to be bringing relief
or deliverance to the poor of this nation; the influence of the local church
is not being felt on poverty as it should.
The world is filled with poverty, disease, and those who go to bed each
night with no hope; the local church has the answer to their problems and
should be diligent to exert its influence in a manner that helps their
8 T. GREGORY
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is an effective vehicle for leaders to use in
bringing change and restructuring to the organizations they lead, even
aiding them in prompting and inspiring cultural change (Abbasi &
Zamani, 2013). Organizational leaders who practice transformational
leadership have the ability to influence those they lead by the powerful and
emotional language they employ, which motivates others to respond to
such leaders in ways that help to accomplish the goals and mission of the
organization (Amernic et al., 2007). Andersen et al. (2018) performed a
qualitative multilevel study of transformational leadership and perceived
professional quality; they found that transformational leadership creates an
atmosphere of shared understanding of professional quality, which was
1 A CASE FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP: LEADING TO BRING… 9
founded upon their character and not positional power. Satyaputra (2017)
in a study of Indonesian evangelical pastors who were known to practice
transformational leadership found that they had only a small effect on the
willingness of congregational members to embrace the idea of change and
actively participate in it, with the pastor’s ability to impart a shared vision
unto congregational members being the most influential factor in their
willingness to commit to change in the church.
Transformational leadership practices can play a significant role in the
success of a senior pastor and have a direct effect on the willingness of
subordinates who are in leadership positions in the church to remain with
the church and under the guidance of the senior pastor (Smith, 2013).
Vardaman (2013) looked at the effect of Protestant pastors’ ability to lead
change within their churches and found that the pastors who practiced
transformational leadership were better suited and more effective at lead-
ing change than pastors who practiced transactional leadership. Varnado
(2018) conducted a study on pastors who practiced transformational lead-
ership, examining the effectiveness of those who had planted a church
versus those who had been called to a church that had previously been
established. He found there was no significant difference between the two
in their ability to lead spiritual development; he also found indicators that
inspirational motivation, idealized influence, and intellectual stimulation
had some effect on the pastor’s ability to help their congregational mem-
bers to grow and mature spiritually. Pastors who are not transformative in
their leadership practices will have a difficult time helping their congrega-
tional members to experience the transformation the Scriptures call for,
and their parishioners will fail to live out their new life in Christ Jesus as a
productive part of a faith family helping to advance the kingdom of their
God as they are called to do (Bray, 1991).
The local pastor is to play the role of leader, teacher, counselor, and
even manager to a degree, so that the church and its members may grow
and become productive members in the spread of the gospel and the
advancement of God’s kingdom. The pastor of the local church has both
a great and difficult responsibility in leading the members of the congrega-
tion in experiencing the life-changing transformation that God has called
them to. Transformational leadership theory provides a basis for initiating
change on an organizational level, and the local church is certainly an
organization. Pastors who are transformational in their leadership prac-
tices will find themselves more effective and proficient at leading their
congregational members in experiencing the new life Christ has prepared
12 T. GREGORY
for them, so that they may become a productive part of the local church’s
efforts to advance the gospel and make disciples of all people groups, than
those who are merely transactional in their leadership practices.
to the spotlight. Paul highlights how the Philippians had been engaged in
a life that helped to advance the gospel and how their transformational
experience was to continue to evolve, creating an image for the local
church to strive for today. The local pastor is not simply called to meet the
personal needs and demands of their congregation and be content with
keeping the status quo. Pastoral leadership should be transformational in
nature, helping congregational members to step into the new life God has
prepared for them—a life they could easily be unaware of. Academic
research has the potential to help local pastors lead in a transformational
manner. A model supported by scientific analysis and research can serve as
a valuable tool to equip and prepare local church pastors to fulfill their
calling in a productive way that brings transformation to their congrega-
tions. Through Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi a model for transfor-
mational pastoral leadership can be identified, a model that will help
pastoral leaders of the local church to usher in lasting biblical transforma-
tion that will cause their congregational members to be a force in their
communities and throughout the world for the advancement of the gospel
message and the making of disciples from all people groups around
the world.
Bibliography
Abbasi, E., & Zamani, M. (2013). The role of transformational leadership, orga-
nizational culture and organizational learning in improving the performance of
Iranian agricultural faculties. Higher education, 66(4), 505-519. https://doi.
org/10.1007/s10734-013-9618-8
Åkerlund, T. (2016). ‘To live lives worthy of God’: leadership and spiritual forma-
tion in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12. Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care,
9(1), 18-34.
Alston, J. P. (1975). II. A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Church Attendance
Patterns in the United States and France. International Journal of Comparative
Sociology, 16(3-4), 268-280. https://doi.org/10.1177/002071527501600307
Amernic, J., Craig, R., & Tourish, D. (2007). The transformational leader as peda-
gogue, physician, architect, commander, and saint: Five root metaphors in Jack
Welch’s letters to stockholders of General Electric. Human relations (New
York), 60(12), 1839.
Andersen, L. B., Bjørnholt, B., Bro, L. L., & Holm-Petersen, C. (2018). Achieving
High Quality Through Transformational Leadership: A Qualitative Multilevel
Analysis of Transformational Leadership and Perceived Professional Quality.
Public Personnel Management, 47(1), 51-72. https://doi.org/10.1177/
0091026017747270
16 T. GREGORY
Bommer, W. H., Rubin, R. S., & Baldwin, T. T. (2004). Setting the stage for effec-
tive leadership: Antecedents of transformational leadership behavior. The
Leadership Quarterly, 15(2), 195-210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
leaqua.2004.02.012
Bray, J. L. (1991). Transformational and transactional church leadership perspec-
tives of pastors and parishioners: An extension. (Ph.D.). University of Rhode
Island, Ann Arbor.
Britton, J. H. (2009). Something to Say: Pastoral Leadership and the Word.
Anglican Theological Review, 91(1), 93.
Callam, N. (2001). The mission of the church in the perspective of the World
Council of Churches’ text on the nature and purpose of the church.
International Review of Mission, 90(358), 237-242.
Carpenter, S. D. (2006). An analysis of the relationship between leadership charac-
teristics of SBC pastors and transformational leadership. (Ph.D.). The Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary, Ann Arbor.
Carson, M. L. S. (2005). For now we live: a study of Paul’s pastoral leadership in
1 Thessalonians. Themelios, 30(3), 23-41.
Carter, J. C. (2009). Transformational Leadership and Pastoral Leader
Effectiveness. Pastoral Psychology, 58(3), 261-271. https://doi.org/10.1007/
s11089-008-0182-6
Choi, K. (2006). The impact of motivational language and transformational lead-
ership of the pastor on volunteers’ job satisfaction in Korean Southern Baptist
churches in the United States. (3243509 Ph.D.). Regent University, Ann Arbor.
Clarke, A. D. (1998). ‘Be imitators of me’: Paul’s model of leadership. Tyndale
Bulletin, 49(2), 329-360.
Clarke, A. D. (2008). A Pauline theology of church leadership (Vol. 362). London;
New York: T & T Clark.
Colarelli, N. J. (2007). The challenge of pastoral leadership: servant, king, and
prophet. Human Development, 28(1), 16-22.
Cole, N. (2010). Church 3.0: Upgrades for the Future of the Church. San Francisco
Jossey-Bass.
Comfort, P. (2017). Colossians. In Comfort, P., Davids, P., Hoehner, H. W., &
Comfort, P. W. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians
(pp. 139-226). Philemon: Tyndale House Publishers, Incorporated.
Cooper, M. (2005). The Transformational Leadership of the Apostle Paul: A
Contextual and Biblical Leadership for Contemporary Ministry. Christian
Education Journal: Research on Educational Ministry, 2(1), 48-61. https://
doi.org/10.1177/073989130500200103
Drane, J. W. (2000). The McDonaldization of the church: spirituality, creativity and
the future of the church. London: Darton, Longman & Todd.
Elkington, R. (2013). Adversity in pastoral leadership: Are pastors leaving the
ministry in record numbers, and if so, why? Verbum et Ecclesia, 34(1), 1.
https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v34i1.821
18 T. GREGORY
Engen, C. E.V (1991). God’s missionary people: rethinking the purpose of the local
church. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Book House.
Freeman, P. L., Jr. (2008). An application of transformational and transactional
leadership among African American pastors’ leadership style and congregants’
commitment to the church measured by financial support and ministry involve-
ment. (D.B.A.). Nova Southeastern University, Ann Arbor.
Geiger, E., & Peck, K. (2016). Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership
Development. Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group.
Goodrich, J. K. (2013). Overseers as stewards and the qualifications for leadership
in the Pastoral Epistles. Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und
die Kunde der älteren Kirche, 104(1), 77-97. https://doi.org/10.1515/
znw-2013-0003
Grieb, A. K. (2005). “The one who called you”: vocation and leadership in the
Pauline literature. Interpretation, 59(2), 154.
Hansen, G. W. (2009). The Letter to the Philippians: Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Hanson, P. D. (1985). The identity and purpose of the church. Theology Today,
42(3), 342-352.
Harmon, M. (2015). Philippians: A Mentor Commentary: Christian Focus
Publications.
Hertig, P. (2001). The Great Commission revisited: the role of God’s reign in
disciple making. Missiology, 29(3), 343-353.
Hicks, R. J. (2016). Moral Progress in Philippians: Epaphroditus’ “Near-Death
Weakness” in Paul’s Rhetorical Strategy. Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche
Wissenschaft, 107(2), 232-265. https://doi.org/10.1515/znw-2016-0013
Hirschle, J. (2010). From religious to consumption-related routine activities?:
Analyzing Ireland’s economic boom and the decline in church attendance.
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 49(4), 673-687.
Homan, P., Valentino, L., & Weed, E. (2017). Being and Becoming Poor: How
Cultural Schemas Shape Beliefs About Poverty. Social Forces, 93(3), 1023-1048.
Hu, J., Wang, Z., Liden, R. C., & Sun, J. (2012). The influence of leader core
self-evaluation on follower reports of transformational leadership. The
Leadership Quarterly, 23(5), 860-868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
leaqua.2012.05.004
Issler, K. (2010). Six Themes to Guide Spiritual Formation Ministry Based on
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Christian Education Journal, 7(2), 366-388.
https://doi.org/10.1177/073989131000700209
Jinkins, M. (2002). Docents in the house of wonder: pastoral leadership, spiritual
transformation, and the sacred other. Journal of Religious Leadership, 1(2), 1-20.
Johnson, A. F. (2004). 1 Corinthians (Vol. 7). Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press.
Joubert, S. J. (2002). Shifting styles of church leadership: Paul s pragmatic leader-
ship style in 1 and 2 Corinthians during the organization of the collection for
Jerusalem. Verbum et Ecclesia, 23(3), 678-688. https://doi.org/10.4102/
ve.v23i3.1231
1 A CASE FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP: LEADING TO BRING… 19
Jung, D., Wu, A., & Chow, C. W. (2008). Towards understanding the direct and
indirect effects of CEOs’ transformational leadership on firm innovation. The
Leadership Quarterly, 19(5), 582-594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
leaqua.2008.07.007
Jung, D., Yammarino, F. J., & Lee, J. K. (2009). Moderating role of subordinates’
attitudes on transformational leadership and effectiveness: A multi-cultural and
multi-level perspective. The Leadership Quarterly, 20(4), 586-603. https://
doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2009.04.011
Justnes, Å. (2012). Un-Pauline Paul? Philippians 2.6-11 in Context. Symbolae
Osloenses, 86(1), 145-159. https://doi.org/10.1080/00397679.2012.705069
Keener, C. S. (1997). Matthew (Vol. 1). Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press.
Kreminski, K., & Regent University. School of, D. (2015). Development of a spiri-
tual formation model for the members of a missional church. ProQuest
Dissertations & Theses, Ann Arbor.
LaMothe, R. (2012). Broken and Empty: Pastoral Leadership as Embodying
Radical Courage, Humility, Compassion, and Hope. Pastoral Psychology, 61(4),
451-466. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-011-0417-9
Laniak, T. S. (2006). Shepherds after my own heart: pastoral traditions and leader-
ship in the Bible (Vol. 20). Downers Grove, Ill: Apollos/InterVarsity Press.
Lee, E. S. (2004). Transformational leadership among selected senior pastors in
Korea. (Ph.D.). Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Ann Arbor.
Manala, M. J. (2010). A triad of pastoral leadership for congregational health and
well-being: leader, manager and servant in a shared and equipping ministry:
original research. HTS: Theological Studies, 66(2), 1-6.
Marler, P. L., & Hadaway, C. K. (1999). Testing the Attendance Gap in a
Conservative Church. Sociology of Religion, 60(2), 175-186.
McCall, C. (2019). Pastoral Transformational Leadership: Influences on African-
American Churches. (Ed.D.). Grand Canyon University, Ann Arbor.
Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32). Nashville, Tenn:
Broadman Press.
Menges, J. I., Walter, F., Vogel, B., & Bruch, H. (2011). Transformational leader-
ship climate: Performance linkages, mechanisms, and boundary conditions at
the organizational level. The Leadership Quarterly, 22(5), 893-909. https://
doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2011.07.010
Metcalf, S. (2015). Beyond The Local Church. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press.
Muthiah, R. A. (2010). Charismatic leadership in the church: what the apostle
Paul has to say to Max Weber. Journal of Religious Leadership, 9(2), 7-27.
Nauta, R. (1998). Mosaic and Pauline charisma: the cultural relevance of religious
leadership. Journal of Empirical Theology, 11(2), 46-63.
Nichols, T. (2007). The Pastor’s Role In Vision Based Leadership. The Journal of
Applied Christian Leadership, 2(1), 20.
Olson, P. J. (2008). Any given Sunday: weekly church attendance in a midwestern
city. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 47(3), 443-461.
20 T. GREGORY
Ortberg, J. C., Jr. (2014). Soul Keeping: Caring for the most important part of you.
Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.
Osborne, G. R. (2004). Romans (Vol. 6). Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press.
Packard, J., & Hope, A. (2015). Church Refugees: Sociologists reveal why people are
done with church but not their faith. Loveland, Colorado Group.
Puls, T. R., Ludden, L. L., & Freemyer, J. (2014). Authentic Leadership and its
Relationship to Ministerial Effectiveness. The Journal of Applied Christian
Leadership, 8(1), 55-75.
Reken, C. P. V. (1997). The Mission of a Local Church. Calvin Theological
Journal, 32(2), 344.
Rowold, J. (2008). Effects of transactional and transformational leadership of pas-
tors. Pastoral Psychology, 56(4), 403-411. https://doi.org/10.1007/
s11089-008-0121-6
Rumley, D. D. (2011). Perceptions of the senior pastors’ transformational leadership
style and its relationship to the eight markers of Natural Church Development.
(Ed.D.). Indiana Wesleyan University, Ann Arbor.
Satyaputra, A. G. (2017). The Relationship between the Transformational Leadership
Style of Indonesian Evangelical Pastors and Their Followers’ Commitment to
Change in Church Ministry in Indonesia. (Ph.D.). Biola University, Ann Arbor.
Schultz, T., & Schultz, J. (2013). Why Nobody Wants to Go to Church Anymore:
And how 4 acts of love will make your church irresistible: Group Publishing,
Incorporated.
Silva, M.S (2005). Philippians (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
Smith, L. T. (2013). An analysis of transformational leadership practices:
Nondenominational pastors’ self-perceptions of leadership practices. (Ed.D.Ed.
Lead.). University of Phoenix, Ann Arbor.
Smith, M. L. (1998). Pastoral Leadership Today. Sewanee Theological Review,
41(4), 335-346.
Stone, R., & Mettes, S. (2018). Translating The Great Commission. Grand Rapids,
MI: Barna Group.
Thielman, F. S. (2009). Philippians: Zondervan Academic.
Tilstra, D. A. (2010). Charismatic leaders as team leaders: an evaluation focused
on pastoral leadership. Journal of Religious Leadership, 9(2), 27-55.
Vardaman, D. L. (2013). Leading change: exploring the relationship between trans-
formational, transactional, and change-oriented leadership and their impact on
leadership effectiveness among pastors in a protestant denomination in the mid-
western United States. (Ed.D.). Indiana Wesleyan University, Ann Arbor.
Varnado, L. J. (2018). A Comparison of Senior Pastors’ Transformational Leadership
Relationship to Spiritual Development: Church Planter vs. Church Called.
(Ed.D.). Dallas Baptist University, Ann Arbor.
1 A CASE FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP: LEADING TO BRING… 21
Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi serves as a source for some of the most
beloved quotes in the Bible, yet not only does it serve as a source for beloved
quotes but also as a blueprint for pastoral leadership, a blueprint that pres-
ent-day pastors can follow to help usher in transformation for the members
of their congregations. In the Book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul can
clearly be seen encouraging the Philippian believers toward the idea of trans-
formed living, engaging in a lifestyle that was distinctly different from the
lives they had once believed to be acceptable, a lifestyle that would lead
them in successfully accomplishing the work Christ had called them to (Phil.
1:6, 27; 2:5, 13; 3:17, 19). Paul believed that God had begun a good work
in the lives of the believers in Philippi, a work that was bringing transforma-
tion to them, and the apostle felt confident that God would continue that
transformational process (Phil. 1:9–10). The completion of the good work
of which Paul writes, highlights the will of God to see all believers trans-
formed into the image of His Son, so that they may complete the works He
has prepared for them to do (Comfort, 2008). Melick (1991) sees Paul’s
prayer as indicating his desire for the saints in Philippi to grow and continue
to develop in their Christian character, living transformed lives that would
allow them to live to the fullest of God’s redemptive purpose for them.
Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi highlights several reasons for the
believer to experience ongoing transformation and how that transformation
should look, so that they may fulfill the work of sharing the gospel and mak-
ing disciples of all people groups (Ware, 2011).
In Galatians 1 Paul claims the title for himself in the narrow sense. He rec-
ognizes that there were those who were apostles before him (1:17), but he
does not see himself as subordinate to the original apostles. If the original
apostles had been the source of his commission or the agents of his commis-
sion (as the false teachers in the Galatian church were probably suggesting),
then he would have been subordinate to them. But his authority was not
derived from a human source or even through a human agency; his author-
ity was directly given to him by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised
him from the dead. (p. 32)
Paul turns the Philippians’ attention to the work of God in their lives
when he says, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good
work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ”
26 T. GREGORY
(Phil. 1:6). God is the one who had begun the good work of salvation in
their lives, He had set them in partnership with Paul to advance the gospel
so other may partake of the same salvation, and God would be the one
continuing to work in the Philippians to strengthen and equip them to
carry out the mission of the Church at large to advance the gospel (Hansen,
2009). The work of salvation is truly a work of God from beginning to
end, even as that work continues through His followers it is still depen-
dent on His power, and this truth was one Paul was attempting to com-
municate to the church in Philippi (Silva, 2005). Paul’s statement about
God continuing the good work and bringing it to completion is directly
linked to his comments on koinōnia (sharing) in verse 5, to try and sepa-
rate the two verses would cause an error in interpreting their meaning
(Hansen, 2009; Silva, 2005). In speaking of the good work that God had
begun in the Philippians, Fee (1999) points out that Paul’s statement
speaks of God creating a people to represent Him in Philippi and acts as a
precursor to set the scene for Paul’s words in Philippians 2:12–13 where
the apostle urges the believers to continue to work out their common
salvation in the way they live and work together as God’s people in Philippi,
for God was working in them to accomplish His will in a way that was
pleasing to Him. Paul’s concern is with the church’s willingness and ability
to live out the gospel in the face of persecution and opposition in a manner
that served to advance the gospel message (Fee, 1999; Hansen, 2009;
Silva, 2005).
Paul’s statement in verse 6 also speaks to the continued process of
transformation that the Lord would be working in them, which was an
ongoing transformation that was necessary for the Philippian believers to
live as people who were a reflective image of God’s saving grace (Comfort,
2008). The sanctification process, by which God continues to work in
each believer today, is an ongoing process, one the Apostle Paul points out
will continue until the Day of Christ; the Philippians’ journey of transfor-
mation and spiritual maturity would be an ongoing one (Melick, 1991). It
was God’s responsibility to transform each believer in Philippi (and
throughout time) into the image of His Son (as Paul declared in Romans
8:28–30), but it was the responsibility of the believers in Philippi (as it is
for believers today) to cooperate with the efforts of God to bring this
transformation into their lives (Comfort, 2008). Spiritual transformation
is a lifelong process that begins at the moment of salvation and continues
in the life of each believer as God transforms them into the image of Jesus
Christ, where they share in His suffering and resurrection, as they live
2 LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS: PAUL’S BLUEPRINT 27
their lives out in a manner that serves to advance the gospel message
(Comfort, 2008; Hansen, 2009; Melick, 1991; Fee, 1999).
In verses 7–8 of the first chapter, the Apostle Paul uses language that
serves to create a special group and identity, to which the Philippians and
himself both belong, a group that shares in the grace of God (Witherington,
2011). Fee (1999) makes an important observation concerning the phrase
all of you share in God’s grace with me, pointing out that the question must
be answered to which grace is Paul referring. Some scholars see this phrase
as speaking of the saving grace of God that Paul and the Philippians shared
(Fee, 1999; Silva, 2005). Silva (2005) understands Paul to use the word
charis (grace) to speak of something beyond the saving grace of God, saying:
Fee (1999) and Silva (2005) both believe that charis as Paul uses it
refers to the Philippians and Paul being partnered together in grace that
defends and promotes the gospel in the face of persecution. Thielman
(2009) also sees Paul’s use of the word charis to go beyond simply sharing
in the saving grace of God to actual participation in the spread of the gos-
pel with the apostle. Because charis follows Paul’s use of koinōnia,
Thielman (2009) understands grace to be directly linked with the concept
of partnership, which binds the believers in Philippi to the Apostle Paul in
his efforts to advance the gospel. Reumann (2008) points out that Paul’s
use of the phrase sygkoinōnos (sharing) points to the co-responsibility the
Philippians shared with Paul in the spread of the gospel. This unique rela-
tionship served to create a special bond between the church in Philippi
and the Apostle Paul, making them part of a unique people group that
shared a similar mission (Fee, 1999; Silva, 2005; Reumann, 2008).
Paul declares the affection he has for the church in Philippi, which
seems inspired by the affection they hold for him, which the apostle finds
28 T. GREGORY
demonstrated in the way they have stood with him in his efforts to spread
the gospel (Hansen, 2009). The Philippian believers had faced persecu-
tion of their own but had not fallen back from their defense of the gospel,
and like their mentor Paul who first brought the gospel to them, they
continue to hold firm to its truths (Silva, 2005). God’s grace had brought
the Philippians and Paul together and continued to support their relation-
ship in the work of advancing the gospel (Hansen, 2009). The Philippians
did not allow their support for Paul and his mission to waver in the face of
his imprisonment, but continued to stand with the apostle, taking his
imprisonment as theirs also (Melick, 1991).
The people of Philippi took due pride in their having been made a Roman
colony by Caesar Augustus, which brought the privileges and prestige of
Roman citizenship. Paul now urges them to live out their citizenship (con-
duct yourselves) in a manner—and the sentence begins with these emphatic
words—worthy of the gospel of Christ. (p. 77)
Paul holds the belief that the heavenly Christ and His message have
already invaded the earth he now lives on and has made it possible for
himself and the Philippians to embrace a new form of citizenship that has
been given by God (Witherington, 2011). This citizenship has not elimi-
nated our earthly citizenship, but it has overshadowed it by bringing the
followers of Christ to a point where they must reevaluate their under-
standing of reality and the things they hold most dear (Ware, 2011;
Witherington, 2011).
To live worthy lives Paul tells the church in Philippi they will need to
“be united in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of
2 LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS: PAUL’S BLUEPRINT 29
the gospel” (Phil. 1:27). Paul creates an image of an athletic event when
he tells the Philippians to strive side by side, which metaphorically could
point to spiritual warfare fare and the need for the believers to work in
unity under the power of the Holy Spirit in their efforts to advance the
gospel (Kurek-Chomycz, 2017; Fee, 1999). Fee (1999) says:
They are urged thus to stand firm in/by the one Spirit so as to contend
together as one person for the faith of the gospel. Here we are at the heart
of things: their need to have harmony within the Christian community as
they live out the gospel in Philippi. The gospel is the beginning and end of
everything for Paul. Thus, for them to live out their (heavenly) citizenship
in a manner worthy of the gospel means for them to contend for the faith of
the gospel, and to do so in the unity that only the Spirit brings. All the more
so now because they are facing some kind of opposition that is resulting in
suffering. (p. 78)
The Philippian believers were to carry out their duty under the power
of the Holy Spirit that had united them in purpose and identity
(Witherington, 2011).
Paul’s exhortation for the believer in Philippi to suffer for Christ was to
be seen as a privilege and was to be expected as part of their new identity,
pointing out to them how this was a truth in his own life; Paul’s suffering
was also part of the example he gave them to follow (Ware, 2011).
Suffering for Christ does not mean headaches and heartaches that all of
humanity must endure, but rather identifying with Christ and His mis-
sion, striving to see that mission completed in a world that is hostile
toward Christ (Hansen, 2009). Harmon (2015) points out that the
believer establishes their identity in Christ through faith, but demonstrates
it through their behavior, both in actions and in words. The Philippians
were to have a clear understanding of their connection with Christ and the
responsibility and privilege that came with their new identity (Ware, 2011;
Hansen, 2009).
Lord had done (Phil. 2:1–11; Comfort, 2008). As citizens of heaven, the
Philippian believers were part of a special group whose leader had set a
pattern of life to guide them, a pattern the Apostle Paul presented to the
church in Philippi by way of the Christ-hymn (Snyman, 2005; Ware,
2011). The Christ-hymn has produced no small number of contrasting
opinions on its origin, purpose, and authorship (Collins, 2003; Reumann,
2008; Silva, 2005). Scholars have noted that the hymn is composed of
language and grammar that appears to be unlike any of the other Pauline
writings, which has led many of them to conclude that Paul perhaps bor-
rowed it from existing literature or perhaps it was even added at another
date (Justnes, 2012; Reumann, 2008; Martin & Nash, 2015). Ware
(2011) and Witherington (2011) present what seems to be the most plau-
sible explanation for the hymn when they assert the idea that the hymn
was based on the fourth Servant Song found in Isaiah 52:13–53:12. A
comparison of the servant in Isaiah and Christ in Philippians produces a
staggering number of similarities (McKenzie, 1968; Witherington, 2011;
Ware, 2011). In the Christ-hymn Paul gives a conscious interpretation of
the fourth Servant Song in Isaiah to the Philippian church (Ware, 2011).
The following table compares the Servant in Isaiah to the Servant Christ
in the hymn.
2:6 form of God; 2:7 form of a servant 52:14 his form beyond that of mortals;
53:2 no form
2:7 born in human likeness & being found 52:14 beyond human semblance & beyond
in human form that of mortals
2:7 form of a servant 52:13 my servant
2:7 he emptied himself 53:12 he emptied out his soul unto death
2:8 he humbled himself 53:7 he was brought low
2:8 unto death 53:12 unto death
2:9 he highly exalted him 52:13 he shall be exalted and lifted up,
and shall be very high
It can clearly be seen there are significant parallels between the Christ-
hymn in Philippians and the Servant Song in Isaiah, but it is also clear that
the two are not identical. The differences could be explained as a
2 LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS: PAUL’S BLUEPRINT 31
faced for their chosen attitude. Silva (2005) points out that the noun gog-
gysmos corresponds to the Hebrew noun telnāh, ̌ which brings the associa-
tion of Philippians 2:14 together with verses such as Exodus 15:24 and
Exodus 16:2. Paul makes a direct reference to the murmuring of the
Israelites in his writings to the church in Corinth, saying, “And do not
complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. These
things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written
down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come” (1
Corinthians 10:10–11). Hansen (2009) notes that like the Israelites when
traveling through the wilderness, the Philippian believers were suffering—
a privilege granted to them by God. Paul views the goggysmos as a serious
problem that could hinder the Philippians as it did the Israelites and looks
to put an end to it so that they may work in unity toward the mission of
advancing the gospel (Hansen, 2009).
Paul is concerned with the behavior of the Philippians and how those
outside the church may view them, realizing that any goggysmos would
keep them from appearing blameless to others (Fee, 1999; Silva, 2005).
Both Fee (1999) and Silva (2005) agree again that Paul is making a refer-
ence to Deuteronomy 32:5 when describing the pagan culture of Philippi,
calling it a crooked and perverse generation, in which the believers must live
and operate in. Silva (2005) notes that the complaining the children of
Israel did in the wilderness was against God, but it was also directed
toward God’s chosen leader Moses; likewise, it is probable that whatever
complaining may have been going on in Philippi was directed at the lead-
ership and therefore Paul uses the reference to Deuteronomy 32:5 to
point out to the Philippian believers that they are really complaining
against God when they murmur against the leadership of His Church.
Murmuring and arguing would serve only to cause division between the
leadership of the church and the believer therein, as well as driving a wedge
between individual believers, keeping them from their mission to advance
the gospel, so Paul sees the need to put an end to it as quickly as possible
(Hansen, 2009).
In verse 15 of chapter 2, when Paul tells the believers in Philippi to
shine like stars in the world, he appears to be making a direct reference to
the final apocalyptic vision of Daniel (Fee, 1999; Hansen, 2009; Ware,
2011; Harmon, 2015). “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness
of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever
and ever” (Daniel 12:3). Harmon (2015) says:
2 LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS: PAUL’S BLUEPRINT 33
The fear on man has greater force with us then hell, and the future torments.
For this case, in truth, all things are turned upside down; for political affairs
are daily accomplished with much earnestness, and one must not be left
behind, whilst of spiritual things there is no account taken at all; but the
things which are demanded of us of necessity, and with compulsion, as
though we were slaves, and against our will, are laid down by us with much
readiness, while such as are asked from willing minds, and as if from free
men, are again deficient. (p. 226)
and the world they live in, for the right way of thinking will lead to the
right way of behaving (Comfort, 2008). Paul strongly promotes the idea
of unity to the church in Philippi, as he calls the believers there to join in
imitating him, appealing to them to stay united with him in his relentless
pursuit of Christ (Hansen, 2009). Harmon (2015) says:
Paul desired the church to use his life as a pattern to model their own
after, which is not a statement of arrogance by the apostle but rather a lov-
ing gesture offered by a father to his children or even as a coach to his
players or team captain to his fellow athletes (Comfort, 2008). Paul
wanted to ensure that those he loved, led, and labored with would con-
tinue on the right path toward Christ and the fulfillment of the mission to
advance the gospel (Harmon, 2015; Hansen, 2009). Chrysostom (1979)
points out that Paul and the rest of the apostle served as an archetype and
example, for what they wrote down in their letters they lived out in their
action, making for the best manner of teaching and raising up disciples to
carry on the mission of Christ.
The fact that they are not merely Roman citizens but citizens of heaven
predicates Paul’s argument that the Philippians should imitate him in his
thinking and behavior (Hansen, 2009; Fee, 1999; Harmon, 2015). Paul
seeks to motivate the Philippians to imitate him by making a comparison
of those who are earthly minded and headed for destruction and the
Philippians who are citizens of heaven, who look for the triumphant return
of their Lord Jesus Christ and the day when He will transform their bodies
by His mighty power (Hansen, 2009). Chrysostom (1979) says, “For we
are citizens of heaven, where there is no turning. Prizes which change not
are held out to us. Let us make manifest this our citizenship, let us thence
already receive our good things” (p. 242). Paul was calling the Philippians
to live out their lives as citizens of God’s kingdom, in the Roman world
they currently lived in, in a manner that was worthy of the gospel; thus,
Paul’s call for the church to join in imitating him (Harmon, 2015).
In chapter 3, Paul uses the metaphor of competing in a race to illustrate
his attitude toward Christ and the mission bestowed upon him. Paul says:
38 T. GREGORY
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I
press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I
do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I
press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ
Jesus. (Phil. 3:12–14)