"Can These Bones Live?" The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership & Church Revitalization
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between Transformational Leadership Theory and church revitalization. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. (1) To what extent do pastors who led Kentucky Baptist Convention churches through a successful revitalization exhibit the characteristics of Transformational Leadership? (2) What, according to the pastors, were the primary causes of the revitalization? The MLQ survey by Mind Garden, Inc. was used to investigate the first question by comparing a target sample with a comparative group who did not lead a revitalization. Scoring on the MLQ confirmed that those in the target sample were transformational leaders. The comparative group, however, were also transformational leaders. That finding suggests that transformational leadership was not the primary factor in church revitalization. Interviews were conducted with representatives from the target group to answer the second research question. The interviewees identified “community engagement” as the primary factor in their church revitalizations.