Follow me as I follow Christ: The pastor, the church, and the Missio Dei

This dissertation examines how a pastor leads a congregation to understand the mission God calls them to in the world today. Years of struggle within the church has led many mainline congregations to become inwardly focused Changes in the church as well as changes in the culture require a change in the way pastors affectively lead congregations. This dissertation examines the leadership that is required to journey with a congregation through a process of transformation. The process, developed by the Center for Parish Development in Chicago, is designed to help congregations move from an inward focus on maintenance to a missional focus in the world God loves. From the perspective of one who has been involved in the church throughout life, the pastor observes and reflects on leadership behavior of six pastors in the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church whose congregations are involved in the transformation process. Discover, along with the pastor, the simple, timeless leadership behaviors that can help a congregation find its place in God's mission in the world today.