Pastoral leadership in transitioning communities: Congregational praxis as interpretive leadership

While numerous authors have described the need for intercultural church life and others have described the role of leadership within multicultural congregations, relatively few, if any have addressed how to help homogenous churches move toward intercultural church life. How can pastors lead homogeneous congregations to embrace intercultural life in the midst of a multicultural community? Why do pastors seem to be unable to successfully lead cultural change in congregations? Investigating expert systems and cultural influences on the church in the Southwestern U.S., specifically focusing on Southern Baptist churches, this dissertation develop a practical theological approach to pastoral leadership that embraces communal leadership. This approach utilizes conflict as an opportunity for engaging positive change through communal praxis informed by active reflection and conscientization (Friere), Appreciative Inquiry, and missional exploration of God's reign.; To arrive at these conclusions, the dissertation follows Thomas Groome's five movements: naming present praxis, critical reflection on present action, accessing Christian story/vision, appropriating Christian story/vision, decision/response for lived Christian faith. Specifically, the biblical metaphor of shepherd and the theological consideration of relational Trinitarian constructs help reshape pastoral leadership as leadership from within the flock. Hence as a fellow sheep and co-participant within God's people, pastoral leaders reshape power by means of asking questions, which lead the congregation to consider the Holy Spirit's leading and promptings (Pneumacracy---not democracy---leads the church).; By asking the church to consider God's positive and life-giving activity throughout its heritage, it becomes possible for a people to recognize the resources for change already in its grasp. The pastoral leaders then balance the need to increase pressure and decrease pressure within the congregation to promote an atmosphere suitable for change. This occurs best when the pastor avoids becoming the focal point of frustration and resistance, while also avoiding becoming "an anxious presence." For churches historically steeped in ethnocentrism and racism, being able to honestly critique their histories and to acknowledge the ways in which God's Spirit has been preparing them for intercultural life are powerful motivators toward the kind of change that reflects the eschatological realities of Revelation 7:9.