Leadership theory in the matrilineal culture of the Bemba: Cultural implications for contextualized leadership development in the Pentecostal Holiness Church in Zambi

This study was done to gain an understanding of emic theories of leadership within the social structures of the matrilineal kinship system of the Bemba of Zambia. The goal is to contribute to more effective contextualized leadership development programs in the Pentecostal Holiness Church in Zambia (PHCZ). The significance of this study for missiology is in the expansion of the theory of comprehensive contextualization to include the integration of the culturally endorsed implicit leadership theories of homogeneous people groups in the process of church leadership.;This study also expands the concepts of leadership traits and behaviors studied by the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) project to incorporate kinship as a cultural value necessary for a better understanding of culture's impact on leadership theories held by homogeneous groups. This will enhance and deepen the understanding of leadership in Sub-Saharan Africa where many matrilineal societies are found.;This is a mixed-methods exploratory research project. Culture theory analysis tools developed by Lingenfelter revealed a strong contrast between the social games of the missionaries of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) and the Bemba society. Componential analysis and ethnographic material clarified the structure of the Bemba matrilineal kinship and how it influences leadership in that society. Case studies of Bemba traditional conflict resolution elucidated character traits and behaviors important to Bemba leadership. Research on traits and behavior was done through ethnographic interviews and analyzed using the GLOBE culturally endorsed implicit leadership dimensions. Quantitative research done among the PHCZ national leaders used GLOBE's research survey Forms Alpha and Beta, Parts 2 and 4, that use 7-point Lickert-scale questionnaires for determining leader behavior and characteristics. This verified substantial conformity to the leadership prototypes held by the matrilineal Bemba.;The IPHC missionaries came from a hierarchist social game to work with a people of an egalitarian social game and failed to understand that there might be different rules for leadership. They assumed that their own familiar rules would be acceptable to everyone, everywhere. Those working with the Bemba must know and match their implicit leadership theories for effective future growth of the church.