Effects of Transformational leadership and church health on the participation a nd constructive engagement of the youth in urban churches
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Date
2023-07-25
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PAC University
Abstract
Leadership is considered a fundamental contributor to the success of healthy and sustainable organizations. For a church, effective and transformative leadership is critical in ensuring that the quality, health, and overall growth of the spiritual and physical church is sustained. This research examined transformational leadership style in the church. It addressed ways of strengthening the health and quality of churches with a focus on the participation and constructive engagement of the youth in church affairs. The study examined whether transformational leadership is an effective leadership style, which when coupled with church health would make the youth to be attracted to the church and remain engaged as active members in the long-term. The study examined whether there was a relationship between transformational leadership and church health; it also established whether there was a relationship between transformational leadership and the active participation of the youth in the church. Lastly, the study investigated the mediating effect of church health on the relationship between transformational leadership and active participation of the youth in the church. Three theories underpinned the study namely; the transformational leadership theory, the church growth movement theory, and the positive youth development theory. Quantitative research guided the study, using simple random sampling to draw respondents from the youth of select churches in Nairobi City County. The target population for this study were the evangelical and protestant churches in Nairobi City County. From a sample size of 330, 268 people successfully responded to the questionnaires. Three rater questionnaire instruments namely; the Multi Factor Leadership Questionnaire, the Natural Church Development questionnaire, and the Tiffany-Eckenrode Program Participation Scale were used to collect data. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences computer software. Diagnostic tests, descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to test the goodness of fit and hypotheses in order to establish existing relationships of the variables. The study established that there was a significant relationship between transformational leadership and church health (R2=.548, F (4) = 78.749,p=.000), as well as the participation and constructive engagement of the youth in the church (R2=.150, F (4) 11.492, p=.000). Further, the study results showed a partial mediating effect of church health on the relationship between transformational leadership and active participation of the youth in the church (R2=.184, F (1)29.955, p=.000). The study made several recommendations for policy and managerial practices. These include that the church governing bodies should ensure a conducive environment in their churches which promotes and cultivates a transformational leadership culture. Further, the senior management should be supported in the formulation and implementation of the vision and mission of the churches. Another key recommendation is for churches to develop inspirational programmes, including those geared at training and mentoring younger leaders in the church. This would help to maintain a transformative leadership culture, and thus ensure good church health and vibrant participation and engagement of the youth in the church.