An Investigation and analysis of the leadership of Lan Zhou Seventh-day Adventist Church from 1980-2010

Abstract

terms of membership. Since its founding days, LZSDA Church has formed leadership for its ministry to win souls and enrich the spiritual lives of its church members. The main purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the leadership in LZSDA Church from 1980-2010. This project covered 3 types of church leadership introduced and developed gradually from the year 1980-2010: namely, the parenting leadership, the shepherd’s council leadership, and the church board committee leadership. The study investigated and analyzed the role, goal, preparation, and influence of these church leadership styles in order to find the strengths and weaknesses of each church leadership style and suggests ways of making the current church leadership more effective. To accomplish this, the leadership issue was addressed, biblical and theological bases were laid, the context of LZSDA Church was introduced, and an interview with a sample population of LZSDA Church participants was done. Those interviewed gave their perception on the effectiveness of the church leadership. Their responses, together with the observations and evaluation of the research study, were analyzed based on biblical principles. A list of suggestions is given to make current church leadership more effective. The project narrative has demonstrated that the 3 leadership styles under study have affected positively the lives of the newcomers, church members, and church leaders. All who passed through any of these leadership styles had not failed to see changes in themselves and in those with whom they labored. The changes were manifested in a changed life or character of church members and leaders like having a meaningful prayer life, acquiring the habit of daily Bible reading, and witnessing baptism of the nonbelievers are more under the parenting and shepherd’s council leadership styles. The changes were manifested in increased ministerial or management abilities and competence are more under the church board committee leadership. This study has also shown that from the perspectives of the role, goal, preparation, and influence of the church leadership, parenting leadership, and shepherd’s council leadership are more equipped spiritually to lead LZSDA Church with more dominating influence on it and the church members than church board committee leadership.