Leaders in Christian ministry, in many instances, are in a crisis of competence. This research was a comparative analysis of select ministry professionals for the purpose of determining their perceptions as to the necessary leadership competencies needed for leadership in Christian ministry. The research problem that was addressed is not a new problem but one that must continue to be addressed as long as theological institutions of higher learning have the purpose of training and preparing vocational ministry leaders for Christian service. The purpose of the research that was to develop a comparative analysis of ministry professionals perceptions of the necessary character qualities and competencies for vocational ministry leaders in order to enhance ministry training. The literature review section identified the needs for this study. A theological foundation was set by looking at leaders in both Old and New Testaments and identifying the models and skills of a leader. The character and qualifications for leadership according to the Scriptures were also identified. The model of leadership that was developed in the study was a model that sees the ministry leader as a shepherd, which encompasses a variety of leadership skills, attitudes and behaviors. These were analyzed through the literature from a biblical and non-biblical leadership perspective. Other research was also analyzed in order to discover what other researchers had discovered to enhance the process of training as well. The methodology used was for the purpose of discovering the perceptions of the ministry professionals being surveyed. The study used an expert panel to assist in the development of a survey instrument that asked respondents to rank a list of leadership competencies as to their importance for ministry leaders. The respondents were asked to analyze the personal characteristics necessary for effective ministry leadership. The survey used two sample populations, local church leaders and denominational/institutional leaders which included state convention leadership and directors of associational missions. The analysis of data and correlations of the perceptions between the groups in the study was completed. The chapter that deals with data analysis shows how the data was analyzed and the responses within groups according to age, education and other demographic data. Final conclusions and implications from the research were drawn. Chapter 5 draws out conclusions from the findings in the data and it was discovered that a set of character qualities and leadership competencies existed among the ministry professionals surveyed that can be used in a variety of settings for training and preparing those who are in training for vocational Christian ministry. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

The research study examined the leadership training practices: sense of urgency, envisioning, influencing, communicating, team building, risk taking, and anchoring among volunteer mentors in nonprofit Christian organizations. The study was approached with the assumption that many leadership practices were not present in the volunteer mentor training and their inclusion would enhance the performance or efficiency of the volunteer mentor as they serve the at-risk population. The researcher used a two phase methodology which allowed for assumptions that any inherent biases in particular data sources, investigator, and methods were neutralized. The leadership training practices were viewed using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. In Phase 1 (qualitative) eight respondents were interviewed; and in Phase 2 (quantitative), one hundred and two respondents participated by responding to a Likert scale questionnaire. The volunteer mentor population and the sample were described with great precision. Protocols used to select and delimit the samples were described in detail. Limitations in the generalizations of the findings of the study to other samples and/or populations were stated. The development and validation of the data instruments to be used to collect data from the samples were described (see Appendix 1). Based on the responses of the volunteer mentors, the leadership practices: sense of urgency, influencing, communicating, and team building were perceived to be significantly present during training. Risk taking, anchoring, and envisioning were the leadership practices perceived by the volunteer mentors as not significantly present in the training. There were more leadership practices present in the training of volunteer mentors than the researcher assumed. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.