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The purpose of this study is to examine the succession processes and experiences of senior pastors in megachurches. The term succession is used in the study to refer to the transition in which one leader leaves an organization and another one takes her/his place. The term process speaks of the sequence of individual and collective events, actions, and activities unfolding over time in context (Pettigrew, 1985). The term senior pastor is used to refer to the top leader in churches with multiple pastoral staff. The term megachurch is used here as a descriptive term to refer to Protestant churches with 2,000 or more attendees in their worship services each week (Thumma, 1996). Few changes have greater impact on an organization than the change of the senior leader. Historically, succession processes in churches have been disruptive events often leading to temporary or, in many cases, permanent decline (particularly when the predecessor led the church to a perhaps unprecedented time of growth). Succession was often an undiscussed matter until the departure of a predecessor. Since the proliferation of megachurches is a relatively new social phenomenon, little is known about the succession processes of senior pastors in these churches. This study on succession process seeks to address a gap in the literature regarding succession in megachurches by offering first- hand descriptive accounts by those who have lived through the succession process. Further, this study seeks to enrich the literature by seeking to integrate current leadership theory with this succession study. Examination of the processes of succession and the nature of the proposed research questions favor a qualitative approach methodologically. Since this is an attempt to holistically describe what is going on and to build a knowledge base for developing theory rather than test hypotheses, the methodology adopted needs to allow maximally for serendipitous discovery, description and explanation. This study proposes to describe, analyze and compare the succession processes and experiences of senior pastors in three megachurches through in-depth interviews with those most immersed in the succession process, through document review, archival review and through a basic organization profile survey. / Communication Sciences

The Richmond Outreach Center “The ROC” is an independent soulwinning megachurch in Richmond, Virginia. This thesis explores how rhetoric plays a role in the rapid growth of this urban church and considers the church’s response—rhetorically and politically—to the city’s social issues. Through a rhetorical analysis of sermons and written texts by Geronimo Aguilar, the ROC’s founder and pastor, it is concluded that Aguilar has generated a rhetoric of change that says social change must come to Richmond and that everyone, both rich and poor, are responsible for change. Aguilar galvanizes an audience to seek social change because he articulates roles for individuals within his vision and links the ideological and material concerns of his congregants and the city’s poor. Aguilar’s rhetorical strategies and rhetorical performances indicate that he follows logics of articulation rather than logics of influence. These findings may be useful to social movement and church leaders concerned with growth.

<div> <p>This dissertation examines the transnational networks of Gospel of the Kingdom megachurch (the Indonesian Mennonite Synod) with Pentecostal/Charismatic institutions in the United States. It begins by asking what can American Studies as a discipline learn about the United States from examining a story of an Indonesian megachurch, far away from U.S. geographical borders? The dissertation specifically asks: 1) How is the growth of Gospel megachurch closely related to its partnerships with Pentecostal/Charismatic (P/c) institutions in the United States? (2) How does Gospel church apply teachings and values from their American partners?</p> <p>Through archival work, fieldwork, and interviews, this dissertation finds that, first, Gospel church under the leadership of Pastor Petrus Agung, partners with the JKI (Jemaat Kristen Indonesia) or Indonesian Christian Congregation synod, located in both Orange County, California and Central Java, Indonesia under the leadership of Pastor Sutanto Adi. The transnational Indonesian/American synod highlighted the contribution of Indonesian immigrants. Second, Pastor Petrus Agung, the leader of Gospel church, partners with other non-immigrant Pentecostal/Charismatic leaders such as John Avanzini, Morris Cerullo, Harold Gingerich, and Bill Wilson. In their direst needs to get out of debt, Gospel church found an affirmation in teaching on “Biblical economy” with emphases on financial independence, concerns for the marginalized poor, and giving as key to church growth. Gospel church had consistently applied the teachings from transnational partnerships in the contexts of local struggles against poverty and religious marginalization in Indonesia. Third, from 2005 until 2016, as the teaching was confirmed by continuous growth in finances and numbers of congregations, Gospel church sought collaborations with five other P/c institutions in Indonesia to form a <i>Bahtera</i> (translation: Ark) movement. Gospel church and <i>Bahtera</i> predicted their institutions and Indonesia would be the center of the world’s economy and spiritual movement. Bahtera sought to bring the movement abroad to many different countries, especially through the worship dance performances. </p> <p>My work contributes a transnational understanding of American cultural histories, particularly the diversity and networks of Pentecostal/Charismatic and Mennonite movements. It is a conversation with the field of Asian American Studies to fill the gap of literature on Indonesian immigration and the lives of Indonesian immigrants in particular, and Southeast Asian immigrants in the United States in general. This research will be of interests for scholars particularly in Sociocultural Anthropology and Sociology that continue to examine the issue of “structure and agency” especially in religious spaces. Lastly, In portraying Gospel church’s story and struggles as part of “archives of America,” this dissertation joined scholarship in American Studies, Asian American Studies, and Anthropology that challenged the one-directional narrative of American influences. Gospel church is one example of a community that lives “against America.” In both their periods of struggles and high prosperity, Gospel church did gaze at America for inspiration and affirmation, to eventually prophesy for an agentive ability of an Indonesian Pentecostal/Charismatic, Mennonite institution to play a central role in the prosperity of the world and thus hint at the fight against America’s hegemonic power and influence. Analyzing Gospel church’s transnational partnerships with Christian institutions in the United States, therefore, is moving to the center a narrative from of an “empire striking back.”</p> </div> <br>

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