Abstract:
This research investigates the impact of power and authority in pastoral ministry in north-eastern Nigeria, focusing on understanding the dynamics of relational leadership in providing care and counselling among Christian communities and beyond. The research aims to lift up genuine pastoral power and authority in accordance with Christ's leadership style, highlighting the spiritual, sociological, and psychological freedom associated with the power and authority of leaders in the church. The study uses a descriptive survey research design, with student pastors and church leadership interviewed as participants. Data collection includes structured questionnaires and oral interviews. The objectives of the study include identifying forms of misuse of power and authority due to misleading theologies, recommending biblically rooted theologies based on the Christ model, and critically examining Jesus' alternative servant leadership style to contribute to bringing sound theologies and mutual leadership to Africa.
Description:
The traditional exercise of power in leadership is meant to offer service to people and communities, since power comes from the authority bestowed on leaders by the community. Genuine power is not given as authority to control, discriminate, segregate or exploit other people on the basis of race, ethnicity class or religion. Leaders emerged from the communities as representatives to lead with humility. In most ethnic groups in Nigeria, a leader, elder, chief, king, or queen is regarded as a servant. It means a servant leader listens to all his or her people without discrimination.
