Date
4-17-2024
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Chair
Brian Pinzer
Keywords
andragogy, self-directed learning, preaching, teaching, adult education, homiletics
Disciplines
Adult and Continuing Education | Leadership Studies
Recommended Citation
Gowin, Matthew Thomas, "Great Leader, Great Learner: Shepherd-Teachers, Self-Directed Learning, and the Preaching Moment in Small Southern Baptist Churches" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5364.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5364
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the influence of the shepherd–teacher’s learning attributes, informed by adult learning theory, on the preaching moment within a conservative Southern Baptist congregation. Malcolm S. Knowles offered the theory guiding this study in his concepts of andragogy and self-directed learning. Knowles introduced an educational model that emphasizes adult learning and primarily self-directed learning. The study observed whether being a self-directed learner impacts the shepherd–teacher’s instructional activities, including preparation and delivery. The study addressed an identified gap between adult learning theory and homiletics. The multiple-case study started by surveying pastors with the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale. The final cases consisted of small (generally less than 150 congregants) Southern Baptist churches in suburban or rural contexts. The data were then triangulated with semistructured interviews of the pastors, document analysis of sermon transcripts, and focus groups with participants in the preaching moment. Content analysis, cross-case analysis, and examination of rival explanations were used to explore how the pastor’s attributes associated with self-directed learning shaped the preaching moment, including preparation, presentation, and perception by the hearers. The study discovered a capacity for self-directed learning is imperative for pastoral ministry. The practices associated with self-directed learning were seemingly intuitively practiced in biblical exegesis. The skills were especially relevant to discerning the learning needs of the congregation. The perception of the shepherd–teacher as a peer in the learning experience created credibility and modeled learning behaviors for the congregation. The study concluded with practical observations that might influence the equipping of shepherd–teachers and their practice of the ministry of the Word.
