Date

5-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership (EdD)

Chair

Steve Smith

Keywords

Discipleship, Leadership development, Imago Dei, Transformational leadership, Servant leadership, Participative leadership, Spiritual formation, Leadership formation

Disciplines

Christianity | Educational Leadership

Abstract

This Dissertation-in-Praxis sought to observe the intentional application of leadership styles at Birmingham Master Commission (BMC), a traditional discipleship program for college aged adults (ages 18–25). While biblically centered and focused on spiritual formation, BMC lacked healthy leadership precedent and defaulted to peer-leadership only. This practice created a sporadic leadership culture that restricted student growth, autonomy, and investment in the program. This Dissertation-in-Praxis served as a process-based intervention on the psychological and spiritual impacts leadership styles have on young adult leaders. Transformational, servant, and participative leadership practices were modeled in existing ministry systems: one-on-one mentoring, leadership labs, and small group discipleship. Chris Argyris’ double-loop learning empowered psychological safety, Edgar Schein’s organizational culture model created a framework for BMC leadership development, and Jesus (Luke 9), Moses (Exodus 18), and Paul’s (Ephesians 4) leadership examples modeled biblical alignment. Relational and systemized leadership developed within the program and produced leaders who were more confident in their leadership skills, more trusting in their relationships with authority, and took greater ownership of their ministry. Students began leading without authorization, participated more in decision-making processes, and depended less on others to lead them. Team mentors also adjusted their leadership styles and related better with students. This Dissertation-in-Praxis offers a leadership development model that can be replicated in similar settings and proves that properly resourced, intentional leadership styles in a discipleship setting can produce leaders that are both self-directed and spiritually formed.

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