Leadership from the extreme periphery to the mainstream? A reflection on the critical journey and how traditioning might offer a Pentecostal denomination a rediscovery of ancient paths

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper was given as a keynote at the 2022 conference of the European Pentecostal Theological Association (EPTA). Drawing on a doctoral study 1 1 Foster, “Authority and Authenticity in the Leadership of the British Assemblies of God”. that explored the leadership and organizational culture of a Pentecostal denomination – British Assemblies of God (AoG) – an ecclesiological ethnography 2 2 Principles and techniques drawn from a long-term involvement with Ward and Scharen’s, Ecclesiology and Ethnography.; see also Ward, ed. Perspectives on Ecclesiology and Ethnography;Scharen, ed. Exporations in Ecclesiology and Ethnoggraphy. Healy, “Ecclesiology, Ethnography and God”.; Fiddes, “Ecclesiology and Ethnography”. approach is taken in this paper to combine resultant research insights with reflections from the author’s involvement in the leadership of a local Pentecostal church through two difficult leadership transitions and the consequent spiritual formation journey. The possible future implications for Pentecostal leaders of the adoption of Pete Scazzero’s 3 3 Scazerro, The Emotionally Healthy Leader. Emotionally Healthy Leadership (EHL) teachings in the first year of AoG’s Ministers in Training (MIT) programme are anticipated and Janet Hagberg and Robert Guelich’s 4 4 Hagberg and Guelich, The Critical Journey. Critical Journey framework applied to analyze likely issues for Pentecostal leaders when rediscovering ancient paths (Jer 6:16). By casting an ethnographic gaze in the direction of a key denomination in the UK charismatic movement 5 5 Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland, led by John and Debbie Wright. that is already journeying this path and by paying attention to the thought leadership with the rising popularity of mentees of Dallas Willard. 6 6 For example, John Mark Comer’s ministry Practicing the Way and Bill and Kristi Gaultiere's ministry Soul Shepherding. Underpinning the paper is Simon Chan’s 7 7 Chan, Pentecostal Theology. notion of Pentecostal Traditioning employed both to provide foundational context and possible future trajectories. Similar to Elijah’s servant, these insights and reflections may presently seem to be nothing or we may have to look seven times before we see them as small as a man’s hand (1 Kings 18:43–44). However, this paper seeks to offer a practical-prophetic voice 8 8 A Practical-Prophetic voice focuses theological attention on the state of the concrete seen church; engages with other traditions of enquiry and their embodiments that bear upon the concrete identity of the church namely history, sociology, cultural analysis and ethnography; and offers a critical voice into the present and possible future see Healy, Church, World and the Christian Life. proposing the possibilities for bringing practices rooted in contemplative and monastic traditions from the periphery to the mainstream of Pentecostalism spiritual development and leadership.