Leadership mentoring and succession in the Charismatic churches in Bushbuckridge

Richard M Ngomane,Elijah Mahlangu

doi:10.4102/hts.v70i1.2065

Richard M Ngomane, Elijah Mahlangu

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v70i1.2065

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Abstract

Leadership mentoring and succession programmes are critical in the development and preparation of emerging leaders for leadership transitions. By virtue of their one-founder-leaders whose special leadership talents are usually celebrated by their followers, Charismatic church leaders may fail to identify and develop young emerging leaders who may be equally gifted to prepare them for leadership succession. This quantitative study investigated the state of leadership mentoring and succession programmes in the Charismatic churches in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, South Africa (Bushbuckridge is one of five local municipalities in the Ehlazeni District Municipality situated in the north-east of the Mpumalanga province in South Africa. It borders private game ranches and the Kruger National Park). A population of 287 respondents drawn from 48 churches from rural and urban locations was assessed. Many of them (85%) were reported to have leadership mentoring programmes in their congregations and 72% of them reported that they had leadership succession programmes in place. Location was found to have no statistically significant effect on leadership mentoring. Gender and education levels were reported to have a statistically significant effect in describing leadership mentoring. Charismatic groupings in Bushbuckridge believe and take the Bible seriously as authoritative for faith, life and ministry. We therefore think it is appropriate to include in this article a relevant illustrative text – 2 Timothy 2:1–3.

Highlights

Leadership mentoring and succession has been extensively researched and practiced in the business world, so much so that Charismatic church leaders who are serious about developing emerging leaders can only ignore it at their own peril
The process of data analysis comprised frequency determination of all variables, rural versus urban responses, one-way and two-way frequency tables, exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha determinations, confirmatory factor analysis, and the modelling of appropriate response variables against predictor variables using the analysis of variance (ANOVA)
Most of the respondents (85%) reported that their churches had leadership mentoring programmes in place

Summary

Introduction

Leadership mentoring and succession has been extensively researched and practiced in the business world, so much so that Charismatic church leaders who are serious about developing emerging leaders can only ignore it at their own peril. A study of leadership emergence patterns in the Bible reveals that many leaders, whether by coincidence or by design, had understudies they mentored to whom they handed over the ‘baton’ at the end of their ministries. This is evident in such Old Testament examples of mentoring relationships as Moses and Joshua, Eli and Samuel, and Elijah and Elisha (Angel 2009:145; Hurowitz 1994:483; Jos 1:1–3; 2 Ki 2:15; Kislev 2009:430; 1 Sm 3:8). The New Testament leaders starting with Jesus did not deviate from the norm of mentoring leaders for leadership succession. New Testament leaders such as Barnabas and Paul left a legacy of leadership mentoring and succession for the current church to learn from

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