The predominant Leadership style used by apostles in the Early Church as recorded in the Book of Acts



The predominant Leadership style used by apostles in the Early Church as recorded in the Book of Acts

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss the predominant leadership style used by apostles in the early Church as recorded in the Book of Acts. The paper would discuss the Leadership style, which were dominated with concepts of Self sacrifice, and Identification. This style of leadership was widely used by apostles in the early Church history. The insights from the paper would be a constructive analysis of the leadership practices that were widely used by the clergy to motivate, influence and assuage the masses towards Christian religious practices in the early eras.

Introduction

Human beings have evolved as leaders. Hunter (2008) in his book reflects on the concept of leadership, associated with church doctrine from the pre-renaissance age. The book has provided a reflection on the leadership styles of the executive, which includes apostle and the clergy, during earlier Christian Church history. Through use of easy and very interesting language, the author puts the definition for leadership, power and authority. Hunter (2008) argues that leadership is the ability to influence people to work enthusiastically to achieve identified objectives for the common good. The most important aspects of this definition, is the included terminology of 'common good'. The concept of common good, in essence, speaks about the utilitarian approach towards attaining uniformly aligned objectives, between resources. In the case of the church, these resources are the followers of Christianity. These unified objectives have to be identified by the leader, as well as communicated to the resources, in a manner that brings along motivation and efficiency in work performance (be what it may).

The following discussions below would discuss the predominant leadership style used by apostles in the early Church as recorded in the Book of Acts. The paper would discuss the Leadership style, which were dominated with concepts of Self sacrifice, and Identification.

Discussion

Accordingly, Hunter (2008) also develops on the concept of power and authority. Hunter argued that power is the option of forcing or coercing someone to do his will, because of their position or power, even if the person would prefer not to. Similarly, the concept of authority is described by the author as the ability to bring people to do willingly what a leader ...