AoG Leadership and Culture

The Emerging Ecclesiology of a Precarious Denomination

Series: 

Author:
William Foster
The growth of Global Pentecostalism in the past century has been studied and documented from many perspectives. Its leadership, culture and ecclesiology, however, has received scant academic and theological attention. This book based on an extensive research study of the Assemblies of God of Great Britain (AoG) could not be more timely, conducted as AoG entered its centenery decade and faced the challenges that its historic culture and leadership dynamics posed.

The leadership struggles discussed in this book will resonate with any denomination that has grown or wrestled with polity, leadership and culture.
Copyright Year:
2024
E-Book (PDF)
Availability:
Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-68921-3
Publication:
12 Feb 2024
Paperback
Availability:
Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-68920-6
Publication:
07 Feb 2024
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William D. Foster, Ph.D. (King's College London, 2018) is an AoG Minister, Honorary Professor at Waverley Abbey College, was awarded his Chair as Professor of Leadership at Keele University and has extentsive strategic leadership experience that has helped Bible Colleges and denominations.
Foreword

Acknowledgements

List of Figures

Abbreviations

The Advent of UK and Global Pentecostalism

How to Read This Book – A Note on Style

Introduction

1 Locating the Research
 1 Introduction

 2 Locating the Field

 3 Locating Organisational Culture

 4 Locating Organisational Culture and Religion

 5 Locating Ecclesiology

 6 Summary


2 Methodology
 1 Locating the Researcher – Reflexive Considerations
 1.1 Objectified Participant-Observer, Access and Opportunity


 2 Research Design
 2.1 Development of Inquiry and the Trilateral Lens

 2.2 Qualitative Research Inquiry and Ecclesiology

 2.3 Terroir: Ethnography as Gaze

 2.4 Historical Inquiry and Theoretical/Conceptual Search

 2.5 Research Ethics

 2.6 Field Research

 2.7 Analysis, Trustworthiness, Audit and Reliability

 2.8 Limits of Study


 3 Summary


3 Formation
 1 Introduction

 2 Foundations
 2.1 Pentecostalism, Boddy and Confidence

 2.2 Polhill and the pmu

 2.3 Conventions

 2.4 Wigglesworth

 2.5 Myerscough, Carter Brothers and Bible College

 2.6 Hutchinson, Williams and the Apostolic Church

 2.7 Jeffrey Brothers and Elim


 3 AoG Formation
 3.1 Pre-formation and Burton

 3.2 Formation and Parr

 3.3 Gee & Redemption Tidings


 4 Summary – Cultural Ripples
 4.1 Local Autonomy

 4.2 Theology and Doctrine


4 Growing Pains and Crisis
 1 Redemption Tidings
 1.1 Editors and Publishing

 1.2 Cover

 1.3 Authors and Contributors

 1.4 Usage and Advertisements

 1.5 Images

 1.6 Latter Years


 2 AoG Early Years and Growing Pains
 2.1 Golden Decade

 2.2 Merging of AoG and pmu

 2.3 Financial Conflicts

 2.4 Shift from Baptism to Healing

 2.5 AoG Pastors

 2.6 Towards Permanency

 2.7 Growth and Loss

 2.8 Social Factors


 3 Crisis
 3.1 Another Springtime

 3.2 Social and Ecclesiological Changes

 3.3 Charismatic Movement and Identity of Pentecostalism


 4 AoG Local Church – Pastors
 4.1 Annual General Conference and Decision Making

 4.2 Ministry Status and Training of Ministers

 4.3 Leading and Tending the Local Church


 5 Summary


5 Repurposing
 1 Paul Weaver

 2 Constitutional Reform – A Fresh Start for Everyone
 2.1 The Beginning of Change

 2.2 Rebirth

 2.3 A Fresh Start for Everyone

 2.4 Growing Frustrations


 3 Stronger Together
 3.1 New Leaders, New Culture – nlt

 3.2 Conference and Decision-Making Changes

 3.3 Organisational Transition towards Leadership

 3.4 Understanding the AoG

 3.5 Success and Performance

 3.6 Change


 4 Bible College

 5 Summary


6 Authority
 1 Introduction

 2 General and Specific Modes of Authority

 3 Authority of the Local Church Leader

 4 Authority and Power in the AoG

 5 Authority and the Local Church

 6 Authority, Identity and Creative Resistance

 7 Summary


7 Authenticity
 1 Introduction

 2 Authenticity, Social Character and the Church

 3 Authenticity and Leadership
 3.1 Apostolic Leadership


 4 Leadership and Ministry

 5 Ordination, Ministry and Occupation

 6 Summary


8 The Precarious Denomination
 1 Introduction

 2 AoG Identity and Ecclesiology
 2.1 Church-sect Typology

 2.2 AoG Local Autonomy and the nlt

 2.3 Resisting Organisation

 2.4 Other Metaphors

 2.5 Redeeming a Sacred Institution

 2.6 What Is Church?


 3 Leadership, Authoring and Traditioning the AoG
 3.1 Institutional Leadership

 3.2 Traditioning the AoG

 3.3 Intelligence, Learning, Resistance and Character


 4 Summary


9 Conclusion
 1 Implications for AoG’s Future

 2 Reflexive Insights

 3 Future Research

 4 Epilogue


Index

Bible Colleges; Theology Schools; Demoninational Leaders; Church leaders; ecclesiologists; ethnographers; PG students interested in leadership, culture, church history; academic libraries;
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