Adamson, Heath. 2019. Succession In
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Adamson, Heath. 2019. Succession in ministry in the Assemblies of God USA: what psycho- graphic variables shape the belief system of the AG USA millennial Christian leaders and what is its impact on leadership?. Doctoral thesis, Goldsmiths, University of London [Thesis] https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/26811/ The version presented here may differ from the published, performed or presented work. Please go to the persistent GRO record above for more information. If you believe that any material held in the repository infringes copyright law, please contact the Repository Team at Goldsmiths, University of London via the following email address: [email protected]. The item will be removed from the repository while any claim is being investigated. For more information, please contact the GRO team: [email protected] SUCCESSION IN MINISTRY IN THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD USA: WHAT PSYCHOGRAPHIC VARIABLES SHAPE THE BELIEF SYSTEM OF THE AG USA MILLENNIAL CHRISTIAN LEADERS AND WHAT IS ITS IMPACT ON LEADERSHIP? By Heath Adamson A THESIS Submitted to the University of London in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Religious Studies-Doctor of Philosophy 1 DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP I, HEATH ADAMSON HEREBY DELCARE THAT THIS THESIS AND THE WORK PRESENTED IN IT IS ENTIRELY MY OWN. WHERE I HAVE CONSULTED THE WORK OF OTHERS, THIS IS ALWAYS CLEARLY STATED. SIGNED: DATED: June 13, 2019 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I dedicate this thesis to Ali, my amazing and beloved bride. Without your support and investment in my life and our family, this would not have been possible. And, to Leighton and Dallon, may you always remember the greatest misunderstandings are not intellectual-but spiritual. I love all of you. Professor Baker, you challenged and summoned me in scholarship in ways that took me by surprise, were desperately needed, and have for the remainder of this life marked me for good. Thank you. Dr. Thompson, thank you for investing the time to provoke me and call me to an increased standard of excellence. Dr. Fulks, your assistance with data synthesis is immeasurable and deeply valuable. The conversations along the way even more so. Professor Dinham and Dr. Collins-Mayo, the viva was yet another growing and learning experience because of you. To the Assemblies of God USA and the participants of the quantitative and qualitative research, your perspective and investment of time to share laid a foundation to build from. Thank you. Finally, and most of all, to the Sovereign One, who once again demonstrated how well you listen to the whispers in darkness and how magnanimously you answer them in broad daylight. This thesis is an Ebenezer Stone. 3 ABSTRACT SUCCESSION IN MINISTRY IN THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD USA: WHAT PSYCHOGRAPHIC VARIABLES SHAPE THE BELIEF SYSTEM OF THE AG USA MILLENNIAL CHRISTIAN LEADERS AND WHAT IS ITS IMPACT ON LEADERSHIP? By Heath Adamson The religious beliefs and practices among the Millennial generational cohort in America continue to change. Conservative, mainline denominations are primarily in decline. As a conservative Evangelical, Pentecostal denomination, comprised of approximately 13,000 churches, the Assemblies of God USA finds itself at the juxtaposition of change. The purpose of this study is to understand the current AG USA Millennial Christian leadership psychography and identify variables impacting leadership succession within the denomination. Variables were identified from two data sets emerging from a mixed-methods research approach. Qualitative research, comprised of semi- structured focus groups, were comprised of twelve unique groups across the United States with a total of 79 individuals, whom were AG USA Millennial Christian leaders, participating. Quantitative research was comprised of a survey distributed to AG USA credentialed ministers. In total, 5324 credentialed AG USA ministers opened the survey and 3625 completed every item. This study extends the research on the evolving religious landscape in America and identifies, from the research analysis and literature review, dialectical tensions between AG USA Millennial leaders and both their secular and religious cohorts. These nine dialectics frame the cohort’s positionalities and extend the research on an American sociology of religion. This research 4 can: 1) Equip AG USA to negotiate change and leadership succession with its Millennial Christian leaders; 2) Contribute to discussions within American religion of the rich, liminal space the AG USA Millennial cohort inhabits; and, 3) Introduce a theological nuance within AG USA’s religious tradition which can create generational symbiosis and religious tolerance within conservative, Evangelical, Pentecostal spheres. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES 12 CHAPTER ONE-INTRODUCTION 14 Researcher’s Positionality and Subjectivity 16 Positionality and Dualism 17 Statement of Problem and Rationale 18 Narrative Threads: Authenticity and Re-enchantment 26 Thesis Structure and Overview 27 CHAPTER TWO-LITERATURE REVIEW 33 Introduction 33 Terminologies and Definitions 35 Assemblies of God USA 39 Historical Development and the Azusa Street Revival 40 Unification and the Transcendent Religious Experience 41 Missions and Tongues Speech 42 Inclusivity 45 Reasons for AG USA Organization 47 Historical Development and Early Twentieth Century American Religion 53 Fundamentalism and Modernism 53 Dualism 55 Dispensationalism 56 Contemporary Scholarship on AG USA and Pentecostalism 58 The Current Sociological Narrative of American Religion 60 Organized Religion, Spirituality and the Sacred 61 Decline of Mainline US Churches and the Changing Religious Landscape 64 Denominationalism 66 Evangelicals and Evangelicalism 69 Two Triptychs Shaping the Millennial Religious and Spiritual Ecology 73 Pragmatism, Moralism, and Voluntarism 73 Pluralism, Relativism, and Deconstructionism 74 Spiritual but not Religious and the Millennials 75 American Millennial Sociological Generalities and Spirituality 81 Prolonged Adolescence and Delayed Social Thresholds 81 Community and Connection 83 Social Reform and Ethical Convergence 84 Family, Financial, Educational, and Political Generalities 85 US Millennials, Threads, and Christianity 87 Millennials and AG USA 91 Millennials and Psychographics 92 Leadership and Change 93 The Pervasive Essence of Leadership 94 Transactional and Transformational Leadership Theories 97 Spiritual Leadership Theory 97 6 Adaptive Leadership Theory 101 Personal Reflection and Interpretation of Leadership Theories and AG USA 101 Conclusions and Hypotheses 103 H1 104 H2 104 H3 105 H4 105 H5 105 Conclusion 106 CHAPTER THREE-METHODOLOGY 108 Introduction 108 Research Questions 108 Overview and Rationale of the Research Worldview, Philosophy, and Method 109 Methodology 110 Summary of Evidence of the Appropriateness of the Method 113 Qualitative Research 113 Pilot Test 113 The Final Structure of the Survey 119 Data Collection 119 Data Analysis 122 Design of Inquiry and Principles from Grounded Theory 122 Precise Methodology for Hermeneutical Analysis 124 Credibility, Reliability, and Hand-Coding 126 Post Reflections: Critique, Delimitations, and Limitations of the Qualitative Study 128 Critique of Appointed Qualitative Methodology 128 Delimitations 129 Limitations 131 Quantitative Research 131 Hypotheses 132 Pilot Test 133 The Final Structure of the Survey 136 Sample and Distribution of the Survey 137 Measurement and Further Rationale for Convergent Mixed Methods 139 Data Analysis 140 Potential Threats to Validity 142 Strengths in the Methodology 144 Potential Weaknesses and Biases in the Methodology 147 Negotiating Power and Positionality 149 CHAPTER FOUR-QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS 152 Introduction 152 Authenticity 153 Re-Enchantment 154 Thematic Overview 156 A Rationale for the Summary of the Findings 156 Organizing Codes and Thematic Categories 158 7 Discussion of the Thematic Categories and Analysis 159 Monologue vs. Dialogue 160 Races and Ethnicities 162 Generations 163 Genders 165 Socio-Economic Classes 166 Denominations 168 Human Sexualities 169 Sections, Districts, Regions and Networks 170 Negative Ramifications of Dialogue 170 Historical Precedent 171 Technology vs. Conversation 171 Authenticity 172 Ecclesiastical Confrontation 173 Digital Natives 174 Tolerance vs. Love 176 Belonging Before Believing 177 Internal Motivation and Discipleship 180 Community Engagement 181 Attractional vs. Missional 182 Political vs. Moral 188 Holiness and Conservativism 189 The Myth of a Christian Nation 190 Immigrants and Refugees 191 A Minister’s Priority 193 Programs vs. Outcomes 194 Tradition vs. Culture 195 Posture of Honor 197 Elasticity to Change 197 Longevity and Ineffectiveness 202 Orthopraxy vs. Orthodoxy 203 The Initial Physical Evidence of Spirit Baptism 204 Spiritual Excess in Orthopraxic Behavior 205 Re-defining Orthodoxic Beliefs 206 Community Standard vs. Biblical Mandate 208 Biblical Literacy 208 Context for Reinterpretation 210 A Theological Revisiting of Key Issues 210 Spectrum of Response 212 Similarities Between AG USA Millennial Christian Leaders and their Secular Cohort 212 Intergenerational Dialogue 213 Tension Between Structure and Culture 213 Collaboration vs. Consensus 214 Power Inequalities Within Structure 215 Convergence 215 Universalized Post-Modern Mental Constructs 215 Traditional Religious Models 216 The Impact of an Inelasticity to Change 217 Nuances Between AG USA Millennials and their Secular Cohort 217 8 Spiritual and Religious 218 Diversity 218 Normative Theology and Orthodoxy 219 Semi-Liberalization