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Engaging Gen Z: Toward a Paracletic Leadership Framework Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 10-1-2020 Engaging Gen Z: Toward a Paracletic Leadership Framework DeMario Hood Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin Part of the Christianity Commons GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY ENGAGING GEN Z: TOWARD A PARACLETIC LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY DEMARIO HOOD PORTLAND, OREGON SEPTEMBER 2020 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of DeMario Hood has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on October 1, 2020 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Global Perspectives. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Christine Roush, DMin Secondary Advisor: Aaron Friesen, PhD Lead Mentor: Jason Clark, DMin, PhD Copyright © 2020 by Mario Hood All rights reserved Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. ii DEDICATION To my wife Misty, whose words and love inspire me to reach for the impossible. To my kids, Dalen and Cola: may my ceiling be the floor on which you build. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to gratefully acknowledge the following people for their help, support, and encouragement: From Portland Seminary of George Fox University, I want to thank Dr. Jason Clark, Dr. Christine Roush, Dr. Loren Kerns, Dr. Clifford Berger, and Heather Rainey. Special thanks to Dr. Clark (lead mentor) and Dr. Roush (academic advisor); your mentorship and advice have encouraged and guided me throughout this journey. To my church family, Church on the Living Edge: I wish to thank all of you for your words of encouragement throughout this endeavor. To my pastor and spiritual father, Dr. Mark Chironna: it was your belief in me that started this quest, and it was your encouragement, advice, and support that helped me to finish it. To Donna Scuderi: I am indebted to your skills as an editor, but you are more than an editor to me. You served as a voice of inspiration at every turn in this process. I also wish to acknowledge the members of the LGP 9 Cohort. I am honored to have you as friends and partners in the mission. Finally, I want to acknowledge all those in church leadership who have accepted their role in leading the next generation. I pray this dissertation inspires you, gives you hope, and provides you with a framework to fulfill your calling, wherever you may serve in the Kingdom of God. iv Table of Contents DEDICATION .............................................................................................................. III ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. IV LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... VII LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................... VII GLOSSARY .............................................................................................................. VIII ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. IX CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... 1 Toward Meeting the Need, Problem, and Opportunity ............................................... 3 CHAPTER 2: UNDERSTANDING GENERATION Z .................................................. 6 The Spiritual and Social Cultures of Gen Z ................................................................ 7 Spiritual Culture of Gen Z: Post-Christian................................................................ 7 Social Culture of Gen Z: Digitally Connected ........................................................ 14 Gen Z’s Defining Characteristics ............................................................................. 18 Kaleidoscopic: Diversity ........................................................................................ 19 Fluid: Gender and Sexuality ................................................................................... 20 Ambivalent: Anxious and Mentally Anguished ...................................................... 22 “Algorithmships”: Algorithms and Relational Disconnect ...................................... 26 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 28 CHAPTER 3: BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING FOR PARACLETIC MINISTRY........................................................................................... 31 Biblical Perspective on the Role of the Spirit as Paraclete ........................................ 34 Activity of the Spirit in the Old Testament ............................................................. 34 Activity of the Spirit in the New Testament ........................................................... 37 Ontology of the Spirit .............................................................................................. 40 Jesus’s Discourse on the Spirit ................................................................................. 44 Identity of the Holy Spirit as Paraklētos ................................................................. 45 The Functions of the Spirit as Paraklētos................................................................ 48 Jesus, the Paracletic Leader...................................................................................... 50 The Spirit, Jesus, and Anointing ............................................................................. 51 Jesus’s Focus in Ministry ....................................................................................... 54 Jesus as Wisdom Personified ................................................................................. 56 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 61 CHAPTER 4: PERSPECTIVES ON PASTORAL LEADERSHIP IN THE EARLY CHURCH, THE PATRISTICS, AND THE CONTEMPORARY CHURCH ................. 64 Understanding Leadership in the Early Church ........................................................ 67 Leadership in the New Testament Text .................................................................. 67 Origin of Church Leadership .................................................................................. 71 Leadership Roles in the Early Church .................................................................... 72 The Patristic View of Pastoral Leadership ................................................................ 78 v The Mode: Holiness and Virtue ............................................................................. 80 The Method: Cure of Souls .................................................................................... 87 The Motive: Spirit and Word ................................................................................. 91 Pastoral Leadership in the Contemporary Church .................................................... 97 Commercialization: Pastor as CEO ...................................................................... 102 Commodification: Pastor as Communicator ......................................................... 105 Confusion: Leader or Pastoral Leader?................................................................. 109 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 112 CHAPTER 5: TOWARD A PARACLETIC LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK ............. 114 The Emerging Leader’s Story ................................................................................ 116 The Concept of Paracletic Leadership .................................................................... 119 Sailing and Sequent ............................................................................................. 120 Sailing and Side by Side ...................................................................................... 122 Sailing and Synergy ............................................................................................. 123 Three Challenges to Paracletic Leadership in the Contemporary Culture................ 127 The Challenge of Postmodernism: How We Think ............................................... 127 The Challenge of Complexity: How We Language .............................................. 130 The Challenge of Globalization: How We Live .................................................... 135 Ryan W. Quinn and Robert E. Quinn’s “Fundamental State of Leadership” ........... 140 Entering the Fundamental State of Leadership ..................................................... 142 Integration and Application of the Fundamental State of Leadership with Paracletic Leadership ........................................................................................................... 143 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 150 APPENDIX A: ALTERNATE TRANSFORMATIVE QUESTIONS .......................... 154 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................
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