ALLIANCE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LEADER LIFE (SDI) TRAINING AS A TOOL TO DEVELOP CHRISTIAN LEADERS IN THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT AND THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY DOUGLAS S. BORTNER ROCKLAND, NEW YORK MAY 2018 ABSTRACT Title: Evaluating the effectiveness of Leader Life (SDI) as a tool to develop Christian leaders in the Metropolitan District and The Christian and Missionary Alliance Author: Douglas S. Bortner Degree: Doctor of Ministry Date: March 22, 2018 Advisers: Dr. Bruce Terpstra The author presents the problem of a lack of emotional and spiritual well-being in pastors and Christian leaders who minister in the Metropolitan District and The Christian and Missionary Alliance. In this study, he evaluated the intervention: Leader Life (SDI) Training, first recruiting 100 participants who completed the training, then using the Leader Life Evaluation Survey to measure whether Leader Life increased the self- understanding, strengthened the soul identity, and improved the relational management of participants. He interviewed nine participants and searched for indicators of emotional and spiritual development. The author discovered Leader Life (SDI) Training is an effective tool to develop Christian leaders, and offered ministry recommendations. iii CONTENTS TABLES............................................................................................................................. vi FIGURES......................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................ 1 Statement of the Ministry Problem.......................................................................... 1 Dissertation Overview............................................................................................. 5 Context.................................................................................................................... 6 Hypothesis............................................................................................................... 8 Empirical Unknowns and Assumptions.................................................................. 9 Definition of Terms............................................................................................... 10 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study........................................................... 12 Theoretical Foundations........................................................................................ 13 The historic pursuit of self-understanding....................................................... 13 Porter's Relationship Awareness Theory and the SDI's Motivational Value System.................................................................................................. 18 Theological Foundations....................................................................................... 25 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................... 33 Introduction........................................................................................................... 33 Literature Related to the Emotional and Social Intelligence Theory.................... 33 Literature on Relationship Awareness Theory and SDI........................................ 43 Literature on Soul Identity..................................................................................... 48 CHAPTER 3: PROCEDURE AND RESEARCH METHOD.......................................... 54 Introduction........................................................................................................... 54 Participants............................................................................................................ 55 Recruitment and Selection............................................................................... 55 Characteristics.................................................................................................. 56 Intervention........................................................................................................... 58 Instruments............................................................................................................ 66 The Leader Life Survey (LLS)........................................................................ 67 Leader Life Interview Evaluation (LLI).......................................................... 70 Data Collection...................................................................................................... 75 Data Analysis......................................................................................................... 76 CHAPTER 4: DATA RESULT AND INTERPRETATIVE ANALYSIS........................ 85 Introduction........................................................................................................... 85 iv Results for Hypotheses One (H1):......................................................................... 86 Results for Hypotheses Two (H2):....................................................................... 95 Results for Hypotheses Three (H3):.................................................................... 105 Conclusion........................................................................................................... 114 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION........................................................................................ 115 Introduction......................................................................................................... 115 Observations and Surprises................................................................................. 117 Findings in Relation to Literature....................................................................... 119 Reflections on the Research Design.................................................................... 122 Recommendations for Future Research............................................................... 123 Recommendations for Ministry........................................................................... 124 Conclusion........................................................................................................... 127 APPENDICES 1. Leader Life Evaluation Survey (LLS)............................................................. 128 2. Leader Life Interview Rubric (LLI)................................................................ 137 Bibliography.................................................................................................................... 141 v TABLES 1. Year Participants Completed LL Training..................................................................... 57 2. Age of LLS Participants................................................................................................ 57 3. LLS Leadership Positions.............................................................................................. 58 4. LLI Demographics......................................................................................................... 58 5. LLI Dates....................................................................................................................... 76 6. Sub-Score comparison of pre-scores and post-scores on the Five Questions Covering Self-Understanding (n=100) ....................................................................................... 88 7. Mean and SD Comparison of Pre-scores and post-scores on the Five Questions Covering Self-Understanding (n=100)........................................................................ 89 8. Results of LLI Rubric “Participants Self-understanding of Motivation and Behavior”..................................................................................................................... 91 9. Results of LLI Rubric “Participants Self-understanding of Motivation and Conflict”...................................................................................................................... 93 10. Results of LLI Rubric “Participants Self-understanding of Perceived Behavior”.................................................................................................................... 94 11. Sub-Score comparison of pre-scores and post-scores on the Five Questions covering Soul Identity (n=100).................................................................................................. 97 12. Mean and SD Comparison of pre-scores and post-scores on the Five Questions Covering Soul Identity (n=100)................................................................................... 98 13. Soul Identity: Understanding motivations come from identity in Christ....................101 14. Participants with Strong Soul Identity can cultivate a healthy soul ...........................102 15. Soul Identity - Participants with strong Soul Identity can recognize and overcome the triggers that threaten one's self-worth sending them into the stages of conflict........ 104 16. Sub-Score comparison of pre-scores and post-scores on the Four Questions Covering Relational Management (n=100)............................................................................... 107 vi 17. Mean and SD Comparison of pre-scores and post-scores on the Four Questions Covering Relational Management (n=100).............................................................