Copyright © 2020 Christopher Alan Sarver All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including without limitation, preservation, or instruction. BE THE EXAMPLE: CHRIST-CENTERED FOLLOWERSHIP IN THE PASTORAL EPISTLES __________________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education __________________ by Christopher Alan Sarver December 2020 APPROVAL SHEET BE THE EXAMPLE: CHRIST-CENTERED FOLLOWERSHIP IN THE PASTORAL EPISTLES Christopher Alan Sarver Read and Approved by: ___________________________________________ Timothy Paul Jones (Chair) ___________________________________________ John David Trentham Date_______________________________ To my wife, Jodi, and our children, Lydia, Lucas, Abram, and Annie: your encouragement, sacrifices, prayers, and love enabled me to complete this process. To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: may the words of my mouth and the mediations of my heart be pleasing to you. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................ ix LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. x PREFACE .......................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1. RESEARCH CONCERN.......................................................................................1 Introduction of Thesis .........................................................................................7 Void in the Existing Literature ..........................................................................10 Research Methodology and Argument Development .......................................13 Delimitations .....................................................................................................15 Terminology ......................................................................................................16 2. PRECEDENT LITERATURE .............................................................................23 From Leader-Focused to Followership: A Review of Followership Literature ...................................................................................................24 Contours of Followership Literature Base ............................................... 25 Leader-Centric Works ............................................................................. 27 Follower-Centric Works .......................................................................... 30 Relational-Oriented Works ...................................................................... 32 Followership Works ................................................................................. 41 Followership Defined .............................................................................. 49 Followership Applied in Different Vocational Contexts ......................... 51 Followership Applied to Spiritual and Christian Contexts ...............................55 Followership Applied to Spirituality at Work ......................................... 55 iv Chapter Page Followership and Christians in the Workplace ........................................ 56 Following Language in the Gospels ........................................................ 57 “Following” and Christian Works ........................................................... 58 Early Christian Works Drawing from Followership Research ................ 59 Christ-Centered Followership: A Review of The God Who Goes Before You ................................................................................................62 The Phenomenon of Emerging Adulthood: A Review of Pertinent Literature ...................................................................................................67 Jeffrey Jensen Arnett ............................................................................... 67 The Study of Emerging-Adult Men ......................................................... 70 Emerging-Adult Religious Beliefs and Behaviors .................................. 74 Emerging-Adult Male Religiosity ........................................................... 76 Emerging-Adult Christian Formation ...................................................... 77 Emerging-Adult-Male Spiritual Formation ............................................. 79 Emerging-Adult Leadership Development .............................................. 79 Emerging-Adult Spiritual Leadership Development ............................... 80 Summary and Literature Gap ............................................................................81 3. CHRIST-CENTERED FOLLOWERSHIP EVIDENCED WITHIN THE PASTORAL EPISTLES ..............................................................................84 Analytical Methodology....................................................................................85 Christ-Centered Followership Key Concepts ...................................................90 Identification of Christ-Centered Followership Key Concepts within the Pastoral Epistles ........................................................................................94 Christ-Centered Followership in 1 Timothy ............................................ 94 Christ-Centered Followership in Titus .................................................... 99 Christ-centered Followership in 2 Timothy ........................................... 102 Analysis of Key Christ-Centered Followership Passages in Pastoral Epistles ......................................................................................108 Identity: .................................................................................................. 109 v Chapter Page Relationships .......................................................................................... 117 Roles ...................................................................................................... 124 Practices ................................................................................................. 128 Summary and Evaluation ................................................................................136 Summary of Methodological Steps ....................................................... 137 Research Findings .................................................................................. 137 4. FOLLOWING AND SETTING AN EXAMPLE IN CHRIST-CENTERED FOLLOWERSHIP ........................................................140 Following and Setting an Example in Greco-Roman and Jewish Contexts ......................................................................................142 Willis de Boer ........................................................................................ 143 Victor Copan .......................................................................................... 145 Benjamin Fiore ...................................................................................... 147 Summation of Imitation in Ancient Contexts ........................................ 148 Paul’s Use of the Imitation Motif in His Ecclesiastical Letters ......................148 Paul as Example ..................................................................................... 149 Others as Examples ................................................................................ 151 Becoming Examples for Others ............................................................. 153 Major Views of Pauline Imitation ......................................................... 154 Summary of Findings from Survey of Imitation in Paul’s Ecclesiastical Letters ..................................................................... 158 Following and Setting an Example in the Pastoral Epistles ............................165 Imitative Relational Contexts ................................................................ 165 Paul as Example ..................................................................................... 169 Timothy and Titus as Examples ............................................................ 178 Others as Examples ................................................................................ 182 Research Findings ...........................................................................................183 Consistent with Ancient Imitation Pedagogy ........................................ 184 vi Chapter Page Consistent with Imitation in Paul’s Letters to Churches ...................... 185 Unique Aspects of Personal Example in the Pastoral Epistles .............. 189 Summation ............................................................................................. 190 Following and Setting an Example in the Pastoral Epistles and Christ-Centered Followership .................................................................191 5. DEVELOPING SPIRITUAL LEADERS: CHRIST-CENTERED FOLLOWERSHIP AND EMERGING-ADULT MEN ....................................197 Rationale and Model for Emerging-Adult Spiritual Leadership .....................198 Emerging Adults as Potential Leaders ................................................... 201 Sharon Daloz Parks: Faith, Purpose, Leadership, and Emerging Adulthood ....................................................................