ABSTRACT A STUDY OF BRAZILIAN CULTURAL ISSUES AND SERVANT LEADERSHIP MODEL FOR THE FEMALE PASTORS IN THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN BRAZIL by Miriam Isabel Gallo de Do Amaral The purpose of this research was to learn how cultural issues related to women in Brazil might enhance or hinder their potentiality and hold them back from acquiring the highest leadership positions within the Methodist Church in the First Conference of Rio de Janeiro. This study also explored the level of understanding of female pastors about the concept of the servant leadership model, learning if this model could apply to them more than the classical leadership model in their style of leadership. The study suggested that within the First Conference of the Methodist Church in Brazil the leadership style is changing from the classical model to the one more servant - oriented model. The findings provided a positive insight for further studies into female leadership as well as their vision for the church. DISSERTATION APPROVAL This is to certify that the dissertation entitled A STUDY OF BRAZILIAN CULTURAL ISSUES AND SERVANT LEADERSHIP MODEL FOR THE FEMALE PASTORS IN THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN BRAZIL presented by Miriam Isabel Gallo de Do Amaral has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for the DOCTOR OF MINISTRY degree at Asbury Theological Seminary Mentor April 24, 2009 Date Internal Reader April 24, 2009 Date Representative, Doctor of Ministry Program April 24, 2009 Date Executive Director April 24, 2009 Date A STUDY OF BRAZILIAN CULTURAL ISSUES AND SERVANT LEADERSHIP MODEL FOR THE FEMALE PASTORS IN THE FIRST CONFERENCE OF THE METHODIST CHURCH IN BRAZIL A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Miriam Isabel Gallo de Do Amaral May 2009 © 2009 Miriam Isabel Gallo de Do Amaral ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................... xi CHAPTER 1 PROBLEM ....................................................................................................1 Background of the Problem .....................................................................................2 Statement of Purpose ...............................................................................................9 Research Questions..................................................................................................9 Research Question 1 ....................................................................................9 Research Question 2 ....................................................................................9 Research Question 3 ....................................................................................9 Definition of Terms..................................................................................................9 Cultural Issues............................................................................................10 Women Pastors, Clergywomen, or Female Leaders..................................10 Leadership..................................................................................................10 Classical Leadership ..................................................................................10 Servant Leadership.....................................................................................10 Context of the Study ..............................................................................................11 Methodology..........................................................................................................12 Population and Participants........................................................................12 Instrumentation ..........................................................................................13 Data Collection ..........................................................................................13 iii Data Analysis.............................................................................................15 Delimitation and Generalization................................................................15 Biblical and Theological View of Women in Ministry .........................................16 Biblical and Theological View of Servant Leadership..........................................18 Overview of the Study ...........................................................................................19 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE.............................................................................................20 Introduction ...........................................................................................................20 Brazilian Prospective on Women...........................................................................20 Women in Brazil........................................................................................21 Brazilian Women Conquering Their Space in Society..............................27 Brazilian Women Conquering Their Space in Church ..............................30 The Women’s Way ................................................................................................36 The Influence of Machismo in the Brazilian Prospective of Women....................41 Biblical and Theological Foundation for Women in Ministry...............................44 The Old Testament Creation Narratives ....................................................45 Women in the Old Testament ....................................................................48 Women in the New Testament...................................................................50 Biblical and Theological Foundations for Servant Leadership..............................59 Servant Leadership.................................................................................................61 Greenleaf’s Servant Leadership Model .................................................................66 Women Pastors as Servant Leaders .......................................................................68 Summary................................................................................................................70 iv CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................72 The Problem and the Purpose of the Study............................................................72 Research Questions................................................................................................74 Research Question 1 ..................................................................................74 Research Question 2 ..................................................................................75 Research Question 3 ..................................................................................75 Population and Participants....................................................................................76 Design of the Study................................................................................................78 Instrumentation ......................................................................................................80 Reliability and Validity..............................................................................81 Data Collection ..........................................................................................82 Data Analysis.............................................................................................82 Ethical Procedures .....................................................................................83 CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS...................................................................................................84 Problem and Purpose .............................................................................................84 Participants.............................................................................................................85 Research Questions 1.............................................................................................85 Research Question 2 ............................................................................................101 Research Question 3 ............................................................................................107 The Qualitative Results of Data Collection .........................................................112 Summary of Major Findings................................................................................115 v CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION............................................................................................116 Introduction..........................................................................................................116 Major Findings.....................................................................................................116 The Belief That Males Are Given Preference in Ministry.......................117 The Belief That Empathy Is Important in Ministry .................................119 A Paradigm Shift between Male Dominance and Egalitarian Roles Affecting the Church....................................................................120