Ministry Context Exegete, Leadership Philosophy, and a Model for Teaching Pastors the Pure Gospel in a Prosperity Gospel Context

Abstract

This portfolio consists of three key parts. Part One focuses on the exegetic consideration of the researcher's ministry context and ethno-cultural autobiography. The Second part comprises the researcher's leadership philosophy and preferred leadership model. The Third part researches strategies for training pastors to preach the pure gospel of Christ in a prosperity gospel context. Lack of seminary training and other remote factors outside the scope of this portfolio, biblical misinterpretation and preaching a different gospel continue to hold sway in Jos, Nigeria. After signing the on-going consent letter, ten pastors were chosen to participate in the research based on their age, residential status, and number of years in ministry. The research data were gathered from the participants at a two-day research workshop, participants' observations and participants' interviews, and workshop evaluations. Extra information was volunteered by two participants. Data were subjected to open coding, selective coding, axial coding and in-vivo coding approaches. Analyzed data strongly suggested that the dinner table training model, cell phone correspondence course model, and customized coaching and mentoring were prominent among other training models suggested by participants. Although two out of ten participants did not see the need for pastors training, but evidence from analyzed data points to the contrary. The collective wisdom of most participants was deployed to develop strategies for training pastors to become preachers of a Christ-centered pure gospel rather than preachers of a different gospel (Galatians 1:6,7).