Leadership in Ministry (DP9195B)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

This unit critically examines and interrogates the theory and practice of leadership from a Christian perspective and its application to complex local mission and ministry contexts. Students evaluate competing paradigms and synthesise biblical and theological perspectives to develop contextually responsive frameworks that apply theory to a thoughtful leadership practice.

Unit code: DP9195B

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Pastoral Theology and Ministry Studies

Delivery Mode: Online

Proposing College: Eva Burrows College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Critically evaluate and synthesise incompatible leadership paradigms, including their assumptions, limitations, and implications for changing mission and ministry contexts.
2.

Critically analyse and integrate biblical, theological, and leadership scholarship to formulate a coherent theology of Christian leadership.
3.

Critically evaluate strategies for ethical and effective teamwork across diverse contexts and design a context-responsive approach to collaborative practice.
4.

Synthesise leadership theory, biblical/theological insight, and contextual evidence to develop and defend a contextually responsive leadership framework for a complex ministry context.
5.

Critique research and practice concerning leadership resilience and design and justify an adaptive, ethical, and service-oriented approach to maintaining a holistic wellbeing practice.

Unit sequence

Prerequisite: 24 points in Field D

Pedagogy

Lectures, seminars, online forums, videos, podcasts

Indicative Bibliography

Northouse, Peter L. Leadership: Theory and Practice. SAGE Publications, 2022. (Set Text)

  • Abrams, Stacy. Minority Leader: How to Lead from The Outside and Make Real Change. Henry Holt and Co. 2018
  • Banks, Robert and Bernice M. Ledbetter. Reviewing Leadership: A Christian Evaluation of Current Approaches. Baker Academic, 2004.
  • Blackaby, Henry and Richard Blackaby. Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda. Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2011.
  • Brown, Brene. Dare to Lead. Random House, 2018
  • De Pree, Max. Leadership is an Art. Doubleday, 2004.
  • Jacobsen, Eric O. The Three Tasks of Leadership: Worldly Wisdom for Pastoral Leader. Eerdmans, 2009.
  • Kouzes, James M and Barry Z. Posner, eds. The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations, 7th ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2023.
  • Lencioni, Patrick. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. Jossey Bass, 2002.
  • Sandberg, Sheryl. Lean in: Women, Work and The Will to Lead. Knopf, 2013
  • Blanchard, Ken, and Renee Broadwell, eds. Servant Leadership in Action: How You Can Achieve Great Relationships and Results. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2018.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay - Essay 2000 25.0
Audio recording or Podcast - Audio Recording 1000 20.0
Essay - Essay 2000 25.0
Journal - Journal 2500 30.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Naomi Wolfe on 18 Sep, 2026

Unit record last updated: 2026-09-18 08:24:02 +1000