African Christian Leadership
Do you have questions about what is happening in Africa today?
Do you wish you had a better understanding of the issues and questions African Christians face as they seek to live out their faith in their cultural context?
Do you have ideas drawn from your own experience about what the questions and the answers might be?
Do you wonder how Africans themselves frame these questions and their answers?
Would you like access to actual research that can confirm your own experience or bring new information to your attention that would deepen and broaden your understanding?
Over 8,000 Africans in Angola, Central African Republic and Kenya were given the opportunity to respond to a 93 question survey administered in English, French, Portuguese and Swahili. Fifty Seven in-depth one on one interviews were held with individuals and organizations identified by Survey respondents as having a high level of impact. A working team consisting of Africans from several institutions and organizations in Africa along with westerners skilled in research and administrative support evaluated, discussed, discerned and distilled findings around topics addressed by the research. We are currently in the process of finalizing the publication details. When they are completed, you will be able to pre-order and/or order it from this website.
Strong Foundations
The quality of any book is directly dependent on its foundations. This book builds on several unusually strong foundations worth recognizing.
Funding – sustained multiyear financing
Research – unique original research combining quantitative and qualitative data collected in four languages across three countries from more than 8,000 people, representing over three dozen major ethnic groups and 100 denominations.
Collaboration – a single coherent research project collaboratively designed, carried out, and reported on by a team of scholars. The authors were key participants in every stage of the research and writing process and engaged each other continuously through each stage. The result is a multi-authored book characterized by balance, unity, and coherence.
African Authorship – rests on African scholarship.
Contemporary Focus – research focused not on deceased former leaders, but on active and often youthful contemporary leaders, many of whom make rich use of social media, work in urban contexts, and engage a rapidly changing world. This research focuses on contemporary African Christian reading patterns and on contemporary efforts by African Christian leaders to address ethnic and religious violence, sex education, gender dynamics, environmental issues, and the opportunities and challenges of running faith-based-organizations. Its focus is on the contemporary.
Global Relevance – while placing the central focus on African Christian agency, the book nonetheless emphasizes connections within a global community of faith, and considers the relevance for a wide variety of interested stakeholders. It is practical help, not only to African Christian leaders but to many from outside the continent who are interested in partnering with, and lending support to, strategic African-led ministries and initiatives
Augmented by Supportive On-Line Resources – All research data, along with the overall findings of the ALS team is available online, to serve as a seedbed resource for others as they seek factual research findings to underpin their decisions and plans, or carry out additional research.
These topics have been given in depth treatment in the book:
- Characteristics of Influential African Christian Leaders
- African Christian Organizations and Socio-economic Development
- Connected: The Role of Social Capital for Leaders with Impact
- African Women Leaders: Realities & Opportunities
- Faith in Action: Patterns of Influential African Christian Organizations
- Formation of African Christian Leaders: Patterns from the ALS Data
- Reading and Leading: Favorite Authors of African Christians
- Empowering Leadership: A New Dawn in African Christian Leadership
- Leadership Responses During Armed Conflict,
- Developing Transformational Leaders: Curricula Implications from the Africa Leadership Study Findings
- Engaging African Leadership: One Foundation’s Story
