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Assessing the Role Clarity and Ministry Effectiveness in Multi-Staff Church Administration in Lagos West Baptist Conference, Lagos, Nigeria

Ayodeji Oyewale Okunoye, Adebayo Ola Afolaranmi, PhD

Abstract

The increasing complexity of contemporary church administration has heightened the need for clearly differentiated pastoral responsibilities within multi-staff ministry structures. Although multi-staff ministry provides opportunities for shared leadership and specialised service, unclear roles, overlapping responsibilities, and ambiguous authority may undermine ministry effectiveness. This study assessed the role clarity and ministry effectiveness in multi-staff church administration, with particular attention to how clearly defined responsibilities, authority, communication, and accountability shape pastoral collaboration. The study adopted a qualitative research design within an interpretivist paradigm. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected pastors comprising five Senior Pastors and five Associate Pastors serving in multi-staff Baptist churches. Interview data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Findings revealed that role clarity facilitates workload sharing, ministry specialisation, communication, coordination, accountability, and effective ministry delivery. Conversely, role ambiguity, overlapping responsibilities, ineffective communication, and unclear authority constrain collaborative ministry and administrative effectiveness. The study concludes that role clarity is a significant organisational condition for effective multi-staff ministry and recommends intentional role definition, communication, delegation, and accountability structures. The study contributes qualitative insight to scholarship on pastoral leadership and church administration within the Nigerian Baptist context.

Keywords

Role ClarityMinistry EffectivenessMulti-Staff MinistryChurch AdministrationPastoral Leadership P-ISSN 2695-219X

References

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