SPIRITUALITY AND STRIFE IN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP IN THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH IN LAGOS, NIGERIA: EXPLORING THE REDEMPTIVE AND RESPONSIVE DIMENSIONS OF CHRISTIANITY

This study, Spirituality and Strife in Christian Leadership in the Pentecostal Church in Lagos, Nigeria: Exploring the Redemptive and Responsive Dimensions of Christianity, is premised on the phenomenon of the prevalence of strife and acrimony among some Christian leaders of the Pentecostal extraction in Lagos, Nigeria, despite their claim to spirituality. This investigation is crucial, given that the Church is the institution God has given to provide illumination, direction, leadership, and godly values to society. The main objective of this study was to explore the obvious and underlying causes of interpersonal strife among Nigerian Pentecostal leaders, with the aim of developing an innovative spiritual leadership development intervention. This research analyzed several instrumental factors, such as doctrinal, emotional, and cultural factors, that may have contributed to this phenomenon. It adopted the qualitative paradigm using a phenomenological approach. The significance of this study lies in the spiritual dissonance created by some Pentecostal Christian leaders’ propensity for conflict and strife of varying proportions, rather than demonstrating godly examples of conflict management to their disciples while attracting unbelievers into the faith through the exercise of sacrificial love. The contradictory message created by this phenomenon is at variance with biblical teachings and worldview. The findings from this study led to a creative approach to intentional leadership development through spiritual formation, built on the foundation of love.