Interview: Stories of Church Culture

Choose someone to interview who has been part of a church for a significant period of time. This could be a leader, former leader, or simply an observant and informed church goer. Use the learning you have gained in this module to help explain the questions to the person being interviewed.

Your interview should focus on church leadership, culture, and organizational behavior. You may conduct it in person, over the phone, or on a video call. Use the following core questions as a guide, but feel free to ask follow-up questions:

Church Organizational Culture and Leadership

• How would you describe the organizational culture of the church (feel free to describe the different types you have studied in this module)? Has it changed over time?
• How does the church typically make major decisions (leader-led, Spirit-led, collaborative, etc)?
• How would you describe the communication style of the leadership?

Strengths and Weaknesses

• What would you say are the greatest strengths and weaknesses of the organizational culture of the church? Solicit stories to back up these observations.
• What advice would you give now to the church in retrospect as you look back on how these strengths and weaknesses helped or hindered the church during particular periods of time?

After the interview, write a detailed summary and analysis of your findings. Your submission should be at least 600 words and include:

• Summary of the Interview (Who was interviewed? What church? What major changes or events did they discuss?)
• Key Takeaways from the Discussion (What insights did you gain about leadership, culture, decision-making, and organizational behavior?)
• Connections to Organizational Behavior Theory (Apply at least one concept from your course learning)
• Your Reflections (What would you have done differently if you were in leadership during this situation?)