Date of Conferral

8-14-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Robert Levasseur

Abstract

Walden University August 2025 United Methodist church attendance has declined for numerous years in the United States and other areas worldwide. Many United Methodist church leaders face challenges in achieving church sustainability. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Virginia United Methodist church leaders concerning leadership strategies to enhance church sustainability. The study’s conceptual framework consisted of Bass and Avolio’s full range leadership model and Lewin’s three-stage change model. The participants comprised United Methodist church leaders who held positions as Virginia Conference district superintendents, pastors, and the bishop. The data collection method was face-to-face, semistructured interviews with 10 participants and subsequent member checking. Thematic analysis of the data enabled the identification of findings that addressed the research questions, which relate to leadership strategies implemented to enhance church sustainability and their effectiveness. The three themes that emerged from data analysis showed that church leaders used the following strategies to enhance church sustainability: (a) change the leadership culture, (b) encourage youth participation, and (c) develop strong stewardship and capital campaigns. Findings showed that changing the leadership culture is a major strategy that leads to church sustainability. Church leaders could implement these identified strategies to increase and sustain church membership and attendance, thus improving quality of life and the economy. The implications for positive social change include the potential for church leaders to prioritize allocated resources and financial programs to improve social programs that may help meet the needs of less fortunate people within their communities.

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