TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of content
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Objective of the study
1.4 Research Hypotheses
1.5 Significance of the study
1.6 Scope and limitation of the study
1.7 Definition of terms
1.8 Organization of the study
CHAPETR TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPETR THREE
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 sources of data collection
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sampling and sampling distribution
3.5 Validation of research instrument
3.6 Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introductions
4.2 Data analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
Appendix
Abstract
The study examines the effect of nepotism on church growth and within the broader nonprofit sector. However, the effect of faith community leadership nepotism on parishioners has not been studied. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to fill a gap in the literature by exploring the perceptions of leadership nepotism through the lens of servant leadership. Specific to this study, it was unknown whether parishioners of a Protestant church view nepotism as having a positive, negative, or neutral impact related to leadership performance and church growth.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
The concept of nepotism, when individuals in power or authority show favoritism in the hiring of relatives and friends, is neither a rare or recent occurrence (Jones & Stout, 2015). It is so commonplace “it seems that organizations and societies cannot live with nepotism and yet cannot live without it” (Calvard & Raipaul-Baptiste, 2015). Employing a phenomenological research design, I conducted this qualitative study to contribute to the body of knowledge by offering insight into how nepotism (by church leadership) is perceived by members in the environment of a Protestant church. In this study, I explored if, and to what degree, parishioners of a single Protestant church in which leadership nepotism exists, identify any of five elements of servant leadership (i.e., listening, empathy, healing, stewardship, and building community) when describing whether they believe nepotism has had positive, negative, or neutral impacts on the congregation. Corruption is a product of greed, an act which deviates from the formal rules of conduct governing the actions of someone in a position of public authority because of private motives such as wealth, power or status (Ackerman, 1999; Khan, 1996). It entails a pervasive failure to tap self-interest for productive purposes. Hence, corruption whether in the public or private sector or religious, symbolizes an abuse of institutional trust for private gain.
Since the Nigerian church does not exist in a vacuum, the diversity of the country along ethic, tribal, and cultural lines, also show up in the Church, thus, the attendants conflicts and divisions at different levels of its operations and ministries. In order words, the contemporary Nigerian church been multicultural in nature is not immune from cross cultural conflicts of different kinds. Ironically, cultural diversity in the church is God’s sovereign plan; he authored and brought it to bear on the life of the Church as a ‘gift’ and a ‘means’ to achieve His plans and purposes for the church (cf. Gen., 11:1-9, Acts 2; 15; Rm., 9: 24-33, Eph., 3:6), hence the need to “see it as he sees it- as good and honor it as the handiwork of the wise and sovereign creator, (Duane Elmer, 1993: 23). If ethnic diversity is one of the ‘means’ i.e. a tool for the realization God’s purpose for the church to be able to act in its capacity as his representative to the Nations, how then can the Nigerian church. In this study leaders were defined as those holding the office of pastors, elders, and deacons with the responsibilities of shepherding, overseeing, guiding, teaching, and admonishing that were originally detailed in the Holy Bible (Acts 15:1-2, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 1 Timothy 5:17, Titus 1:5-9). Synthesize her physical (ethnic diversity) and spiritual (doctrinal differences) diversity with the purpose of God, how can this apparent ‘diversity’, be turned to strength and a platform for her dexterity in becoming a catalyst for national unity and transformation agent in an heterogeneous country like Nigeria? These of course are the thrusts of this study, i.e., proffering biblical solutions to ethnic based conflicts and divisions which are flaring the contemporary church in Nigeria more than ever before in the light of Ephesians 4:1-6.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Research indicates that the presence of nepotism has an effect on an environment, whether the negative consequence when favor granted to friends and family results in questions of fairness, poor organizational performance, and conflicts of interest (Calvard & Rajpaul-Baptiste, 2015; Pearce, 2015), or the positive outcomes that can result when a family business enjoys the benefits resulting from social connection, knowledge transfer, and familial indebtedness (Bellow, 2003; Jones, 2016; Jones & Stout, 2015). Most of the nepotism research focuses on employees in the private and public sector, much less so on nonprofits or non-employee populations. The effect of nepotism on parishioners has received little, if any, attention from Protestant churches specifically or investigation by researchers in public policy or related disciplines. Although leaders in religious organizations hold positions of public trust, perhaps none more so than in churches, within the nonprofit sector there is evidence of behaviors, including nepotism that might be considered unethical (Jeavons, 2005, 2008; Luoma, 2010; Montague, 2013). However, according to Richardson (2012), while ethical leadership requires good communication, moral judgment, honesty, consistent modeling of fairness, and valuing the contribution of others, those attributes often exist behind the scenes, “mostly out of sight. Although Richardson suggested that “integrity should be its own reward”; nevertheless, if what might otherwise be experienced as ethical leadership is instead either obscured or negatively altered by the presence of nepotism, that may serve as an indication of the need for church policy addressing nepotistic practices.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This study has one main objective, which is further divided into specific and general objective; the general objective is to ascertain the effect of nepotism on church growth, the specific objectives are;
- i) To ascertain the effect of nepotism on church growth
- ii) To ascertain if there is any significant relationship between nepotism and church growth in Nigeria
iii) To examine the impact of nepotism on the commitment of members
- iv) To proffer suggested solution to the identified problem
1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
H0: There is no significant relationship between nepotism and church growth in Nigeria
H0: There is a significant relationship between nepotism and church growth in Nigeria
H0: Nepotism does not have any impact on the commitment of members
H0: Nepotism does have an impact on the commitment of members
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- i) Does nepotism has any effect on church growth?
- ii) Is there any significant relationship between nepotism and church growth in Nigeria?
iii) Does nepotism has negative impact on the commitment of church members?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to the leadership of churches and other nonprofit oriented organization as the study seek to examine the effect of nepotism on the growth of the organization, the study will also be of importance to pastors, catholic priest and other ministerial leaders as the study seek to explore the effect of nepotism on church growth. The study will also be of importance to researchers who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the study will serve as a reference point to further study, finally the study will be of importance to students, teachers, academia's and the general public as the study will add to the pool of existing literature and also contribute to knowledge.
1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers the effect of nepotism on the growth of churches in Nigeria, but in the course of the study, there are some factors that limit the scope of the study;
AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.
1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Nepotism
Nepotism is the granting of jobs to one's relatives or friends in various fields, including business, politics, entertainment, sports, religion and other activities
Church
Church house, often simply called a church, is a building used for Christian religious activities, particularly for Christian worship services.
Church growth
The Church Growth Movement is a movement within evangelical Christianity which aims to grow churches based on research, sociology, analysis, etc. The Church Growth Movement started with a passion for the Great Commission, and seeing people come to Christ.
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows
Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.
