The Connection between Lead Pastors' Enneagram Personality Type and Congregational Size

• Main Author: Johnson, Jeremy David
• Language: EN
• Published: Southeastern University 2019
• Subjects: Clergy|Educational leadership|Organizational behavior
• Online Access: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=13860669

<p> This study examines the relationship between the Enneagram profile of a lead pastor and the size of congregation. This study is motivated by the research question, &ldquo;Do lead pastors of Protestant megachurches in the United States tend to share commonalities in their Enneagram personality types?&rdquo; Previous research indicates that personality plays a role in the impact of a pastor, but to date, no systematic investigation has explored the connection between the Enneagram profile of the leader and the size of the congregation. Using a sample of 58 megachurch pastors and 56 non-megachurch pastors, the Enneagram type of each pastor was obtained through the Wagner Enneagram Personality Style Scales (WEPSS) inventory. The findings from the research indicate a significant relationship between Enneagram Type 3s (Achievers) and 8s (Challengers) as a common profile of the megachurch pastor (in 79% of the cases). The findings offer insights into potential benefits of self-discovery the Enneagram can provide pastors based on the unique roles of their leadership style. While these results do not speak to the quality of leadership in these pastors, or suggest a pastor is better suited for a church based on a personality style, these results may prompt further inquiry into the pastoral selection process to determine if the current structure favors a certain personality. Keywords: pastoral leadership, Enneagram, megachurch, personality profile, church size</p><p>