Abstract
Background: Church growth remains a central theme in Pentecostal missiology, with small groups or home cells emerging as effective structures for qualitative and quantitative growth. Understanding the dynamics that foster this growth is critical, particularly within Pentecostal and Charismatic contexts.
Objectives: This research investigates the impact of Leader-Member relationships on the growth of home cell groups at Perez Dome, a major branch of Perez Chapel International in Accra, Ghana. It focusses on how Leader-Member exchanges (LMX) influence spiritual, numerical, social and welfare growth.
Method: Using a quantitative research design, the study adopts the LMX framework developed by Graen and Uhl-Bien. Data were collected through structured surveys targeting leaders and members of Perez Dome home cell groups. Statistical analysis explored correlations between LMX quality and the identified growth dimensions.
Results: The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between high-quality LMX and home cell group growth. Spiritual growth was most strongly correlated, followed by social and welfare growth. However, the relationship between LMX and numerical growth was less pronounced, suggesting the need for additional strategies in evangelism and outreach.
Conclusion: The study concludes that LMX dynamics are crucial for fostering sustainable growth in home cell groups. Key drivers include trust, open communication and welfare support, which enhance spiritual and social development.
Contribution: This research contributes to Pentecostal missiology by demonstrating the relevance of LMX theory for holistic church growth. It provides actionable insights for African Pentecostal and Charismatic churches, emphasising Leader-Member relationship quality as a critical growth strategy.
Keywords: Leader-Member relationships; spiritual growth; numerical growth; social and welfare growth; Perez Dome; Pentecostals and Charismatics.
Introduction
Church growth is central and critical to many Christian denominations including Pentecostals and Charismatics. McGavran (1970) has posited that churches situated in urban locations can effectively grow using the concept of ‘house churches’ in urban areas of the first century particularly, in Corinth, Ephesus among others. He explained that the cosmopolitan and polygynous nature of urban cities makes it difficult for members to travel to a location to meet and fellowship as Christians. Hence, having meeting locations within the proximity of urban dwellers emphasises growth. Various research in Africa and Ghana concerning the dominant Christian denomination in urban areas has shown that Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations are overwhelmingly taking over Christianity in urban cities.
Okyerefo (2011:27–34) argued that the blossoming of Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations in urban cities in Ghana is caused by functional appeal where members can attend any of the multiple services on a Sunday or any other day of the week. For Ayikwei (2020), the reason for the dominance of Pentecostals and Charismatics in urban cities in Ghana is because their leaders are often seen online or update their social media outlets with their messages that can be easily accessed in urban cities because of the availability of Internet service even if it is erratic. It demonstrates that the centripetal characteristics of cities that attract people from other jurisdictions of business, education and lifestyle among others are biased towards Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations towards growth and dominance. Furthermore, it is indicative of the fact that any government policies in urban cities in Ghana that have religious influence must critically consult the Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations (Aryeh 2020). This calls for the implementation of McGavran’s ‘house churches’ principle for church growth in urban cities in Ghana.
The ‘house churches’ principle of the first century CE is referred to as ‘home cells’ in contemporary church growth theory. According to Kim (2006), a cell is the ‘smallest basic unit that forms the body of all living creatures, which cannot exist independently but can survive only within an organic body, and can live by constant proliferation’. It implies that the ‘home cells’ are the lifeline of many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches in urban cities in Ghana. The ‘home cells’ are not independent churches or branches of the main churches but they live or operate their activities within the overall jurisdiction of the main church. Although ‘home cells’ are hosted by some members of the church who have homes for cell meetings, the cells do not belong to them, nor can they assume leadership of the cell without approval from the main church. Various models of ‘home cells’ have been promulgated depending on the contextual demographics of church life and society (Kim 2006:61–70). This study examines the influence of Leader-Member exchanges (LMX) or relationships on the growth of Perez Dome in the areas of spirituality, numerical, social and welfare of the Perez Dome congregation. How does effective church leadership foster growth through ‘home cells’ in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches in Ghana? What is LMX within the context of ‘home cells’ in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches in Ghana?
Conceptual framework
The importance of SLMX in church community is well established (Dose 2006). These relationships contribute to the personal development, spiritual growth and emotional stability of members, highlighting the essential role of healthy relationships among leaders and members in the development of churches and their impact on communities. According to Graen and Uhl-Bien (1995), LMX is the relationships between leaders and members that can result in either high-quality or low-quality exchanges. High-quality relationships, characterised by increased effort and loyalty, enable followers to gain more influence and control (Graen & Uhl-Bien 1995; Schriesheim, Castro & Cogliser 2001). This sense of belonging fosters personal growth and spiritual development. Conversely, low-quality exchanges, where members’ efforts do not exceed expectations and interactions are guided by organisational norms, do not inspire additional benefits from leaders (Graen & Uhl-Bien 1995; Schriesheim et al. 2001). Leaders may perceive these members as part of the ‘out-group’, attributing less value to their input, which can lead to negative outcomes.
The LMX theory suggests that leaders develop different types of relationships with each subordinate, ranging from those based on employment contracts to those characterised by mutual trust and respect (Dansereau, Graen & Haga 1975; Graen, Novak & Sommerkamp 1982). Understanding these dynamics is critical for fostering effective leadership. This research sought to argue that upholding the LMX theory with pneumatic adaptations has helped build dynamic ‘home cells’ that are critical contributive factors to the growth of the Perez Dome.
Research methods and design
This study employed a quantitative research design (He et al. 2020; Ogunyemi, Quaicoe & Bauters 2022) to examine the relationship between Leader-Member dynamics and growth in membership of home cells in the Perez Dome. The sample includes leaders and members of home cell groups within the Perez Dome. The sampling frame consists of a total of 71 home cells from seven regions; out of which, 69 home cell leaders from 69 home cells and 124 members were purposively sampled.
The home cell growth is assessed in four directions – numerical, spiritual, social and welfare growths. While numerical growth measured changes in membership, spiritual development. Thus, using the scale developed for growth of home cell groups, 5 points were awarded for each of the three items under each indicator, given a total score of 15 points for each indicator. Thus, each of the four indicators for home cell growth: spiritual growth, numerical growth, social growth and welfare growth had a maximum score of 15 points each from records, with the attendance in July 2023 being the baseline to July 2024 being the target point.
A total of 114 respondents answered the age-related question. The age of respondents ranges from 18 years to 71 years, with more than two-thirds (76 out of 112) between the age of 21 and 40 years, indicating that the Home Cell Groups of Perez Chapel have a predominantly youthful population. Majority of the respondents (76) are female (61%), and 48 are male (39%), reflecting the common phenomenon of more females than males in churches. Out of the 124 respondents, 123 indicated their home Cell Region, with the Eden Region having the most respondents (35) followed by Canaan (24), Goshen (20), Zion (14), Shiloh (13), Judah (12), and Bethel the least (5).
A brief description of Perez Dome and some scholarly works of Leader-Member exchanges for church growth
Perez Chapel International, established in 1987, aims to spread the Gospel and demonstrate God’s power. Its vision includes building a family church focussed on glorifying God and reaching the world with compassion and power. The church aims to achieve several objectives, such as promoting scriptural teachings, encouraging evangelisation, establishing churches and missions, training ministers and maintaining educational and welfare institutions.
Charismatic and Pentecostal churches prioritise the Holy Spirit’s role and transformative work and leadership, ensuring high-quality Leader-Member relationships as imperative for mission. Although some studies have examined the effects of Leader-Member relationships (Yankyera 2023), there is sparse literature on the relationship between LMX and the growth of home cell groups in Ghana. Previous studies have yielded mixed results. While some indicate that weak Leader-Member relationships could impede church growth, others suggest that LMX could create challenges for growth. This study, therefore, aims to explore how Leader-Member relationships impact the growth and sustainability of home cell groups within the Perez Dome of the Perez Chapel International. The research seeks to provide insights into effective Leader-Member interactions and develop strategies to enhance home cell group growth, contributing to Perez Chapel International’s mission.
With the home cell group concept relaunched less than 2 years ago, it is timely to examine the connection between the strength of Leader-Member interactions and the growth dynamics of this initiative. The primary research question focusses on exploring the relationship between the strength of Leader-Member interactions and group growth of home cell groups in the Perez Dome, as well as determining strategies to enhance these relationships to promote group growth. This study uses the Perez Dome Church Administration as a case study for this investigation.
The lack of strong Leader-Member relationships hinders the growth of many home cell groups within churches. Studies have indicated that factors such as ‘lack of enthusiasm for evangelism, internal squabbles, weak discipleship, pastors who are not developed in leadership, and weak stewardship’ hinder church growth (Murisa 2023). Most of these factors relate to the quality of Leader-Member relationships. Vanco (2023) observes that an ineffective leadership team and not meeting members’ needs are among the 10 hindrances to church growth. Leader-Member relationships play a pivotal role in fostering church growth, as evidenced by studies of Baptist Churches in South Africa and the United States. These relationships are foundational to creating a thriving spiritual community, as they influence trust, communication, and shared vision between church leaders and members.
Hogg (2001), positing social identity and self-categorisation theories, explained that over-reliance on the leader in social interactions between church leaders and members is a major problem, as members become overly dependent on the leader. This hinders the personal growth and development of the members. Bass (1985) condemns this practice, arguing in his book ‘Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations’ that strong Leader-Member relationships can easily lead to increased demand on the leader, causing leadership burnout. The leader could also become overburdened with members’ problems, which can strain his family and resources. In addition, favouritism on the part of the leader may inadvertently open them up to certain members, especially the rich and affluent. Terry, Hogg and McKimmie (2000) stated that favouritism on the part of the leader creates resentment and conflicts.
De Dreu and Weingart (2003) argue that strong Leader-Member relationships make conflict resolution very difficult. They explained that such relationships make conflict resolution and criticism challenging, as the leader becomes a friend to everyone, making it difficult to confront problematic members who are close to the leader.
Another problem with Leader-Member relationships in home cell management is members’ total dependence on the leader’s charisma. Zaccaro and Klimoski (2002) criticised the system of strong Leader-Member relations in an attempt to build an effective home cell system, observing that the success of the home cell may be too closely tied to the leader’s personality and charisma. This develops a strong personal and emotional attachment to the leader. In an event where the leader relocates, passes on or leaves the church, the home cell is likely to collapse.
Existing literature indicates that Leader-Member relationships significantly influence the dynamics and success of small groups. However, there is a gap in specific empirical research on how Leader-Member relationships affect home cell group growth. Within the Perez Dome in Ghana, anecdotal evidence suggests that supportive relationships between leaders and members foster group cohesion, enhance engagement, and ensure retention and growth. A systematic investigation is therefore needed to fully understand these effects.
Leader-Member exchanges for home cell growth in the Perez Dome
This section discusses the spiritual, numerical, social and welfare growth of home cells of the Perez Dome congregation of the Perez Chapel International as a result of the implementation of the LMX theory.
Spiritual growth
Spiritual growth is critical to many Pentecostal and Charismatic Church because of the emphasis on pneumatic experiences. However, it is difficult to effectively measure the spiritual growth of a congregation scientifically. Here, spiritual growth is measured based on the response of members of the home cell to home cell activities, and communal response and care for the needs of fellow members through the LMX. These needs are spiritual such as fasting, prayer and demonstration of the knowledge of the Bible (word of God) to support each other through the instrumentality of the leader.
The structure of home cells in the Perez Dome is based on regions. There are seven regions of home cells with their respective number of cells: Bethel has 5 cells, Canaan 24, Eden 35, Judah 12, Goshen 21, Shiloh 13 and Zion 15. For Pentecostals, spiritual growth is the daily application of the Bible in the life experiences of members of the church (Shaasha, Msabah & Kyule 2024:28–46; Sims 2013). The study measured spiritual growth on three themes: spiritual development, leadership development, and discipleship and mentorship. These were determined by the leader’s relationship with the members of the cells. On the scale of 1–5, the leaders confirm that members of the cells have developed spiritually through the weekly participation in cell meetings and activities. Spiritual development is also vivid in the engagement of Scripture passages by the members to deal with life challenges. Hence, the leaders were not confronted with too many existential issues of the members.
Leadership development has manifested in the raising of cell members who have started and are leading new cells or deputising for other leaders of the cell. This demonstrates effective discipleship and mentor relationships that exist between the leaders and members. The home cell system in the Perez Dome fostered the avenue for Leader-Member knowledge that enhances spiritual growth and nurturing of leadership potentials of members through the application of biblical principles. This confirms the definition and key characteristics of Pentecostals. ‘It is noteworthy that Pentecostals point to Scripture’ (Asamoah-Gyadu 2013:11) for authority and practice in all matters. The phenomenon makes the Bible a living document and tones down the historical factor of the Bible.
Numerical growth
Numerical growth is significant to church congregations. It is expected that spiritual growth will eventually result into numerical growth. Table 1 demonstrates the objective model and reveals a mixed picture of home cell growth, with some groups experiencing an increase in attendance, while others declined over the period. This variability suggests that some home cell groups were successful in attracting and retaining members, while others struggled to maintain attendance.
| TABLE 1: Perceptual and actual numerical growth or decrease by region. |
Two types of growth are explored in this study – that from the leaders perspective and that from the members perspective. An assessment of an agreement of otherwise of these two scores was therefore performed using the paired sample t-test. The paired sample t-test compared the growth scores from the leaders perspective and that from the members perspective to assess whether a notable difference exists between the two viewpoints. The mean difference between growth scores of leaders and members is –1.65750. This indicates that, on average, members have a growth score that is 1.65750 points higher than leaders. The p-value of 0.248 indicates that the mean difference between growth scores of leaders and members is however not statistically significant. The lack of significant difference between growth scores of leaders and members suggests that leaders and members have similar growth scores, indicating no significant difference in their perceptions of growth.
Table 2 demonstrates the dynamics of the existing members (baseline) and the growth (current) or otherwise. The decline in Goshen and Shiloh regions requires critical investigation to arrest and reverse the trend. It is likely that the decline identified in some specific home cells in Goshen and Shiloh regions may lead to diagnoses and solution to the LMX in that specific ‘home cell’. Because the emphasis in this research is on LMX, leadership is pivotal. It therefore calls for a relook of the leadership aptitude in those specific cells. The decline in Goshen and Shiloh regions demonstrate that the LMX may have some challenges, which is a contextual issue.
| TABLE 2: Growth or decrease by regional grouping. |
Social and welfare growth
Social and welfare growth are measured based on the interpersonal relationship of members. These have some commonalities with the church growth scale developed by McIntosh (2004). Social and welfare relationship with others who may not be Christian, or members of a cell, is generally encouraged among Pentecostals to serve as a bridge to convert them to the faith (Gifford 2004:13). Social growth in the home cells in this study is measured on the scale of growth in interpersonal relationships among members, group cohesion and presence at social events (weddings, naming ceremonies, funeral etc.) of the home cells. The social and welfare growth is further elaborated in the conjoined discussion of spiritual growth, numerical growth, social and welfare growth in LMX in the following section.
Leader-Member relationship for home cell growth in Perez Dome
Quality of Leader-Member relationships in Perez Dome using the Leader-Member exchanges 7 questionnaire
The correlation analysis between the LMX of Members and of Leaders, as shown in Table 3, had a coefficient of –0.677 indicating that there is a moderately strong relationship between the LMX scores of leaders and that of members. The p-value of 0.095 shows that although it is not significant at 5%, it is significant at the 10% level.
| TABLE 3: Correlation between Leader-Member exchanges of leaders and Leader-Member exchanges of members. |
The LMX scores had an overall average score of 28.5 out of 35 (81.43%). This suggests a high (strong) LMX score on average because it’s above 25. Region-wise, the Judah Region has the highest score (30.1667), followed by Canaan (29.2500), Zion (28.7333), Bethel (28.6000), Goshen (28.3333) and Shiloh (28.0769), while Eden has the lowest (27.6286). This seems to suggest that higher LMX scores go with higher growth perceptions. The observed differences in LMX scores across regions are however not significant (p-value of 0.888).
The LMX scores have important implications for assessing the quality of leadership and its impact on home cell group effectiveness. High LMX scores suggest that leaders at the home cell group are effective in building trust and rapport with members and are able to empower and support members in fostering a positive and productive group dynamic.
The internal consistency (reliability) among the four measures of growth (Numerical Growth, Vertical [Spiritual] Growth, Welfare Growth, and Social Growth) was assessed using reliability analysis with the Cronbach’s alpha. The Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.839 (> 0.7) indicates that the items have strong internal consistency among the four variables of growth and show good reliability.
The item-total statistics for the reliability analysis, as shown in Table 4, shows that all four variables are important as a removal of any will lead to a lower Cronbach’s alpha score. However, numerical growth is the least influential as its removal will only result in a small change of 0.008 (i.e. from 0.839 to 0.831).
Given the established validity and reliability of the growth Instrument, the average score for each dimension of growth are as follows: numerical growth 10.93, vertical growth 12.58, welfare growth 12.26 and social growth 11.46.
The average score (mean) for growth of a home cell is 47.23 out of 60 (78.72%), with a standard deviation of 7.611. This is negatively skewed, thus fewer lower growth and more higher growths. The region with the highest member perception of growth is the Judah region followed closely by the Bethel region, while the lowest perception is the Zion region. The observed difference among the regions is however not significant at the 5% level (p-value of 0.344) – one respondent did not state his or her region.
Growth indicators of leaders that influence numerical growth most
The correlation between the type of growth of the leader and the net growth of the home cells was explored using correlations. The net growth is the change in the membership of a home cell. The correlation indicates that welfare is very significant (p-value of 0.001) followed by social growth, which is significant at 7%. Spiritual growth was not significant (p-value of 0.912)
A further analysis of region-wise welfare and social growth is shown in Table 5. The table shows that only social growth by leaders is highly correlated with the net growth of a region, and this is positive, strong and significant at 94% (p-value of < 6). Thus, the growth of a region is more dependent on the leader than it is on the member, and when the leader’s interpersonal relationship grows, it leads to a significant numerical growth of the region.
| TABLE 5: Correlation between welfare growth scores, social growth scores and growth of region. |
Relationship between Leader-Member exchanges scores of leaders with the growth of their cells
Table 6 shows the average LMX scores of leaders with their respective growth rates for the various home cell groups, by region. The relationship between LMX and the growth of a region, as shown in the correlation, is positive and very significant (0.325, p-value of 0.000). Thus, stronger LMX is very significantly related to growth in the home cell.
| TABLE 6: Results of growth or decrease at home cell group level and their corresponding Leader-Member exchanges scores. |
A further breakdown of the detailed correlation between the LMX and each growth components score showed that spiritual growth has the highest, and positively significant, correlation with LMX scores (Pearson’s 0.361 with p-value of 0.000). Thus, implying that strong Leader-Member relationship leads to higher growth in the spiritual life of members than in any other area – this is followed by an increase in the social growth, then welfare growth, before numerical growth.
Furthermore, numerical growth is more associated with spiritual growth (Pearson of 0.534) and social growth (Pearson of 0.496) of members. Thus, a focus on the spiritual life of members and their social growth will bring better dividend to numerical growth than meeting the welfare needs of the members.
In addition, although the spiritual growth of members is more associated, positively and significantly, with social growth (Pearson of 0.642), it is also significantly associated with welfare growth (Pearson of 0.527). Thus, when the spiritual life of members at the home cell grows, meeting the welfare and social needs of members is an obvious consequence.
The highest correlation, which is also positive and significant, is between welfare growth and social growth (Pearson’s 0.693). Thus, a strong focus on social interaction at the home cell is likely to lead to meeting the welfare needs of the people – perhaps because the greatest need of members may not be material, but relational.
Splitting the data into two sets, that is members with LMX scores lower than 25 (as Low LMX scores) and members with LMX scores greater than or equal to 25 (high LMX scores), a further analysis showed that at the 5% significance level, there is no significant difference in growth in the various areas, between those with low LMX scores and those with high LMX scores except in spiritual growth. Thus, the spiritual growth of members with high LMX is evidentially higher than those with low LMX. However, at the 10% significant level, social growth is significantly higher for those with high LMX scores than those with low LMX scores. Thus, stronger LMX leads to better social growth in the home cells at the 10% significance level.
The correlation between Leader-Member relationship and some home cell growth metrics as shown in Table 7, suggests that strong Leader-Member relationships play a critical role in fostering the growth and sustainability of home cell groups within the Perez Dome.
| TABLE 7: Correlation between Leader-Member relationship quality and home cell growth metrics. |
Conclusion
The study reveals important insights into the perceptions of growth and LMX among home cell members emphasising the positive impact of strong Leader-Member relationships on home cell growth in the Perez Dome. The positive relationship between LMX and growth suggests that stronger Leadership-Member correlations are associated with higher growth perceptions. The breakdown of correlations highlights the importance of spiritual growth and social interaction in achieving numerical growth and meeting welfare needs. Overall, the study contributes to the understanding of the dynamics of home cells and the role of LMX in promoting growth and development.
The findings of this study align with previous research on the importance of leadership within religious communities. Leader-Member relationships have been shown to enhance trust, communication and commitment among members, leading to increased participation and engagement. In the context of the Perez Dome, these relationships have contributed to the growth and sustainability of home cell groups.
These results highlight the significance of effective leadership practices in promoting community development. Religious leaders, at all levels, should therefore prioritise building effective relationships with their members to create a supportive and engaging environment. However, there is the need to explore the specific leadership behaviours and strategies that are most effective in fostering Leader-Member relationships and community growth.
Acknowledgements
This article is partially based on the author’s dissertation entitled ‘Effects of strong Leader-Member relationships on home cell growth in the Perez Dome of Accra, Ghana’ towards the MBA Human Resource Management Degree in the Department of Leadership and Business, Accra Metropolitan University, Ghana in December 2024, with supervisor Prof. Daniel Nii Aboagye Aryeh.
Competing interests
The author declares that no financial or personal relationships inappropriately influenced the writing of this article.
Author’s contributions
C.A. is the sole author of this research article.
Ethical considerations
This article followed all ethical standards for research without direct contact with human or animal subjects.
Funding information
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Data availability
The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its references.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and are the product of professional research. The article does not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated institution, funder agency or that of the publisher. The author is responsible for this article’s results, findings and content.
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