Leading Like Christ: A Phenomenological Study of the Biblical Shepherd Motif in Christian Parachurch Executive Leadership

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Christian nonprofit parachurch organization executive leaders in southeastern Indiana (i.e., Decatur County and its adjacent counties). For the purpose of this study, executive leaders was defined as those who hold a top-level leadership position at an organization, and Christian nonprofit parachurch organization was defined as an organization designated under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) that advances biblical principles and social welfare. Shepherd-like leadership was generally defined as a leadership style that demonstrates relational care, personal guidance, and protection of well-being, as seen in Psalm 23 and John 10. Although the biblical shepherd motif has been explored in theological literature, limited empirical research exists on its translation to real-world organizational contexts, especially in the nonprofit setting. By capturing the lived experiences of leaders, this study aimed to provide rich insights into the impact of organizational shepherding on programmatic effectiveness and staff morale. The findings may inform future leadership development within the Christian nonprofit parachurch sector and encourage a Christ-centered, personal approach to leadership. The findings revealed that participants understand and implement shepherd-like leadership primarily as an identity rooted in Christ, expressed through care, service, responsibility, provision, grace, presence, trust, and unity. Collectively, these themes demonstrate that shepherd-like leadership is fundamentally countercultural in its prioritization of love, presence, calling over self-interest, status, and performance.