The formation of leaders of the Southern Baptist Church in Taiwan: Exploring the current situation and envisioning the future

This study explores the current situation regarding leadership formation in the Southern Baptist Church in Taiwan (TSBC), and envisions a more missional and contextual process for leadership formation (LF). It addresses the following questions: What kinds of leaders are needed for the TSBC to participate in God's mission? How can these leaders be formed? What obstacles face the TSBC three levels--congregations, the Convention, and Seminary, that hinder its LF? What aspects of effective formation does TSBC need to emphasize? What strengths of LF are present in the Bread of Life Church (BLC) that can inform the TSBC?; A foundation is laid by defining the context of Taiwan regarding its demographic, social, economic, political and religious settings since post-World War II. Histories of missions are reviewed for the Protestants and the TSBC in Taiwan. A mixed-methods, sequential exploratory research approach was used. Qualitative interviews with the leaders of the TSBC and BLC were conducted and followed by a quantitative survey of Baptist pastors and deacons. The challenges discovered were: weak image for leadership, lack of intention and strategies for LF, limitation in ordaining female pastors, church polity too independent, weak Convention, and insufficient research for long-term strategies.; This study envisions a missional and contextual process of LF in light of the Book if Joshua, Jesus' example, Paul's letter of Second Corinthians, Trinitarian missiology, the missional church perspective, contemporary congregational studies, the small groups church, contemporary philosophical hermeneutics, open systems and human ecology theories, and leadership and organizational theories. It was founded that the success of the BLC was helped by a mega-church supporting the judicatory, leaders being involved in small groups ministry, excellent mentors being used to instruct new leaders, and smooth transitions being incorporated into the forming process. Suggestions made to the TSBC include: reflecting on the leadership and LF from a missional church perspective, having intentionality and strategies for LF, ordaining more female pastors, developing an interdependent church polity, engaging stronger congregations to commit in the Convention, engaging good mentors in forming young leaders, increasing the capacity of leaders at Convention level, and initiating research in LF.