Empowering Leadership in Discipleship: Experiences from an Interdenominational Participatory Action Research

In the Evangelical-Lutheran Theological University (Budapest), the idea of participatory action research and the concept of intentional discipleship and small discipleship groups have converged, suggesting a new type of leadership behavior within the Church. The combination of theological reflection and empirical research can be effectively translated into practice through participatory action research conducted in an interdenominational context, thereby assisting Christian congregations in striving for relevant and vibrant Christ-like leadership and discipleship in a changing world. The concept of empowering leadership is a key term in both modern social sciences and the field of discipleship. This paper aims to examine the practical aspects of empowering leadership within the realm of discipleship, based on experiences from the participatory action research group “Banding Together”, with a particular focus on leadership behavior.