Measuring Clergy Effectiveness

Abstract

A review of the current literature showed that clergy effectiveness (CE) instruments were inadequate due to age, insufficient content validity, and/or based on secondary criteria. The premise of this study was that an instrument built upon qualitative data reflective of 21st-century ministry paradigms is needed. Such data did not exist until DeShon identified 64 personal and behavioral characteristics of clergy deemed to enhance effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to operationalize the characteristics identified by DeShon. Staff and lay leaders in churches of various sizes from five different denominations were selected using a snowball technique (N = 397). Scale optimization resulted in a final three-factor instrument consisting of 14 items: professional competence (five items), socially adept (five items), and inclination to lead (four items). Scale reliability was substantiated by Cronbach's alpha scores of .89 (professional competence), .94 (socially adept), and .73 (inclination to lead).