A Study of Current Leadership Styles in the North African Church

Farida approaches the subject with the insight and respect achieved through leading to faith and nurturing hundreds of Muslims in France and North Africa.  Drawing from the leadership styles in the cultures and history of the latter region, including its ancient and contemporary church, she examines them through the lens of biblical leadership values and discerns guidelines that are both culturally relevant and biblical.

J. Dudley Woodberry
Dean Emeritus and Senior Professor of Islamic Studies,
School of Intercultural Studies,
Fuller Theological Seminary

Dr. Saïdi has done a remarkable job in advancing the reflection and proposing concrete and credible models, developed under the scrutiny of biblical teaching and deeply rooted in the history and culture of North Africa, with input from her vast and lengthy experience in the field. One would search in vain for another book on the subject with the same pertinence, depth of research, quality of presentation and practical outlook. Highly recommended.

Amar Djaballah
Dean and professor of Biblical Studies,
Faculté de Théologie Évangélique de Montréal, Affiliated with Acadia University 

1. Abstract
2. Acknowledgements
3. Part 1: Background
4. Chapter 1
1. Introduction
1. Rise and Decline of the Church in North Africa
2. New Beginnings of the North African Church
3. Purpose of Study
5. Chapter 2
1. An Overview of Contemporary Leadership Theories
1. Great-Man Theory
2. Trait-Theory
3. Behavioral Theories
4. Contingency Theories
5. Transactional Leadership
6. Transformational Leadership
7. Visionary or Charismatic Leadership
8. Autocratic, Democratic and Laissez-Faire Leadership
9. Servant Leadership
10. The Relationship of the Leader with God
1. Biblical Leadership Theories
2. Spiritual Leadership Theories
3. Islamic Leadership Theories
11. Cultural Approaches to Leadership Styles
1. Universal Versus Cultural
2. Western Theories Measure Applied Globally
3. Cultural Categories For Measuring Leadership Behaviors
4. Leadership Styles in the Middle East and North Africa
12. Conclusion
6. Chapter 3
1. Methodology
1. My Flowchart
2. Existing Questionnaires
3. Measuring Leadership Styles
1. What Makes a Leadership Style
2. Questionnaires and Interviews
3. Leadership Styles in Contingency Theory
4. Behaviours
5. Values
6. Leadership Legitimacy
7. Leadership Power and Influence
8. Metaphors and Definitions
4. Field Research
1. Informants
2. NAP Conference
3. Visits to North Africa
5. Data Analysis
6. Descriptive Study
7. Limitations of my Research
7. Part 2: Styles of Leadership in Islam and North African Culture and History
8. Chapter 4
1. Leadership Styles in Islam
1. Pre-Islamic (jahiliyya) Leadership
1. Leadership Roles
2. Influence of Pre-Islamic Leadership on Islamic Leadership
3. Conclusion
2. Leadership in Early Islam
1. God’s Power versus Human Power
2. Authority and Power
3. Conclusion
4. Muhammad
5. Leadership Legitimacy
6. Leadership Roles
3. Conclusions and Recommendations
9. Chapter 5
1. Styles of Leadership in North African Culture
1. Socio-political Leadership
1. The Sheikh
2. Leadership Patterns of President Boumediène (1932-1978)
2. Family Leadership Style
1. Traditional and Contemporary North African Families
2. Grandparents Leadership Style
3. Father Leadership Style
4. Mother Leadership Style
5. North African Family Values
3. Religious Education
1. Qur’anic School
2. The Talib
3. The Wali
4. Marabouts in Contemporary North Africa
5. North African Zawiyas
4. Conclusion
10. Chapter 6
1. Styles of Leadership in North African History
1. Augustine: Theologian and Church Father
1. Augustine’s Life and Legacy
2. Augustine’s Leadership Attributes and Behaviors
3. Augustine’s Leadership Styles
2. Amir Abd el-Kader: Visionary and Father of the Nation
1. Amir Abd el-Kader’s Life and Legacy
2. Amir Abd el-Kader’s Leadership Attributes and Behaviors
3. Amir Abd el-Kader’s Leadership Style
3. Cardinal Lavigerie: Contextual Missionary and Communicator
4. >
5. Cardinal Lavigerie’s Life and Legacy
6. Cardinal Lavigerie’s Leadership Attributes and Behaviors
7. Cardinal Lavigeries’ Leadership Style
8. <
li> Ibn Badis: Doctor of the Muslim Community
1. Ibn Badis’ Life and Legacy
2. Theologian
3. Ibn Badis’ Leadership Attributes and Behaviors
4. Ibn Badis’ Leadership Styles
2. Conclusion

1. Results of Questionnaires and Interviews
1. Leadership Values
1. Spiritual Values
2. Human Values
3. Moral Values
4. Relational Values
5. Other Responses on the Question on Values
6. Conclusion
2. Human Qualities
1. Accountability
2. Courage
3. Faithfulness
4. Forgiveness
5. Generosity
6. Humility
7. Justice
8. Love and Its Cognates
9. Loyalty
10. Patience
11. Trustworthy
12. Wisdom
13. Conclusion
3. Moral Qualities
1. Blameless
2. Integrity and Its Cognates
3. Sanctity
4. Conclusion
4. Legitimacy
1. Divine Legitimacy
2. Divine and Human Legitimacy
3. Self-Appointed Leaders
4. Conclusion
5. Power-Influence
1. Authority
2. Consultation
3. Behaviour-Modeling
4. Conclusion
6. Relational Behaviours
1. Caretaking
2. Dying for One’s Followers
3. Listening
4. Protection
5. Conclusion
7. Spiritual Characteristics-Piety
1. Attached to God and Jesus
2. Bible-Centered
3. Charisma/Filled with the Holy Spirit
4. Prayer
5. Submission to God
6. Conclusion
8. Leadership Skills
1. Leading
2. Accepting Responsibility
3. Teaching
4. Visionary
5. Administration
6. Conclusion
9. Leadership Metaphors
1. Father Metaphor
2. Servant Metaphor
3. Shepherd Metaphor
4. Conclusion
10. Biblical Leadership Styles
1. Jesus
2. Moses
3. Timothy
4. Paul
5. Other Biblical Leaders
6. Conclusion
11. Chapter Conclusion

1. Integration and Implications
1. The Sheikhocratic Leadership Style
1. Caretaking Characteristics
2. Autocratic-Consultative Leadership Style
3. Charismatic-Visionary Leadership style
4. Community-Oriented
5. Competence
6. Paternalistic Leadership Style
7. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Sheikhocratic Leadership Style
2. The Servant Leadership Style
1. Greenleaf’s Categories
2. Biblical “Servant
3. Strengths and Challenges of the Servant Leadership Style
3. The Shepherd Leadership Style
1. Shepherd Metaphor
2. Shepherd Style Characteristics
3. Strengths and Challenges of the Shepherd Leadership Style
4. The Holy Man Leadership Style
1. Divine and Human Legitimacy
2. Autocratic-Consultative Leadership Style
3. Charismatic-Visionary Leadership Style
4. Piety
5. Competence
6. Strengths and Challenges of the Holy Man Leadership Style
5. Conclusion

1. Pre-Islamic Leadership Characteristics

1. Islamic Leadership Characteristics

1. The Sheikh’s Leadership Characteristics

1. Family Leadership Characteristics

1. The Talib Leadership Characteristics

1. The Sufi-Marabout Leadership Characteristics

1. Church Leadership Values

1. Church Leadership Characteristics Used to Identify Church Styles

1. Augustine’s Leadership Characteristics

1. Lavigerie’s Leadership Characteristics

1. Ibn Badis’ Leadership Characteristics

1. Abd El-Kader’s Leadership Characteristics

1. Biblical Leaders Identified by the Church Leaders

1. Leadership Characteristics Quoted by More Than Ten Respondents

1. Leadership Characteristics of Church Leaders

1. Church Leaders’ Characteristics Compared with Historical, Religious, and Cultural Characteristics

1. Research Flowchart

1. Arabic Transliteration of Terms