IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v9y2025issue-9p4484-4489.html

The Impact of Visionary Leadership as an Authentic Leadership Factor on Church Growth in Embu County, Kenya

Author

Listed:
  • Stephen Njoroge Kamau

    (Department of Leadership, Pan Africa Christian University)

  • Edward Katue Nzinga

    (Department of Leadership, Pan Africa Christian University)

  • Jacob Kimathi

    (Department of Leadership, Pan Africa Christian University)

Abstract

Visionary leadership, a core component of authentic leadership, has increasingly been recognized as critical for the growth and sustainability of faith-based organizations. This study examined the impact of visionary leadership as an authentic leadership factor on church growth in Embu County, Kenya. Anchored on transformational and authentic leadership theories, the study adopted a descriptive survey design with a mixed-methods approach. The target population comprised pastors, elders, departmental heads, and congregants across mainline and Pentecostal churches. A total of 35 Pentecostal churches in Embu County were selected.  A sample of 384 participants was selected through stratified and purposive sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews, analyzed quantitatively using SPSS and qualitatively through thematic analysis. Regression analysis revealed that visionary leadership significantly contributed to church growth (R² = 0.641, p < 0.01). Vision articulation, strategic planning, and inspirational motivation led to increased membership, deeper discipleship, and greater community outreach. The study concludes that visionary leadership, as a vital authentic leadership factor, is indispensable in driving sustainable church growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Njoroge Kamau & Edward Katue Nzinga & Jacob Kimathi, 2025. "The Impact of Visionary Leadership as an Authentic Leadership Factor on Church Growth in Embu County, Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(9), pages 4484-4489, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-9:p:4484-4489
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-9-issue-9/4484-4489.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/the-impact-of-visionary-leadership-as-an-authentic-leadership-factor-on-church-growth-in-embu-county-kenya/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hira Khan & Maryam Rehmat & Tahira Hassan Butt & Saira Farooqi & Javaria Asim, 2020. "Impact of transformational leadership on work performance, burnout and social loafing: a mediation model," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Le Wang & Xiu Jin & Jinyoung Jinnie Yoo, 2024. "The Process of Visionary Leadership Increases Innovative Performance among IT Industry 4.0 for SMEs for Organizational Sustainability: Testing the Moderated Mediation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-21, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Singgih Purnomo & Suci Purwandari, 2025. "A Comprehensive Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Empowerment Model for Developing Sustainable Tourism Villages in Rural Communities: A Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-40, February.
    2. Muhammad Akmal & Khawaja Khalid Mehmood, 2022. "The Influence Of Person Job Fit On Innovative Work Behavior Through Intrinsic Motivation And Creative Self-Efficacy," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 11(2), pages 331-341.
    3. Jamshed Ali & Rab Nawaz Lodhi & Muhammad Irfan & Muhammad Shahid Tufail, 2022. "Effects of Brand Attributes on Word of Mouth: Mediating Role of Brand Trust and Brand Love," Journal of Policy Research (JPR), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 8(4), pages 213-226, December.
    4. Angela Kaberere & Dr. Emilio Kariuki, 2025. "Transformational Leadership and Employee Performance in the Private Healthcare Sector: A Case of Avenue Healthcare, Nairobi County, Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(7), pages 2591-2604, July.
    5. Kusum Lata & Naval Garg, 2025. "Predicting Leadership Flexibility Using Supervised Learning Techniques," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 26(2), pages 295-310, June.
    6. Nurul Hazimah Kamsaini & Shah Rollah Abdul Wahab & Azlineer Sarip & Dongsu Yoo & Song Mi-Ja & Salbeha Ibus & Noor Azinuddin Ahmad, 2025. "Enhancing Trainers’ Job Performance through the Role of Transformational Leadership: A Case Study of a Malaysian Statutory Body," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(9), pages 5626-5639, September.
    7. Irene Nyakio Ng’ang’a. & Gladys Kituku. & Joshua Miluwi, 2024. "Influence of Strategic Leadership on the Performance of the Kenya Revenue Authority," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(8), pages 2954-2964, August.
    8. Lihu Sun & Xin Gao & Yang Li, 2025. "Why do people enjoy hitchhiking in teams? A moderated serial mediated study on social loafing," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 24(3), pages 496-520, July.
    9. Riojane A. Adoro. & Mhae Kylla Edlaija Avila. & John Riel L. Baltar, 2024. "Digital Cultural Transformation: Influence in Leadership Management in Small Businesses in the Philippines," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(8), pages 2937-2953, August.
    10. Feng-Hua Yang & Fang-Jie Shiu, 2023. "Evaluating the Impact of Workplace Friendship on Social Loafing in Long-Term Care Institutions: An Empirical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-22, May.
    11. Doris Change, 2025. "Influence of individualized consideration on employee engagement in parastatals in the energy sector in Kenya," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 14(3), pages 78-87, April.
    12. Jinyong Chen & Wafa Ghardallou & Ubaldo Comite & Naveed Ahmad & Hyungseo Bobby Ryu & Antonio Ariza-Montes & Heesup Han, 2022. "Managing Hospital Employees’ Burnout through Transformational Leadership: The Role of Resilience, Role Clarity, and Intrinsic Motivation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-23, September.
    13. Stefan Stieglitz & Milad Mirbabaie & Nicholas R. J. Möllmann & Jannik Rzyski, 2022. "Collaborating with Virtual Assistants in Organizations: Analyzing Social Loafing Tendencies and Responsibility Attribution," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 745-770, June.
    14. Jonalyn O. Ilagan & Elaine Rose G. Nachon & Norvi Grace A. Valderrama & Xirna M. Flores & Jeric V. Prudente & Anna Liza C. Romantico & Ellaine E. Santiago, 2025. "Empathy: Its Influences on the Leadership Practices and Management Skills of School Heads," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(4), pages 606-616, April.
    15. Jimmy Azama & Niria Goñi & Ann-Marie Edwards & Yasuhiro Kotera, 2025. "Influence of the techniques of neurolinguistic programming on transformational leadership in smes of Metropolitan Lima," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 5(12), pages 1-31, December.
    16. Driss Elamalki & Abdelilah Kaddar & Nadia Beniich, 2024. "Impact of motivation on the job performance of public sector employees: the case of Morocco," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, December.
    17. repec:bcp:journl:v:6:y:2022:i:8:p:265-272 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Miaomiao Li & Jinglong Guo & Chiying Zou & Jielin Yin, 2024. "The Impact of Reverse Mentoring on Employees’ Innovative Behavior: Evidence from Chinese Technology Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-20, December.
    19. Magoti Harun & Gladness Salema & Mordecai Matto, 2025. "Achieving desired compliance performance in public procurement: Does embedding a culture of performance orientation matter?," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-21, December.
    20. Bambang Budi Wiyono & Hsin-Hung Wu, 2022. "Investigating the Structural Effect of Achievement Motivation and Achievement on Leadership and Entrepreneurial Spirit of Students in Higher Education," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, August.
    21. Jessie R. Abique, 2024. "Components of Transformational Leadership vis-Ã -vis Employee Engagement among Police Officers in Angeles City," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(3s), pages 1969-2006, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-9:p:4484-4489. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.