Building Bridges: Fostering Team Leadership between Elders and Pastors of Ethiopian Evangelical Churches in North America

In Ethiopia, church leaders usually have full authority, while pastors have no power in decision-making. But in the USA, things are different. Here, pastors often have a lot of authority due to modern leadership styles. When older leaders from Ethiopia come to the USA, they want to stick to the traditional way of leading they were used to. They think pastors should only teach, not lead. However, younger generations and those who like modern leadership want pastors to stay in charge. This difference in opinion has caused problems among leaders in Ethiopian churches in North America. This can make people leave the church and make it hard for things to run smoothly. I have faced the same problem in my church and noticed similar issues in other churches too. That's why I decided to find a way to bring together different leadership styles to work together. To solve this problem, I created a special book called "The Power of Teamwork." This book acts as a guide to help leaders understand each other and collaborate effectively. It is not about arguing over who is in charge, but about serving as a team. Through my research, I learned that good leadership requires planning, a strong faith connection, regular follow-up, and continual evaluation. So, I believe that my book covers all these important aspects. I spoke to my stakeholders and interviewees, listened to their ideas, and combined them all. I hope this training book will assist Ethiopian church leaders in North America in getting along better and focusing on spreading the gospel together to accomplish the Great Commission.