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Abstract
The concept of Christian leadership often emphasises the character and competence of prominent biblical figures, while overlooking the foundational structures of sacred institutions from a Christian theological perspective. Furthermore, it frequently neglects essential supporting elements beyond these central individuals. This study explores the theology of the family as a lens through which to understand God's purposes for believers, while acknowledging that God's authority is manifested in every individual whom He appoints as a leader. Although leadership remains a central theme, this research focuses on the family narrative of Abraham which, when viewed from a New Testament Christian perspective, may not represent the ideal family model. Nevertheless, within Abraham’s story, the family emerges as the primary context through which God blesses His people and shapes leaders. The findings of this study suggest that Abraham’s family plays a pivotal role in forming his leadership and continues to offer valuable insights for the contemporary Church.
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References
- Atkinson, Joseph C. 2014. Biblical and Theological Foundation of Family. New York: The Catholic University of America Press.
- B.T., Akhmedov. 2021. “The Family as the Basic Unit of Society.” International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding 8, no. 12: 201. https://doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v8i12.3270.
- Balswick, J. O., and J. K. Balswick. 2007. The Family: A Christian Perspective on the Contemporary Home. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
- Boice, James Montgomery. 2006. Genesis: An Expositional Commentary Volume 2. Grand Rapids: Bakerbook House.
- Dearman, J. Andrew. 1998. “The Family in the Old Testament.” Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 52, no. 2: 117–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/002096430005200202.
- Denscombe, Martyn. 2014. The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects. 5th ed. New York: Open University Press.
- Fitzpatrick, Mary Anne, Lindaj Marshall, Timothy J. Leutwiler, and Marina Krcmar. 1996. “The Effect of Family Communication Environments on Children’s Social Behavior during Middle Childhood.” Communication Research 23, no. 4: 379–406. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365096023004003.
- Fretheim, Terence E. 2005. God and World in the Old Testament: A Relational Theology of Creation. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
- Friedman, Hershey H., Linda W. Friedman, and Sarah Hertz. 2015. “Ethical Leadership: What Would Abraham Do?” Researchgate. 2015. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.3324.7440.
- Friedman, Hershey H., and Mitchell Langbert. 2000. “Abraham as a Transformational Leader.” Journal of Leadership Studies 7, no. 2: 88–95. https://doi.org/10.1177/107179190000700208.
- Goshen-Gottstein, Alon. 2012. “Abrahams And ‘Abrahamic Religions’ In Contemporary Interrelligious Discourse.” Studies In Interreligious Dialogue 2, no. 1.
- Hamilton, Victor P. 1997. The Book of Genesis Chapters 1-17. Edited by Robert L. Hubbard. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
- Hepner, Gershon. 2005. “The Separation between Abram and Lot Reflects the Deuteronomic Law Prohibiting Ammonites and Moabites.” Zeitschrift Fur Die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 117, no. 1: 36–52. https://doi.org/10.1515/zatw.2005.117.1.36.
- Hess, Richard S., and M. Daniel Carroll R. 2016. Family in the Bible: Exploring Costums, Culture, and Context. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
- Howell, Jr., Don N. 2003. Servants of the Servant: A Biblical Theology of Leadership. Eugene: Wipf & Stock Publishers.
- Julianus, Julianus, Ya’aman Gulo, Tri Murni Situmeang, Shintike Maya, Fransiskus Irwan Widjaja, and Talizaro Tafonao. 2022. “Kepemimpinan Keluarga Sebagai Wadah Dalam Mempersiapkan Pemimpin Masa Depan Berdasarkan Nilai-Nilai Kristen.” EDULEAD: Journal of Christian Education and Leadership 3, no. 1: 31–45. https://doi.org/10.47530/edulead.v3i1.86.
- Kidner, Derek. 2008. Genesis: TOTC. Edited by DONALD J. WISEMAN. Downers Grove: IVP Academic.
- Kippenberger, Tony. 2002. Leadership Style. Oxford: Capstone.
- Köstenberger, Andreas J., and David W. Jones. 2010. God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway.
- MacArthur, John. 2013. “The Nucleus of Civilization.” Grace to You.Org. 2013.
- Moberly, R. W. L. 2009. The Theology of The Book of Genesis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Perdue, Leo G. 2007. Wisdom Literature: A Theological History. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.
- Pettus, David. 2017. “A Concept Study: Leadership in Old Testament Hebrew.” In Biblical Leadership: THeology for the Everyday Leader, edited by Benjamin K. Forrest and Chet Roden. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic.
- Sunarko, Andreas Sese. 2020. “Relevansi Kepemimpinan Keluarga Bagi Kepemimpinan Gereja Masa Kini.” Jurnal Teologi El-Shadday 7: 1–10.
- Thatcher, Adrian. 2007. Theology and Families. Oxford: Blackwell.
- VanGemeren, Willem. 2016. Progres Penebusan: Kisah Keselamatan Dari Penciptaan Sampai Yerusalem Baru. Surabaya: Momentum.
- Whittington, J. Lee. 2015. Biblical Perspectives on Leadership and Organizations. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Zhang, Qin. 2007. “Family Communication Patterns and Conflict Styles in Chinese Parent-Child Relationships.” Communication Quarterly 55, no. 1: 113–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463370600998681.
References
Atkinson, Joseph C. 2014. Biblical and Theological Foundation of Family. New York: The Catholic University of America Press.
B.T., Akhmedov. 2021. “The Family as the Basic Unit of Society.” International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding 8, no. 12: 201. https://doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v8i12.3270.
Balswick, J. O., and J. K. Balswick. 2007. The Family: A Christian Perspective on the Contemporary Home. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Boice, James Montgomery. 2006. Genesis: An Expositional Commentary Volume 2. Grand Rapids: Bakerbook House.
Dearman, J. Andrew. 1998. “The Family in the Old Testament.” Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 52, no. 2: 117–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/002096430005200202.
Denscombe, Martyn. 2014. The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects. 5th ed. New York: Open University Press.
Fitzpatrick, Mary Anne, Lindaj Marshall, Timothy J. Leutwiler, and Marina Krcmar. 1996. “The Effect of Family Communication Environments on Children’s Social Behavior during Middle Childhood.” Communication Research 23, no. 4: 379–406. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365096023004003.
Fretheim, Terence E. 2005. God and World in the Old Testament: A Relational Theology of Creation. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
Friedman, Hershey H., Linda W. Friedman, and Sarah Hertz. 2015. “Ethical Leadership: What Would Abraham Do?” Researchgate. 2015. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.3324.7440.
Friedman, Hershey H., and Mitchell Langbert. 2000. “Abraham as a Transformational Leader.” Journal of Leadership Studies 7, no. 2: 88–95. https://doi.org/10.1177/107179190000700208.
Goshen-Gottstein, Alon. 2012. “Abrahams And ‘Abrahamic Religions’ In Contemporary Interrelligious Discourse.” Studies In Interreligious Dialogue 2, no. 1.
Hamilton, Victor P. 1997. The Book of Genesis Chapters 1-17. Edited by Robert L. Hubbard. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Hepner, Gershon. 2005. “The Separation between Abram and Lot Reflects the Deuteronomic Law Prohibiting Ammonites and Moabites.” Zeitschrift Fur Die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 117, no. 1: 36–52. https://doi.org/10.1515/zatw.2005.117.1.36.
Hess, Richard S., and M. Daniel Carroll R. 2016. Family in the Bible: Exploring Costums, Culture, and Context. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Howell, Jr., Don N. 2003. Servants of the Servant: A Biblical Theology of Leadership. Eugene: Wipf & Stock Publishers.
Julianus, Julianus, Ya’aman Gulo, Tri Murni Situmeang, Shintike Maya, Fransiskus Irwan Widjaja, and Talizaro Tafonao. 2022. “Kepemimpinan Keluarga Sebagai Wadah Dalam Mempersiapkan Pemimpin Masa Depan Berdasarkan Nilai-Nilai Kristen.” EDULEAD: Journal of Christian Education and Leadership 3, no. 1: 31–45. https://doi.org/10.47530/edulead.v3i1.86.
Kidner, Derek. 2008. Genesis: TOTC. Edited by DONALD J. WISEMAN. Downers Grove: IVP Academic.
Kippenberger, Tony. 2002. Leadership Style. Oxford: Capstone.
Köstenberger, Andreas J., and David W. Jones. 2010. God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway.
MacArthur, John. 2013. “The Nucleus of Civilization.” Grace to You.Org. 2013.
Moberly, R. W. L. 2009. The Theology of The Book of Genesis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Perdue, Leo G. 2007. Wisdom Literature: A Theological History. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press.
Pettus, David. 2017. “A Concept Study: Leadership in Old Testament Hebrew.” In Biblical Leadership: THeology for the Everyday Leader, edited by Benjamin K. Forrest and Chet Roden. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic.
Sunarko, Andreas Sese. 2020. “Relevansi Kepemimpinan Keluarga Bagi Kepemimpinan Gereja Masa Kini.” Jurnal Teologi El-Shadday 7: 1–10.
Thatcher, Adrian. 2007. Theology and Families. Oxford: Blackwell.
VanGemeren, Willem. 2016. Progres Penebusan: Kisah Keselamatan Dari Penciptaan Sampai Yerusalem Baru. Surabaya: Momentum.
Whittington, J. Lee. 2015. Biblical Perspectives on Leadership and Organizations. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Zhang, Qin. 2007. “Family Communication Patterns and Conflict Styles in Chinese Parent-Child Relationships.” Communication Quarterly 55, no. 1: 113–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463370600998681.