Desire for a Reliable Leader

Abstract

In this chapter, we show how megachurches meet attendees’ desire for a reliable leader. In megachurches, for those who attend, their desire and the force of feeling, the zenith of emotional energy, is squarely centered on the megachurch pastor. We identify how the charismatic bond between the attendees and their senior pastor is solidified through the demonstration of his perceived extraordinary and ordinary qualities. Allowing followers to see their human side makes charismatic leaders more relatable, authentic, and trustworthy. The pastor is both the central figure around which most activities, and in some sense the lives of individuals, revolve, and the mouthpiece for the explicit articulation of the values, beliefs, morals, and symbols that will define the group. The pastor is the “mutual focus of attention” that contributes to binding the group together and amplifying the emotional energy experienced by attendees.