International Journal of Innovative Research and Development

Abstract

The struggle for participation in the management of Church resources has been part and parcel of the Roman Catholic Church over the years. This struggle has assumed different forms at different times in history. However; there is no evidence of studies in the twenty first century to unravel the nature and causes of this struggle. This paper is based on data collected in Kaplong Parish of Bomet County in Kenya. The objective of this paper is to share findings on the importance of participatory leadership in management of Church affairs in Kaplong Parish and beyond. Based on the theory of theological reconstruction advanced by Mugambi (1999), the paper argues that participatory leadership is part and parcel of Christian values. Qualitative research methods were employed in data collection and analysis. Purposive sampling design was applied to identify credible respondents taking into account educational backgrounds and experience as well as Church membership and status in the Church. The findings suggest a lack of lay representation in the management of Church resources leading to discontent and tensions in the Church.

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