Book Review: Movement Catalysts: Profile of an Apostolic Leader by E. Prinz

Abstract

Building upon the foundation he laid in his doctoral dissertation at Columbia International University, Emanuel Prinz self-published Movement Catalysts: Profile of an Apostolic Leader in August of 2022. Prinz bases his book on data about church planting movements (CPMs) gleaned by Dr David Garrison while he was at the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention, but he specifically focuses on the various characteristics and best practices of those movements’ leaders. His research produces a qualitative snapshot of the catalytic leader most common within documented CPMs. Although much has been written and discussed in missiological circles regarding CPMs, Prinz notes that relatively little attention has been given to the leadership makeup within those movements. Labeling such leadership as apostolic, his primary thesis is that “the person of the apostolic leader is the key element that determines whether or not a movement launches, not the method he or she employs” (Prinz, 2022, p. 5). Prinz analyzes those leaders’ common characteristics and best practices to craft a profile for successful missional leadership. In eight chapters, Prinz outlines his research methodology, presents a brief literature review, offers the results from the data collected, and summarizes the findings with implications and conclusions. In chapter 1, Prinz relates his rationale for the study and establishes some benchmarks. He defines his research scope within the IMB’s empirical documentation of 45 CPMs among 33 ethnic groups in fourteen countries. He also shows some biblical understanding of the apostolic leader as a catalyst in those movements. This establishes a foundation for his argument that the catalyst is the most critical factor in facilitating a CPM. Chapter 2 reviews secular and Christian literature on leadership theory and CPMs. The net result identifies 41 traits that describe an apostolic leader. However, he notes minimal consensus within the literature reviewed. Therefore, Prinz chooses to include only those traits which “have the comparatively largest amount of agreement among authors” (Prinz, 2022, p. 36). He justifies his omissions as irrelevant to the study. He also assigns a connected appendix to discuss counter ideas as rival explanations. Chapter 3 reveals the teaming data, which Prinz also illustrates in his appendices. Examining the ministry approaches of Disciple-Making Movements, Training for Trainers, Insider Movements, and C5 contextualization, he describes the team makeup of those in catalytic leadership in CPMs, with the great majority having only one or two members on a leadership team. He describes the varying roles consigned to team members within those different approaches. In chapter 4, Prinz identifies traits and competencies in effective movement catalysts using the raw data self-reported by those in leadership. Eleven of those are present in all catalysts, and an additional 23 characteristics and competencies are exhibited within at least 80%. From these qualities, Prinz writes chapter 5 to describe how 27 traits result in measurable leadership practices. Book Review