Charismatic Authority, Church Governance, and Accountability: A Theoretical Framework for Nigerian Pentecostal Ecclesiology

This doctoral study constructs an original theoretical framework for understanding and reforming the structures of charismatic authority, governance, and accountability within Nigerian Pentecostal ecclesiology. The concentration of authority in singular charismatic leaders within Nigerian Pentecostal organisations has produced both remarkable growth and serious institutional pathologies including financial misconduct, spiritual abuse, doctrinal deviation, and succession crises. Drawing on Max Weber's charismatic authority theory, New Testament ecclesiology, nonprofit governance theory, and African Pentecostal studies, the research employs a multi-site qualitative design gathering data from fifty interviews with Pentecostal leaders, governance scholars, and church accountability advocates across Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, and Kano, supplemented by institutional analysis of governance documents from fifteen major Nigerian Pentecostal ministries. The study develops an original typology of Nigerian Pentecostal governance models ranging from pure charismatic autocracy to collegial-charismatic hybrid structures and empirically evaluates the organisational and spiritual outcomes associated with each type. An original constructive ecclesiology of accountable charismatic leadership is proposed that integrates Spirit-led authority with structural accountability mechanisms drawn from both biblical governance principles and nonprofit management best practices. The framework is intended to guide governance reform within existing ministries and the design of new organisational structures. Keywords: charismatic authority, Pentecostal governance, accountability, Nigerian ecclesiology, church administration