by Joseph W. Handley, Jr., Ph.D. Missional Church Model J.R. Woodward presents a polycentric model in his book Creating a Missional Culture. He builds the model on an equipping paradigm based on Ephesians chapter 4. His model identifies the apostle, prophet, evangelist, prophet, and teacher, which he describes as a storyteller, as equippers of the church who […]
Case Studies
The Swiss Confederation: A Masterclass in Polycentric Leadership
In a world often swayed by centralized authority or divisive politics, Switzerland weaves a different tale—one of unity through distributed power. This small nation of 26 cantons, nestled in the heart of Europe, has crafted a governance model that balances autonomy, direct democracy, and collective leadership. It’s a story of how a multilingual, multicultural society […]
Scandinavian Governance: A Story of Trust and Shared Power
In a world often fractured by centralized power and polarized politics, the Scandinavian nations—Sweden, Norway, and Denmark—tell a different story. These countries, consistently ranked among the world’s most trusted and happiest democracies, have crafted a governance model that thrives on distributed power, local empowerment, and relentless collaboration. This is the tale of how Scandinavia’s polycentric […]
Tata Group: A Story of Purpose-Driven Leadership
In a world where global conglomerates often prioritize profit over purpose, the Tata Group stands as a beacon of a different philosophy. From its humble beginnings in 1868 to its current stature as a multinational powerhouse spanning over 100 countries, Tata has woven a narrative of resilience, innovation, and social good. This is the story […]
Haier’s Transformation: A Story of Radical Reinvention
Polycentric Case Study: Haier In the bustling port city of Qingdao, China, a small refrigerator factory teetered on the brink of collapse in 1984. Burdened by debt and plagued by defective products, its future looked bleak—until Zhang Ruimin stepped in. A young, determined leader, Zhang took a sledgehammer to 76 faulty refrigerators in a dramatic […]
Unilever: Leading Globally, Empowering Locally
Case Study Executive Summary By the late 2000s, Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, faced growing complexity across its operations in over 190 countries. Under the leadership of CEO Paul Polman (2009–2019), Unilever embraced a polycentric leadership model, empowering regional hubs while advancing a unified purpose: “Making sustainable living commonplace.” This case […]
Reimagining Missions: Paradigms Paths & Partnerships
GUEST POST / CASE STUDY BY KIRK FRANKLIN Facing momentous change, missional leaders and practitioners face daunting complexities and remarkable new opportunities. Long-held patterns of sending and receiving are giving way to vibrant, interdependent, collaborative efforts spanning languages, cultures, contexts and continents. Instead of relying solely on inherited structures or leadership models of a bygone […]
Gospel Impact Networks
GUEST POST BY ADI P Summary Gospel Impact Networks are united and collaborative collectives of diverse Christians—such as individuals, city leaders, churches, ministries, and businesses— all working together toward a collective impact in a city or region. These gospel-rich networks model the Trinitarian spirit of mutual submission, love, and non-domination. These networks aim to embody […]
OM International: The Case for Polycentric Mission
GUEST POST BY LAWRENCE TONG Our task, shared with other groups of Jesus followers, is to profoundly reduce the number of least reached anywhere in the world, making them disciple-makers to their people—the ultimate expression of polycentric mission! Every day, our world becomes more complicated and more difficult for God’s people to engage meaningfully with […]
Crossover Global: A Case Study in Polycentric Leadership
In preparation for the World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission Global Consultation (Jan 30 – Feb 3, 2023 in Chiang Mai, Thailand), Jay Matenga wrote:
