This dissertation is an outgrowth of my interest in exploring the nature of scarcity and poverty and incorporating them into an exegesis of three biblical passages: Acts 6:1-7; Luke 9:10-17, and Matthew 25:31-46. This work discusses the ways in which scarcity and poverty can influence the leader’s mindset, thereby producing tension in interpersonal and professional relationships.

This dissertation explores poverty from three perspectives: an Ancient Near East view, biblical exegesis, and the concept of the Holy Poor. To conduct the task, I used an Autoethnographic-historical-exegetical analysis as the methodology. Autoethnography is the framework for integrating the biblical texts and exploring the intersections that produce tension for the leader and for the organization. I read these texts within their historical context integrating my reflections as a leader.

Chapter One is an autoethnographic reflection of the leader and is foundational for later chapters. In this chapter, the self-revelations place the leader in a context where there is firsthand experience and knowledge of poverty. Chapter Two sets forth a historical context of the agency which connects its own scarcity with that of its community. The chapter also raises the issue of adaptive leadership which includes a diagnosis of the organization; technical skills to identify challenges; barriers to effective leadership, and shared buy-in for change. Chapter Three dives into the concept of scarcity mindset and its effect. It explores poverty in antiquity which continues into the present. Chapter Four explores three New Testament passages and analyzes them from the viewpoints of scarcity and adaptive leadership. Chapter Five provides a summary of the work along with a definition of options for the poor using a liberation theology perspective.