Running head: QUESTIONS AND METHODS MATRIX

Maxwell Exercise 5.2 Questions and Methods Matrix

Karin Fonseca
Valdosta State University

QUESTIONS AND METHODS MATRIX

Maxwell Exercise 5.2 Questions and Methods Matrix

A Matrix for a Study of Attendance Decline in Congregations in America. Determining Factors and Tools That Strengthen
Organizational Leadership Church to Growth in the 21st Century.
Research
Questions
What do I need to
know?

Why do I need to
know this?

Sampling decisions
Where will I find this
data?

Data Collection
methods
What kind of data will
answer these
questions?

Whom do I contact
for access?

Data analysis

What factors describe

church leadership in
the 21st century?

-Membership
Attendance Growth
-Leadership styles
and strategies
Organizational
leadership
-Congregations
challenges in the 21st
century

-Congregations in
America
-Church Reports/ Journals
and previous studies
-CrossPointe Church
Reports and Documents
-Pastor of CrossPointe
-CrossPointe Leadership
Team
-CrossPointe Church
Members

Documents/Reports/
Videos
Previous Research
Interviews
Questionnaires
Observations
Field Notes
Leadership/ Statistical
Reports

- Congregation Pastors
and leaders
- Experts in Church
Leadership
- CrossPointe Pastor
- CrossPointe
Leadership Team
- CrossPointe
Members

What strategies and

tools did successful
leaders employ to
adapt to the rapid
changes in society at
CrossPointe church
while reporting growth
within the
community?

-Leadership style,
strategies and tools
linked to growth and
success of this
particular
organization
-Congregation
Adaptation to change
in the 21t Century

-Church Reports/ Journals

and previous studies
-CrossPointe Church
Reports and Documents
-Pastor of CrossPointe
-CrossPointe Leadership
Team
-CrossPointe Church
Members

Documents/Reports/ Videos
Interviews
Group Interviews
Questionnaires
Observations (programs,
services, committee
meetings)
Field Notes
Statistical Reports

- CrossPointe Pastor
- CrossPointe
Leadership Team
- CrossPointe
Members
- Participants that are
no longer members
however that have
attended in the past
-Previous co-workers

-Audio/video taping
-Transcriptions
-Theory analysis
-Search for Themes
-Coding
-Use of CAQDAS
-Matrix
-Observations
-Field Notes
-Memos
-Connecting Strategy
-Triangulation
-Member checking
-Holistic description
-Discussion of themes,
issues, and
implications
-Audio/video taping
-Transcriptions
-Theory analysis
-Search for Themes
-Coding
-Use of CAQDAS
-Matrix
-Observations
-Field Notes
-Memos

QUESTIONS AND METHODS MATRIX

-The success story of

growth in this
particular institution
while many
congregations have
attendance decline
-To better understand
the culture of this
community and how
this impact on the
growth.
How the
organizational
leadership strategy of
Cross Pointe Church
seeks community
growth in the 21st
century?

How does the Pastor at

CrossPointe seek
growth trough the
leadership team and
members of this
organization?

-Leadership style,
strategies and tools
linked to growth and
success of this
particular
organization
-Congregation
Adaptation to change
in the 21t Century
-The success story of
growth in this
particular institution
while many
congregations have
attendance decline
-To better understand
the culture of this
community and how
this impact on the
growth.
-This individual plays
a fundamental role in
the organization and
for this reason it is
important to
understand hir
perceptions of his

and acquaintances of
the Pastor

-Connecting Strategy
-Triangulation
-Member checking
-Holistic description
-Discussion of themes,
issues, and
implications

-Church Reports/ Journals

and previous studies
-CrossPointe Church
Reports and Documents
-Pastor of CrossPointe
-CrossPointe Leadership
Team
-CrossPointe Church
Members

Documents/Reports/ Videos
Interviews
Group Interviews
Questionnaires
Observations (programs,
services, committee
meetings)
Field Notes
Statistical Reports

- CrossPointe Pastor
- CrossPointe
Leadership Team
- CrossPointe
Members

-Audio/video taping
-Transcriptions
-Theory analysis
-Search for Themes
-Coding
-Use of CAQDAS
-Matrix
-Observations
-Field Notes
-Memos
-Connecting Strategy
-Triangulation
-Member checking
-Holistic description
-Discussion of themes,
issues, and
implications

-Church Reports/ Journals

and previous studies
-CrossPointe Church
Reports and Documents
-Pastor of CrossPointe
-CrossPointe Leadership
Team

Documents/Reports/ Videos
Interviews
Group Interviews
Questionnaires
Observations (programs,
services, committee
meetings)

- CrossPointe Pastor
- CrossPointe
Leadership Team
- CrossPointe
Members
- Participants that are
no longer members

-Audio/video taping
-Transcriptions
-Theory analysis
-Search for Themes
-Coding
-Use of CAQDAS
-Matrix

QUESTIONS AND METHODS MATRIX

How does the

Leadership Team
perceive the
importance of the
growth within their
community at
CrossPointe and how
are they dealing with
it?

influences and
strategies.
-Leadership style,
strategies and tools
linked to growth and
success of this
particular
organization
-Congregation
Adaptation to change
in the 21t Century
-The success story of
growth in this
particular institution
while many
congregations have
attendance decline
-To better understand
the culture of this
community and how
this impact on the
growth.
-These individuals
play an important
role in the
organization and for
this reason it is
important to
understand their
perceptions of their
influences and
strategies.
-Leadership style,
strategies and tools
linked to growth and
success of this
particular
organization
-Congregation
Adaptation to change

-CrossPointe Church
Members

Field Notes
Statistical Reports

however that have

attended in the past
-Previous co-workers
and acquaintances of
the Pastor

-Observations
-Field Notes
-Memos
-Connecting Strategy
-Triangulation
-Member checking
-Holistic description
-Discussion of themes,
issues, and
implications

-Church Reports/ Journals

and previous studies
-CrossPointe Church
Reports and Documents
-Pastor of CrossPointe
-CrossPointe Leadership
Team
-CrossPointe Church
Members

Documents/Reports/ Videos
Interviews
Group Interviews
Questionnaires
Observations (programs,
services, committee
meetings)
Field Notes
Statistical Reports

- CrossPointe Pastor
- CrossPointe
Leadership Team
- CrossPointe
Members

-Audio/video taping
-Transcriptions
-Theory analysis
-Search for Themes
-Coding
-Use of CAQDAS
-Matrix
-Observations
-Field Notes
-Memos
-Connecting Strategy
-Triangulation
-Member checking
-Holistic description
-Discussion of themes,
issues, and
implications

QUESTIONS AND METHODS MATRIX

in the 21t Century

-The success story of
growth in this
particular institution
while many
congregations have
attendance decline
-To better understand
the culture of this
community and how
this impact on the
growth.

Questions and Methods Matrix Explanation

As the big problem of my study is attendance decline in Congregations in America and the focus is determining the leadership
tools and factors that strengthen church organization to growth in the 21st Century, in particular CrossPonte Church, I choose the
research questions above. The first question is a general question that relates to the big problem and is important to understanding
what factors describe church leadership in the 21st century. I do realize that the study will lead me to restructure my questions, as I
have understood that findings will lead me to the focus of my research. I also focus on studying the Pastor, Leadership Team and
Members of this particular organization to seek data on how they have adapted to the changes in the 21st century and how those
changes and leadership strategies are perceived in affecting their community growth.
The sample, or purposeful sample, is very clear as for most of the questions I will be interviewing mainly the Pastor, the
Leadership Team of CrossPointe, and current as well as previous members in order to find how each are influenced by the leadership
style of this organization and how they perceive the changes in the 21st as related to growth. In addition I plan to interview experts on
organization leadership in the area of Church Leadership to further validate the findings. The methods used in this research,

QUESTIONS AND METHODS MATRIX

considering a case study, will be various from observations of services, programs, committee meeting, to personal interviews, group
interviews, previous research, documents, videos, questionnaires, field notes, and statistical reports. This will provide me with data
that can help me in connecting the strategies, theories, and better understanding of the phenomena being studied. Studying this
particular case of success in an era where church attendance has decline in many congregations can provide great insight on leadership
skills, tools and strategies that can be useful for many.
Reflection:
Although qualitative research is a process that develops over time as data is being gathered, allowing for change and
restructure, this exercise is very helpful to set a plan that can help the researcher in the focus areas. Furthermore, it forced me to
overthink my questions and the direction of the study itself, which is a great way to think trough each component of the study. The
visual presentation also allows for a detail organization and where additional information or changes might be needed.