This qualitative case study explored what critical faith learning strategies church leaders in a progressive, middle-income Black Baptist congregation in the Midwest developed to transform its once all-male leadership board to one inclusive of women. Critical faith learning was defined as the continual process of critically assessing one's faith, and making new meaning of previously-held religious beliefs, assumptions, and traditions through prayer, meditation, critical reflection, and extra-rational activity.

The study utilized a "critical case" sample of eleven church leaders, which consisted of the pastor, deacons (both male and female), and ministers. The researcher utilized multiple data collection methods, such as pre-interview data inventories, in-depth interviews, critical incident reports, document analysis and field notes. The findings emerged from the participants' responses to five guiding research questions and were categorized into five major findings: (1) Understandings of Faith and Critical Faith; (2) Critical Experiences; (3) Enablers and Barriers of Transformation; (4) The Dynamics of God/Holy Spirit, Pastor, and Deacons; and (5) What Church Leaders Learned.

Based on the findings, six conclusions were drawn: (1) Church leaders' understandings of faith are definite and varied; however, their understandings of "critical faith" are limited or lacking altogether; (2) Church leaders drew from their own personal and work experiences to implement gender change and equality in the church; the Civil Rights Movement was particularly instrumental and informative; (3) Faith is constantly evolving and changing as it encounters external and internal factors that are both positive and negative; (4) Change within the Black Baptist church is dependent upon the perception of and guidance by a pastor/leader who exhibits both charismatic and transformational leadership qualities; (5) The process of organizational change within the Black Baptist church is not always cognitive or critically reflective, but oftentimes is the result of the movement and work of underlying and unexplainable dynamics—such as God and the Holy Spirit; and (6) In order for change and transformation to be successful within a Black Baptist church setting, church leaders must understand that change requires leadership, must be managed, is evolutionary (not radical), and must invoke the presence of God and the Holy Spirit.