The Reverend Doctor Theodore William Johnson, a priest of the Episcopal Church, is a congregation developer with extensive training and more than twenty years of broad and diverse experience.  Known as “Ted” or “Father Ted,” he has specialized in working with congregations during the interim or transitional period between installed rectors.

ASSIGNMENTS

Typically, he has served congregations while they searched for new rectors. Less typically, he has served congregations with significant developmental priorities for an extended, but not indefinite, time while the search for a new rector was suspended, delayed, or not contemplated for the near future.

Like other trained and experienced intentional interim specialists, many of Ted’s assignments were complex and challenging because of circumstances in the congregations that were not fully recognized or whose consequences were not completely understood until some time after the previous rector had departed.

Generally, these different circumstances can all be labeled “deferred congregation development.” They include: un-addressed conflict; ineffective lay or ordained leadership; deep-seated tensions and resentments; declining attendance and financial support; inappropriate clergy conduct; failure to adopt the current liturgical, educational, and administrative practices of the Episcopal Church; loss of vitality; unspoken dissatisfaction with previous clergy relationships; domineering lay leaders; overwhelming debt; inattention to building maintenance; and the legacy of extremely long-tenured rectors.

Frequently, Ted’s congregation development training and experience with many congregations equipped him to bring submerged issues to the surface and to propose developmental solutions that will turn the congregation around. Such actions, however, inevitably produced controversy in which those denying the reality of the issues and avoiding the proposed changes were more vocal than others who recognized and embraced the need for innovation and transformation.

Bishops and diocesan officials are often aware only of the controversy itself (and sometimes as reported only from one point of view), but lack detailed knowledge of the complex and challenging circumstances of the congregations resulting from their deferred congregation development.

To get a full and accurate assessment of his work, it is necessary to speak with the leaders of those congregations who have directly experienced all aspects of Father Ted’s pastoral, priestly, and transformational ministry during their developmental periods. To obtain the names of people with first-hand knowledge of Ted’s work in his assigned congregations, please contact him at mailto:theodorewjohnson@interimpriest.com

AVAILABILITY

Father Ted is currently available for a new assignment as a congregation developer for an Episcopal congregation. He is particularly interested in working with a congregation that has determined to focus time, attention, and effort on the developmental tasks of the interim period before initiating the search process for a new installed rector.

CONSULTANT AND COACH

Ted is also a consultant and coach strengthening leaders and congregations using CongregationSolutions.com as the online vehicle for that aspect of his congregation development ministry.

If you were seeking the web site of CongregationSolutions.com, you were redirected to this site while that one that is currently under redesign and reconstruction. Please send a message to mailto:info@congregationsolutions.com and we will notify you when the new web site is published. We apologize for your inconvenience during this transition.

The photographs on this web site of Father Ted in vestments were taken at a number of congregations he served as interim priest.

Copyright © 2008 by Theodore W. Johnson

8/8/2008

www.interimpriest.com