Beating the odds: successfully following a long-term pastor

Richard A Danielson

Etd

Beating the odds: successfully following a long-term pastor

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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Richard A Danielson. Beating the Odds: Successfully Following a Long-term Pastor. Asbury Theological Seminary. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/78b733c7-8c31-4d3c-bf2a-673f630e07f1.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

R. A. Danielson. Beating the odds: successfully following a long-term pastor. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/78b733c7-8c31-4d3c-bf2a-673f630e07f1

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Richard A Danielson. Beating the Odds: Successfully Following a Long-Term Pastor. Asbury Theological Seminary. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/78b733c7-8c31-4d3c-bf2a-673f630e07f1.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Richard A Danielson

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors considered dominanct in successful and unsuccessful pastoral transitions by pastors who have followed a long-term predecessor. This study sought to gather information on successful and unsuccessful transitions by focusing on three participants in each transition: the predecessor, the successor, and the congregation. Twenty pastors from the Western New York Conference of the United Methodist Church were chosen to be interviewed based on meeting the following criteria: 1) full-time pastors appointed at some point in their vocation to succeed a pastor who had served the congregation for nine years or more; 2) for those currently serving in that position, a minimum tenure of two years was required; and 3) for those not currently serving in that position, the term of service needed to have ended within the past five years. Data analysis was based on the transcripts of those interviews. In regard to the three participants in pastoral transitions the major findings included: 1) the choices the predecessor made in relating to the congregation and supporting the new pastor were more important than whether he or she remained in the church and community; 2) a healthy process of grieving and letting go of the predecessor was critical if the congregation was to welcome and follow the new pastor; 3) the incoming pastor's ability to understand the congregation and exert appropriate leadership was essential in each transition. The increasing length of pastorates in the United Methodist Church requires attention to the dynamics of succession following long-term pastorates. This study concludes that more transitions can be successful with the provision of appropriate training that focuses on practical matters and issues of character.

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