The Reverend Doctor Theodore William Johnson is a congregation developer who has specialized as an interim priest and pastor for congregations in transition in the Episcopal Church. He is also a consultant and coach strengthening leaders and congregations.

While he is an intentional interim priest, fully aware of the ad hoc nature of his ministry, Ted functions as though he were the rector of the congregation, assuming all the priestly, pastoral, and other canonical responsibilities that accompany the position, without, of course, indefinite tenure and the resulting time fame it provides to undertake major projects.

MEMBER MINISTRY

Ted’s approach to ordained leadership of a congregation empowers members to do the work of ministry, not to do it all himself. He helps a congregation organize itself into ministry area teams that involve members of the congregation in planning, decision-making, implementing, and evaluating the ministries of the congregation, with the vestry taking a coordinating or supervising liaison role (depending on the size of the congregation).

He believes that the ministry of the baptized members is not only in the congregation but also in all aspects of their lives.

EMPOWERMENT

Ted recognizes that worship and spiritual formation for adults provide the greatest opportunities to empower the largest number of members of the congregation for their ministries. He offers a variety of programs for spiritual formation, particularly in Bible studies, helps members identify and develop their gifts, and in many ways equips and builds them up so they are effective agents of the risen Christ in their day to day lives.

He believes worship services, spiritual formation programs, and other activities of the congregation must be relevant to the actual needs, desires, and concerns of people who live in the locality.

SUNDAY MORNING

He sees the Sunday morning experience as crucial. It must include for all ages:

Prayerful and inspiring sacramental worship,
Discussion-based opportunities for learning, and
Joyful fellowship.

For Ted, the sermon is the glue of the Sunday morning experience. It supplies the congregation with its “word for the week” that renews the connection between the members of the congregation and God and with one another, recharges the sense of purpose and meaning for their often stress-filled lives, and motivates them for ministry in their work, families, neighborhoods, and all aspects of daily living.

His preaching, which he regards as “body building” because it builds up the body of Christ, is almost always lectionary-based and includes lots of stories. His goal with each sermon is to apply the reconciling good news of Jesus Christ’s incarnation and resurrection to the anxieties and insecurities of human life.

PRIORITIES

Other priorities for Ted’s leadership of a congregation are:

Strengthening the spiritual discipline of stewardship in the lives of the members of the congregation expressed in their use of time, skills, and money in all areas of life;
Exploring ways to be an active and effective presence of the body of Christ in the locality through compassionate community services and advocacy on public policy; and
Providing pastoral care that focuses on the spiritual, along with the emotional, mental, and physical, in a holistic understanding of health, well-being, and healing.

10/8/2007