A Study of the Effectiveness of Interim Pastors
The Association of Presbyterian Interim Ministry Specialists asked Research Services to conduct a survey that would help them do the best job they could as interims. Research Services constructed four questionnaires—one each for the following four constituencies: (1) presbytery executives, (2) chairs of presbytery committees on ministry, (3) clerks of session in congregations that had had an interim pastor, and (4) pastors who followed an interim pastor.
- Topics: Statistics
- Tags: interim, research, statistics
- Ministries: Research Services
- Agency: Presbyterian Mission Agency
You're correct, John. Our clients were interested specifically in the perceptions of those who have been involved in interim ministry. It would be a different study entirely to look at objective measures of what happens during the interim period. It also did not look at congregations the called a new pastor without the help of an interim pastor.
by Deborah Bruce
August 13, 2010
I serve on the Committee on Ministry in the Detroit Presbytery. I have served as an Interim Chaplain and Pastor without the benefit of Interim Training I. I also studied social and political research at the undergraduate level. While the survey may have used the standard criteria for social research methodology, I would still maintain that the study is seriously flawed. The results are based upon the subjective opinions of people who have a vested interest in the interim process not on an objective criteria--attendance, membership, baptisms or some other criteria.
by john h pavelko
July 20, 2010