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Interview with Ron Anderson re: his consulting work with churches.
Q. What in your background has led to your particular orientation and perspective on church revitalization and spiritual formation?
A. It probably grows out of decades of participation in two realms often thought to be quite dissimilar: a large research university and local church congregations. Active participation in academic research on public school education and lay leadership of congregational life have converged on the matter of fostering purposeful change within churches. The cross fertilization of ideas from these two settings has been fascinating and productive.
Within the university context I have taught graduate courses on educational reform, coached individuals in the art of teaching, conducted research on educational reform efforts, and consulted with people engaged in reform endeavors. It has occurred mostly in the context of being a Professor of Education at the University of Colorado at Boulder, but has extended into short term assignments with the National Science Foundation in Washington, DC, a research institute in Germany, and speaking engagements in the Netherlands, England, Israel, Venezuela, and Taiwan. These activities have resulted in books and research articles on educational change and evaluation reports for various school districts and state education agencies.
My involvement in the church has been long-term as well, ranging across differing church contexts reflecting both evangelical and mainline expressions. Early experience as an elder within a congregational polity was followed years later by becoming a Commissioned Lay Pastor, and still later the Executive Presbyter for the Presbytery of Pueblo which encompasses the Presbyterian (PCUSA) churches in the southeast quadrant of Colorado. In this later role I have been especially drawn revitalization of existing congregations and forming new worshiping communities, in each case grounded in an understanding of the church as a community of apprentices of Jesus who wish to grow in their commitment and seek to bring others into this connection with him.
Q. You are both Professor Emeritus at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Pueblo (PCUSA). Does this leave time to work with other church groups as a speaker or consultant?
A. Actually, it does. Being Professor Emeritus is just a fancy way of saying I am retired from that role. And my role as Executive Presbyter is defined as less than full-time because, as presbyteries go, we are on the small side. So I have time to work with other groups in a variety of denominational settings.
Q. So your professional schedule does include availability to work nationally as a speaker and consultant on church revitalization. What forms of engagement are you most drawn to?
When speaking to groups of church leaders, whether clergy and/or laity, I prefer to tailor my presentation to the interests and needs of the particular group. My workshops center on change and renewal, with a focus on leadership, vision and spiritual formation. I want them to be participatory and use a variety of case studies and group engagements. In working with leadership teams, I prefer that it be preceded by deliberations with the team leader to shape the workshop to fit the particular team and setting.
I also can work with a leadership team on a short- or long-term basis on these matters, but again, I prefer to engage with their leader in defining what that role is and what we hope to accomplish.
Q. If someone wishes to confer with you about any of these speaking or consulting possibilities, what is the best way to initiate contact?
Whether someone wishes to get further information about any of these possibilities, or simply to have an informal conversation about fostering transformation in the context of the church, contact can be initiated with me most readily by e-mail at ronald.anderson@colorado.edu. I am not a fan of lengthy email exchanges but I find it a useful way to set up a telephone conversation.