[Recipient Name],
The following paragraphs describe the interview process. We have found it helpful to allow interview participants to reflect on the questions beforehand.
The type of interview I will be using for this study is called a Behavioral Event Interview.
I will first ask you some basic demographic questions which should only take a couple of minutes. I will then ask you to describe, in detail, the five or six most important situations you experienced in the course of leading your church to revitalization. The situations should include two or three high points, or major successes, and two or three low points, or key failures. For each event I will ask you: (1) What was the situation? What events led up to it? (2) Who was involved? (3) What did you think, feel, or want to do in the situation? (4) What did you actually do or say? and (5) What was the outcome? What happened? These 5-6 events will be the bulk of the interview.
Finally I will ask you simply to list key characteristics you feel are important to a pastor who needs to lead his church to revitalization. For our purposes we are defining
revitalization as an intentional change of culture and practice by members of the church community that leads to increase church health and numerical growth. Feel free to jot down any thoughts you have for the interview. The interview should last about an hour and a half. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Thanks again and have a great day!
Blessings, Steve Hudson
APPENDIX 4
BEI INFORMED CONSENT
[Recipient Name],
Thanks again for agreeing to participate in this research. I really do believe that this study will be beneficial for churches, pastors, and seminaries as they seek to train, assesses, and equip leaders for the challenges of pastoring in our modern context.
The research in which you are about to participate is designed to develop a competency model for church revitalization. This research is being conducted by Steve Hudson for purposes of dissertation research. In this research, you will participate in the interview as described in the following paragraphs of this email. Any information you provide will be held strictly confidential, and at no time will your name be reported, or your name
identified with your responses. Participation in this study is totally voluntary and you are free to withdraw from the study at any time.
By your completion of this interview, you are giving informed consent for the use of your responses in this research.
Thanks again and have a great day!
Blessings, Steve Hudson
APPENDIX 5
INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE ON DELPHI PANEL
Greetings [Recipient Name],
My name is Steve Hudson and I am a doctoral student at The Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary. Over the next several weeks, I will be conducting research that seeks to develop a competency model for pastors in church revitalization contexts within the Southern Baptist Convention. The nature of my research involves recruiting
successful practitioners of church revitalization who have been able to lead their churches to changes in culture and practice that have led to statistical growth and increased church health. You were recommended to me as a good participant in this study by
[Recommender Name] at the [Denominational Entity Name].
I am requesting your participation in the second phase of this research, which will utilize a panel of experts to create a competency model for church revitalization. For the purpose of this study “experts” are successful practitioners of church revitalization; that is to say, the ones who are actually doing it. I am asking if you would be willing to participate on the expert panel. Your entire commitment to this research will consist of completing 3 surveys that should take no more than 15-30 minutes each.
In the first survey, I will ask you to list what characteristics, attitudes, knowledge, and skills you believe are essential for a pastor to successfully lead a church to revitalization.
In the second and third survey, I will be asking you to rank and interact with
characteristics listed by yourself, as well as from data collected from other participants through surveys and interviews. All the participants in the study will be revitalization experts, however, the members of the expert panel will remain anonymous to one
another. All aspects of your participation in this research will be kept strictly confidential and will not be shared with anyone else.
If you have any further questions I am more than happy to provide much greater detail about the nature of the study if you are indeed interested. The brief time committed to this study will contribute to a clear gap in the literature regarding pastoral leadership in revitalization efforts. I truly believe this research will be a valuable asset for training and evaluating future pastors who, statistically, will be serving in plateaued and declining churches. Please let me know if you would be willing to participate by [Due Date].
Thank you so much for your time and consideration. Have a great day.
Blessings, Steve Hudson
APPENDIX 6
DELPHI ITERATION 1 INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMED CONSENT STATEMENT
[Recipient Name],
Thank you for your participation in this research that seeks to create a competency model for church revitalization. This research consists of three rounds of surveys. At the bottom of this email is the link for the round 1 survey. In this survey I will collect some
demographic information from you and then ask you to respond to a series of open ended questions. These questions will ask you to list what personal attributes you feel are essential for a church revitalizer to be effective. Please answer as thoroughly and as candidly as possible. Remember your participation in this study is completely anonymous and all answers are confidential. This survey should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
The research in which you are about to participate is designed to develop a competency model for church revitalization. This research is being conducted by Steve Hudson for purposes of dissertation research. In this research, you will complete a series of surveys designed to produce a competency model for church revitalization by forming consensus among a panel of experts. Any information you provide will be held strictly confidential, and at no time will your name be reported, or your name identified with your
responses. Participation in this study is totally voluntary and you are free to withdraw from the study at any time.
By your completion of this survey, you are giving informed consent for the use of your responses in this research.
Click the link below to start the survey.
[Survey Link]
If this link does not work paste the following URL into your web browser.
[Survey Link]
If you have any questions or any issues completing the survey please email me.
Blessings, Steve Hudson
APPENDIX 7