David R. Sawyer

ds-vespaDavid R. Sawyer, Ph.D.
November 2007

Home: 127 Ridgeway Avenue
Louisville KY 40207
502/721-8500
502/439-6465 (cell)

Office: Schlegel Hall
1044 Alta Vista Rd.
Louisville KY 40205
502/992-9372
dsawyer@lpts.edu

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

  • Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Louisville KY,
    • Director of Lifelong Learning and Advanced Degrees
      and Professor of Ministry, 2002 – Present
  • Spirit of Life Presbyterian Church, Apple Valley MN, Organizing Pastor,1995-2002
    • Suburban new church development, 150 members.
      • Lived out three leadership roles of a new church development pastor: as entrepreneur in the early phase, as team builder, teacher and cheerleader in the second phase, and then shifting into a visioning leader in my sixth year. When I left, Spirit of Life had grown into a deeply spiritual community, warm in fellowship, and inclusive in its outlook to people who need to nurture the Spirit in their lives.
  • Westminster Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis MN, Interim Associate Pastor, 1993-1995.
    • Downtown Church, 3000 members.
      • Carried responsibilities in evangelism, volunteer ministries, and marketing in this major downtown congregation during an important interim time.
  • Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, Bloomington, MN, Interim Head of Staff, 1991-1993.
    • Suburban, 1200 members
      • Assisted this congregation to move through conflict and staffing studies.
  • Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy, St. Louis MO, Associate Executive for Ministry, 1986-1991.
    • Urban-Rural Presbytery in Southeastern Missouri, 104 churches
      • Staffed judicatory program committees on Ministry, Preparation for Ministry, and Church Development, oversaw the deployment and support of pastors and their families, created a systems-based conflict utilization team with a 75% success rate, and promoted greater support for rural and small town churches in area ministry councils. Served as acting Executive in the fall of 1990, during which time I enhanced the team spirit of the professional and clerical staff.
  • Norwood Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati OH, Pastor, 1975-1986.
    • Urban-residential, 300 members.
      • Revitalized declining congregation. Highlights included initiation of ecumenical cooperation among the United Methodist, UCC, Disciples, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic churches in the community; ministry to the urban Appalachian population of the town; and significant involvement with the African American churches in neighboring communities.
  • First Presbyterian Church, Athens OH, Assistant Pastor, 1972-1975.
    • University town, 650 members.
      • Christian Education and Youth Ministries.
  • Ministry in Athens County, Southeastern Ohio, Assistant to the Director, 1973-1974.
    • Parish council of five rural and small town churches in Appalachian area.
  • Westminster Presbyterian Church, Decatur IL, Assistant Pastor, 1969-1972.
    • Small city church adjacent to college;
      • Christian Education, Evangelism Youth Ministries and Pastoral Care

FORMAL EDUCATION

  • St. Louis Family Institute, Certificate in Family Therapy, 1991.
  • Ohio University, Athens, Ph.D., 1979. Organizational Communication and Management.
  • Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, M.Div., 1969.
  • Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, B.A., 1966. Philosophy and Sociology.
  • Maryville College, Maryville Tennessee, no degree, 1962-1965. Philosophy.

ECCLESIASTICAL STANDING

  • Ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),1969. Member Mid-Kentucky Presbytery

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Introduction to Practical Theology, Presbyterian Polity, Leadership and Church Administration, Congregational Conflict, Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, 2002-present.
  • Evangelism and Church Growth: Adjunct Faculty, United Theological Seminary, 2000.
  • Professional Development of Pastors
    • New Pastors Seminars: New Pastor Seminars, Synod of Living Waters, 2003-Present
    • Synod School, Lakes and Prairies, 1997 and 1998.
    • Interim Pastors Training, Presbyterian Church (USA), Ghost Ranch and Montreat, 1989-1994.
    • Interim Pastors Training, Interim Ministry Network: Basic Training, 1993 and 1995.
    • Staff Dynamics During the Interim Period in Multiple Staff Congregations, 1994-1998.
    • Interim Judicatory Executive Seminar, 1993-1995.
    • Advanced Seminar co-led with Edwin Friedman, October, 1989.
  • Presbyterian Polity
    • Adjunct Faculty, Eden Theological Seminary, 1986-1990.
  • Communication for Results
    • Management Growth Associates, Cincinnati, 1980.
    • Basic Speech Communication, Ohio University, 1972-1974

PUBLICATIONS

  • Hope in Conflict: Finding Wisdom in Congregational Turmoil, Pilgrim Press, 2007.
  • “Growing in Wisdom and Stature: the Christian Practice of Lifelong Learning,” Spring Convocation Address, published in “Faculty Addresses,” Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 2005.
  • “A Structural Family Therapy Approach to Addressing Conflict in a Congregation,” in The Oates Journal, www.oates.org/journal, Vol. 6: 2003.
  • “The Church in Transition as a Human System.” Temporary Shepherds, Roger Nicholson, ed., Alban Institute, 1999.
  • “Toward a Cosmology for Creative Change.” Creative Change, Journal of the Association for Creative Change, 14, # 1, p. 14-18, Fall, 1994.
  • “The Process Tasks of the Interim Leader.” In Between Times, Journal of the Interim Ministry Network, June, 1994, 14, #2, and July/August, 1994, 14, # 3 & 4.
  • “A Family Systems Approach to Building Healthy Relationships Across Our Denomination.” (jointly authored with Deborah Fortel) Church and Society, Sept/Oct., 1990, LXXXI, pp. 47ff.
  • Work of the Church: Getting the Job Done in Boards and Committees. Judson Press, 1987, In fourth printing, scheduled for revision in 2004.
  • “Parliamentary Strategies for the Session.” Vanguard, March, 1986.
  • “Development of the Four Court System of Polity Among French Huguenots of the 16th Century.” Presbyterian Outlook, October, 1984.
  • “The Construction and Use of a Communicational Climate Questionnaire for Church Use.” Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Ohio University, 1979.

CONSULTATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

  • “Understanding Congregations” Conference, Montreat, North Carolina,
    • Workshop Leader, Congregational Conflict, September, 2004.
  • Synod of Living Waters First Call Continuing Education Seminar,
    • Keynote Speaker, 2004-2005.
  • Interim Ministry Consortium, General Assembly Luncheon, May 27, 2003.
    • Keynote Speaker: “Betwixt, Between, and Beyond: Can Interim Ministry Help Congregations in the 21st Century?”
  • Montreat Reclaiming The Text Conference, May, 2003,
    • Workshop on Congregational Conflict.
  • Oates Institute, Fall Symposium on “When Religion Gets Sick” November 12, 2002.
  • Presbyterian Interim Pastors Training Consortium, February 2002
    • Keynote for Faculty Retreat, “Reconsideration of the Developmental and Process Tasks for the 21st Century.”
  • East Iowa Lay Academy, September 1999, Seminar Teacher, for lay preachers on evangelism.
  • Synod Executives Forum, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), January, 1999
    • Seminar Leader on working more effectively as synod executives using a systems perspective
  • Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, Presbyfest, October 1994
    • Workshop on “Closing the Back Door, Membership Assimilation”
  • Synod of Lincoln Trails, Pastors Retreat, September, 1994
    • Retreat Leader, “A Systems Approach to Leadership and Negotiation”
  • American Association of Church Business Administrators, February, 1994
    • North Central Chapter Retreat Leader, “Administering a Healthy Church”
  • Association for Creative Change, Minnesota Region,
    • Keynote, “Chaos and Creative Change,” Jan, 1994.
  • Central Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, MN, 1994-1995
    • Conflict Consultant in troubled downtown congregation.
  • Knox Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, MN, Fall, 1993
    • Leader in congregation-wide workshops on planning and identity
  • Church Vocations Unit of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), April, 1992
    • Retreat Leader, Unit Retreat on Organizational Health
  • Presbytery of Susquehanna Valley (New York), October, 1991
    • Retreat Leader, Pastor’s Retreat on a Systems Approach to Leadership
  • Oklahoma Synod School, August, 1991
    • Keynote Speaker, “Dance of Conflict, Dance of Health”
  • Association of Executive Presbyters, November, 1991
    • Workshop Leader, “Introduction to Interim Executive Training”
  • Presbytery of Indian Nations (Oklahoma), 1990-1992
    • Keynote Address to Presbytery, “Dance of Conflict, Dance of Health”
    • Training and Consulting in Conflict Resolution
  • Synod of the Sun, Staff Retreat, March 1990
    • Retreat Leader, “Systems Thinking and Church Leadership
  • Peacemaking 2000 Conference, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), June, 1990
    • Workshop Leader, “Denominational Health and Leadership”
  • Findlay District (Ohio), United Methodist Church, October, 1989
    • Retreat Leader, “Conflict and Leadership”
  • Ghost Ranch Conference Center (New Mexico), July, 1989
    • Conference Leader, “Dance of Conflict, Dance of Health”
  • Interim Ministry Network, Co-leader of Conference on Systems Thinking with Edwin Friedman,
    July, 1988.

OTHER SERVICE TO CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

  • Mbr. Finance Committee, Presbytery of Mid-Kentucky, 2005-present
  • Interfaith Disaster Response of Dakota County, Minnesota
    • Helped establish this interfaith effort in response to flooding in Eagan, MN, July, 2000
    • Chair of Board, 2000-2002. Facilitated distribution of over $150,000 non-governmental aid to affected residents.
  • Apple Valley, MN, Police Department
    • Volunteer Chaplain, 1999-2001
  • Rotary Club of Eagan, MN
    • Member, 1996-2001
    • Annual High School Ethics Workshop Committee, 1996-2002, Chair 1997, 2001.
    • Community Grants Committee, 2000.
  • Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area
    • Inclusive Church Group, 1999-2001
    • Leadership Development Work Group, 1999-2000
    • Associate Executive Search Committee, Chair 1998-1999
    • Committee on Ministry, Chair 1994-1995
    • Sexual Misconduct Prevention Training Design Committee, 1995.
  • Interim Ministry Network
    • Professional Development Committee, 1988-1995, Chair 1994-1995.
      • Led redesign of curriculum to cultivate adult learning environment with systems thinking as the primary mental model.
        Recognized as Person of the Year, 2000, for “Contribution to interim ministry as an intentional profession and as a teacher of the church.”
      • Supervisor for Field Work for numerous pastors in the basic education program, 1987-2003.
  • Synod of Mid-America
    • Face to Face (matching of clergy and churches) Design Team, 1986-1991
    • Church Development Committee, 1986-1991
  • Synod of the Covenant
    • Administration Department, 1980-1985
  • Presbytery of Cincinnati
    • Moderator, 1985-1986
    • General Assembly Commissioner, 1983
    • Committee on Ministry, 1982-1986
    • Planning Committee, Chair, 1976-1982
    • Union Presbytery Committee, Chair, 1980-1983
  • Norwood (Ohio) Ministerial Association, 1975-1986
    • President, 1980
      • Chaired Annual Racial Reconciliation Worship and Food Pantry Committees
  • Urban Appalachian Council, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1977-1984
    • Helped form this community organizing movement, chaired board 1977-1979.