Clergy Health Initiative

For more than five years, LTG Associates was the external evaluator for a 15-million-dollar initiative focused on the mind, body, and spiritual health of nearly 2,000 United Methodist ministers in North Carolina funded by the Duke Endowment (TDE). LTG worked with all of the stakeholders in the initiative to understand what worked, what did not, and to recommend how to improve the initiative. As part of the effort, LTG Associates was charged with all qualitative data design and collection to understand both the context and the experience and outcomes of the interventions. LTG designed, recruited for, organized, and conducted on-site and telephonic focus groups and semi-structured clergy interviews over a period of five years. A report with recommendations was submitted annually. The initial report resulted in substantive changes to the program design. The follow-up report confirmed the findings from the initial round of focus groups and interviews and provided insights into how the program has been sustained over time. Additional reports helped to frame necessary changes to culture and structure in order to support clergy and congregational health and wellness. The results of the work were used in planning both future interventions and changes in church practices and policies. Finally, LTG researched the sustainability of the effects of the initiative for pastors, their families, the congregations, and the larger body of the Church. LTG continuously reported to and briefed the TDE and the initiative implementers. Finally, at the end of the project, LTG briefed TDE and the two United Methodist Conference Bishops in North Carolina on the issues of sustainability which included support for a strong culture of holistic Church health.