ABSTRACT
Several dimensions of the interaction between religious congregations and consultants are explored. Congregations are construed as social organizations which succeed or fail in terms of society's response to the services they offer. Consultants should conceive of themselves as system-interlopers who may be received less than enthusiastically. The consultation relationship should be understood as similar in many ways to more general types of business consultation. The unique qualities of congregational consultation can be described in terms of the Ponton and Weber model which includes three aspects: external and internal Modes; direct and indirect Approaches, and process or content Dimensions. Consultants can play the role of Participant, Researcher, Resolver, or Trainer. Relationships between consultants and congregations should be encouraged because they share similar concerns for human welfare.
