Rev. Dr. April Johnson Bristow Named Associate Director of Perkins Intern Program and Advising
Rev. Dr. April Johnson Bristow, an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church who has served as a pastor at First UMC Richardson the last 22 years, will join Perkins School of Theology as Associate Director of the Intern Program and Advising beginning June 10.
An alumna of Perkins who received her Master of Divinity degree in 1998, Dr. Bristow also earned her Doctor of Ministry with a specialization in Pastoral Care from Houston Graduate School of Theology in 2019 and Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Rutgers in 1989.
“Accepting this position is similar to coming home for me,” Dr. Bristow said. “This year marks the 30th anniversary of me following what I vaguely could explain as a call in 1994. I am originally from New York and when I attended ‘Inside Perkins’ one weekend, I immediately made a connection with the students, professors and staff as well as with Dallas.
“I kidded to myself that if I were going to move 1,600 miles from home, it had to feel like home. I was not disappointed. I immersed myself in study, the culture and community and fell in love with theological education.”
In addition to her appointment at First UMC Richardson, Dr. Bristow has served pastoral roles at St. Luke “Community” UMC in Dallas and First Congregational Church in Plano. She also was a chaplain at Methodist Hospital Dallas and assistant chaplain at SMU.
An inspiring preacher, teacher, retreat and study leader, coach and spiritual director, Dr. Bristow has authored a divorce recovery class entitled “Becoming One Again: Intentional Steps Toward Healing for Divorced/Divorcing Persons.” She also is a Compassion Fatigue Professional – focusing on burnout in caregiving, career and ministry – and is a Certified Practitioner of the Leadership Circle Profile for those seeking effectiveness in their vocation.
“Dr. Bristow brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in field education to this role, and we are confident that her contributions will enhance our program and service to our students as well as the larger Perkins community,” said Dr. Elias Lopez, director of the Perkins Intern Program.
Dr. Bristow has a passion for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. She has co-authored the SELFIE Model for Cultural Intelligence for People of Faith and leads Cultural Competency Training in the North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church. She also is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory that assists individuals and groups live more faithfully into their vision for inclusion.
“So much has changed in 30 years. I have grown and matured in confidence in my practice of ministry as I lived into my call,” Dr. Bristow said. “Not only have I changed, but theological education and Perkins have changed as well. What has not changed is Perkins’ pursuit of excellence in formation of Christian leaders.
“Working with interns will be mutually beneficial. I will be able to share out of my 25+ years in ministry and working with interns will allow me to live into my call at this stage of my vocation. I am delighted to be part of the unfolding of the new thing that God is doing!”
Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of The United Methodist Church. Degree programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Ministry, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Pastoral Music as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with The Graduate Program in Religious Studies at SMU's Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.