If a Pastor Search Team does not have a plan, then they typically focus on the preaching aspect. Is he a good pulpiteer? Can he bring it? Do the members like the guy after meeting him in a receiving line? And then a group of deacons meets to extend an invitation to the candidate.
There are several intangibles that this process misses. Is the pastor ordained? Was he ordained by a Southern Baptist church. Will the pastor live in the church field? Does he have lots of debt? Has he ever been divorced? Has she been divorced? Are his wife and children being abused? Does the pastor’s doctrine match with that of the church’s biblical stances? For instance, is he a Calvinist, hyper-Calvinist, conservative, or moderate? Does he have a criminal record? Does he want to be independent or aligned with the Southern Baptist Convention, the state convention, and the Baptist association?
One of my joys is helping Pastor Search Teams. When a pastor leaves a church, either the pastor puts a search team together or the church’s bylaws explain how a team is to be formed. I’ve worked with 25 teams so far.
Right at the beginning, I ask the leader to call an organizational meeting and elect a chairperson and a secretary. The chairperson interfaces with the church members and the pastoral candidates. The secretary calls meetings, keeps track of resumes, and lets candidates know if they are no longer being considered.
When I meet with a search team, I request that it be at their second meeting. I joke that it can’t be after a church service with their family members waiting out in the parking lot with the engine running. Usually, we meet from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon. I request that they plan to meet for the full two hours.
The coaching session that I lead is in three parts – out, in, and up.
The out part focuses on the church’s community. What about lostness in your community? What are the demographics within either two or five miles? NAMB now provides this service at no cost.
The in part focuses on the church’s membership. Do the members live within a few miles of the building or does the majority drive in? A survey is recommended so that the members can have buy-in and participate in the process. What can the church afford? Will it be expected that he’s to be full-time or bi-vocational?
The up part focuses on qualifications for a new pastor. What education and experience should the candidate have? What about his wife? Everyone wants a 1 Timothy 3 pastor and a Proverbs 31 wife. What does that look like in your church?
One of the most important things that I do is to stay in touch with the Pastor Search Team through the process. I can return to meet with them if needed, but often the contact is through phone calls or texting.
Some troubleshooting is often needed. Quirks do happen. One church had been through 80 resumes and by secret ballot had not chosen any candidates. It turned out that one team member blackballed any candidates that didn’t have a cover letter on their resume. A team member in another church loved a specific candidate until she learned the candidate had been divorced 30 years earlier.
Pastor Search Teams find the process to be humbling and deeply spiritual. They often fast and pray. They keep their church informed even though the process can last six months or longer. They keep confidences of candidates who are seeking to make a life change as the Lord leads.
If I can help your church contact me at the CABA office. If you are seeking to pastor a church in the Cincinnati Area, the process starts with sending me your resume. We can talk and that helps me know how to forward your resume, even if it doesn’t have a cover letter.
--Mark Snowden serves as director for the Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
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