A letter to prospective Pastors

[Johnf]

I wrote this several months ago after going through the process of searching for a pastor. I couldn't find a place to publish it and thought it may help someone. I'm quite curtain there were probably some good pastors that didn't get a good response from our committee because there were issues covered in this.

Please feel free to respond



https://docs.google.com/document/d/1buLR7ARNwkJsFfXp43O-IybbOWuV3V_8s7aYIZiENIU/edit?usp=sharing

 

[revmwc]

As a Pastor my first and foremost thought is on what the church is looking, education, experience age. Also if SBC, BBFI or whatever the type of Baptist you are will you accept someone outside that type and with the education does it have to be from an affiliated church. Some are not state approved but are affiliated with an approving organization some feel if a school is not accredited by the state the degree is not valid and it is called a diploma mill. So what are they seeking. Also whether they are seeking bi-vocational or full time.

I send an email to the church and ask these question, if I really don't fit their search criteria then there is no reason to send my two page resume to add to their already inundated stack of papers. If I do fit then I pray about sending it and I only send a resume' and cover sheet where I make it clear at their request I will forward them my Doctrinal statement and references. That is common courtesy that as a professional a pastor should be willing to follow.

 

[Revmitchell]

I wrote this several months ago after going through the process of searching for a pastor. I couldn't find a place to publish it and thought it may help someone. I'm quite curtain there were probably some good pastors that didn't get a good response from our committee because there were issues covered in this.

Please feel free to respond



https://docs.google.com/document/d/1buLR7ARNwkJsFfXp43O-IybbOWuV3V_8s7aYIZiENIU/edit?usp=sharing

If I was aware of this focus before I sent my resume out I would not bother.

 

[Johnf]

Why not Revmitchell?

 

[Johnf]

If I was aware of this focus before I sent my resume out I would not bother.

You going to elaborate?

Have you ever had over 200 resumes to go over?

 

[Revmitchell]

You going to elaborate?

Have you ever had over 200 resumes to go over?

Who said you had to receive 200 resumes? That was your choice. Focusing on the things you listed as a means to narrow down the choice of receiving 200 resumes leaves God out of it entirely.

 

[JonC]

When I graduated seminary I believed I was being called into the ministry and what I did was work with my church in their teaching ministry, pulpit supply and was licensed to the ministry.

Where I am now (I've been out of the military for a little over 2 years) is that I preach occasionally and have been at my church for about 8 months. I believe that I'm called to the ministry vocationally, but there are some road blocks.

Road blocks of my own making is that I am very hesitant to even consider leaving my church. My family and I love the people. We are a family. I hesitate to consider leaving my job. My primary income is military retirement and VA, but I manage a company that my best friend owns. It'd be hard to leave my church and my job. It would be hard, but I think I would.

Which brings me to road blocks not of my design. There are 8 churches (all of these are small churches, the largest having about 130 members) in my area that are without pastors. Three of these are looking for full-time pastors, five for bi-vocational pastors. All have been searching for well over a year. All require a seminary education (which I have...except for the church with 130 members which is seeking someone with a doctorate). But all also require at least 5 years experience as a senior pastor (which I don't have).

Then I look at my church (it's a fairly small church, about 300 members) and notice that I am not the only seminary graduate at my church in the same boat. Now don't get me wrong, I know that I need to gain experience. I cannot compete with the retired pastors now filling those pulpits as interim pastors. But I sometimes wonder about the how potential candidates are considered.

I'm not talking about being hired, I'm talking about being interviewed and, if that went well, prayerfully considered. One can't gain experience as a pastor without filling the position of a pastor, and one can't fill the position without experience. (At my last church I remember a man talking the pastor into making up a position for him - "full-time", but unpaid and in his spare time - so that he could consider that as experience. It worked for him, but I'm not willing to do that as it doesn't seem honest to me).

What would be your suggestions to someone like me, someone who has graduated seminary but doesn't have experience?

 

[JonShaff]

When I graduated seminary I believed I was being called into the ministry and what I did was work with my church in their teaching ministry, pulpit supply and was licensed to the ministry.

Where I am now (I've been out of the military for a little over 2 years) is that I preach occasionally and have been at my church for about 8 months. I believe that I'm called to the ministry vocationally, but there are some road blocks.

Road blocks of my own making is that I am very hesitant to even consider leaving my church. My family and I love the people. We are a family. I hesitate to consider leaving my job. My primary income is military retirement and VA, but I manage a company that my best friend owns. It'd be hard to leave my church and my job. It would be hard, but I think I would.

Which brings me to road blocks not of my design. There are 8 churches (all of these are small churches, the largest having about 130 members) in my area that are without pastors. Three of these are looking for full-time pastors, five for bi-vocational pastors. All have been searching for well over a year. All require a seminary education (which I have...except for the church with 130 members which is seeking someone with a doctorate). But all also require at least 5 years experience as a senior pastor (which I don't have).

Then I look at my church (it's a fairly small church, about 300 members) and notice that I am not the only seminary graduate at my church in the same boat. Now don't get me wrong, I know that I need to gain experience. I cannot compete with the retired pastors now filling those pulpits as interim pastors. But I sometimes wonder about the how potential candidates are considered.

I'm not talking about being hired, I'm talking about being interviewed and, if that went well, prayerfully considered. One can't gain experience as a pastor without filling the position of a pastor, and one can't fill the position without experience. (At my last church I remember a man talking the pastor into making up a position for him - "full-time", but unpaid and in his spare time - so that he could consider that as experience. It worked for him, but I'm not willing to do that as it doesn't seem honest to me).

What would be your suggestions to someone like me, someone who has graduated seminary but doesn't have experience?

Pray and fast and pastor a church with any amount of members, they are all important in God's eyes. Sheep without a shepherd will wander. They need leadership, you need sheep to lead and gain experience (don't be like micah in Judges)...go, the harvest is truly plenteous. I pastor a church that has my family (6 of us) and about 6 others. They need a shepherd just as bad as a church that has 600.

 

[Salty]

Jon, I have never understood why a church who only is willing to provide a low salary - which necessitates a bi-vocational ministry - but they demand a seminary degree.
My college is limited to 1 semester of business college (military management). So I am not really able to give any advice - other than to say up here in the CNY Bap Assoc, we have several non-college grads who are pastors of churches.

You are in our prayers.

Salty

 

[Johnf]

Who said you had to receive 200 resumes? That was your choice. Focusing on the things you listed as a means to narrow down the choice of receiving 200 resumes leaves God out of it entirely.

Are being serious here? How exactly do you NOT receive a resume? How do we choose how many resumes we receive?

 

[Johnf]

When I graduated seminary I believed I was being called into the ministry and what I did was work with my church in their teaching ministry, pulpit supply and was licensed to the ministry.

Where I am now (I've been out of the military for a little over 2 years) is that I preach occasionally and have been at my church for about 8 months. I believe that I'm called to the ministry vocationally, but there are some road blocks.

Road blocks of my own making is that I am very hesitant to even consider leaving my church. My family and I love the people. We are a family. I hesitate to consider leaving my job. My primary income is military retirement and VA, but I manage a company that my best friend owns. It'd be hard to leave my church and my job. It would be hard, but I think I would.

Which brings me to road blocks not of my design. There are 8 churches (all of these are small churches, the largest having about 130 members) in my area that are without pastors. Three of these are looking for full-time pastors, five for bi-vocational pastors. All have been searching for well over a year. All require a seminary education (which I have...except for the church with 130 members which is seeking someone with a doctorate). But all also require at least 5 years experience as a senior pastor (which I don't have).

Then I look at my church (it's a fairly small church, about 300 members) and notice that I am not the only seminary graduate at my church in the same boat. Now don't get me wrong, I know that I need to gain experience. I cannot compete with the retired pastors now filling those pulpits as interim pastors. But I sometimes wonder about the how potential candidates are considered.

I'm not talking about being hired, I'm talking about being interviewed and, if that went well, prayerfully considered. One can't gain experience as a pastor without filling the position of a pastor, and one can't fill the position without experience. (At my last church I remember a man talking the pastor into making up a position for him - "full-time", but unpaid and in his spare time - so that he could consider that as experience. It worked for him, but I'm not willing to do that as it doesn't seem honest to me).

What would be your suggestions to someone like me, someone who has graduated seminary but doesn't have experience?

This may be a little ray of hope to you. We just hired a man with no sr. pastor experience. Our top two were him and a man with 10 years as a sr pastor and 20 in the ministry. The man we hired just turned 39 is married and has two kids. The things that really stuck out with him were the places that he has worked have very good records, he's worked with very successful pastors, has stayed a minimum of 4 years at each of his jobs and no one ever had anything bad to say about him. We also found people through the grapevine that we knew that also knew him. He got great recommendations from everyone. The closer we got to the end the more weight a good recommendation got.

With the final two I would have been good with either. We did a final interview with both, prayed over it individually and did a secret ballot among the committee after a week. The vote was unanimous and we proceeded. The Church voted 97% to call him.

I would suggest longevity in any position you get, living in God's will. Preaching as much as possible and having recordings of yourself readily available.

My lunch is here. I'll finish later

 

[Revmitchell]

This may be a little ray of hope to you. We just hired a man with no sr. pastor experience. Our top two were him and a man with 10 years as a sr pastor and 20 in the ministry. The man we hired just turned 39 is married and has two kids. The things that really stuck out with him were the places that he has worked have very good records, he's worked with very successful pastors, has stayed a minimum of 4 years at each of his jobs and no one ever had anything bad to say about him. We also found people through the grapevine that we knew that also knew him. He got great recommendations from everyone. The closer we got to the end the more weight a good recommendation got.

This post is confirmation of what I saw in the original post. Pastors do not get hired by churches they are called by God. It is not the churches place to hire a pastor it is the churches job to recognize God's call. (Acts 20:28)

 

[Revmitchell]

Are being serious here? How exactly do you NOT receive a resume? How do we choose how many resumes we receive?

If you do not know the answer to that question you do not belong on a search committee.

 

[Johnf]

Well we advertised for a job and had that many resumes mailed to us. We're we supposed to just pick one and hire him? You don't seem to understand the hiring process

 

[Johnf]

If your only point is Symantec, you are,missing the point. You have no idea how much thought, prayer and time was spent on this. I posted the letter to guide people who are realistic and rational. I completely understand you don't see value in that, so I will stop responding to you.

God blesd.

 

[Johnf]

Jon, I have never understood why a church who only is willing to provide a low salary - which necessitates a bi-vocational ministry - but they demand a seminary degree.
My college is limited to 1 semester of business college (military management). So I am not really able to give any advice - other than to say up here in the CNY Bap Assoc, we have several non-college grads who are pastors of churches.

You are in our prayers.

Salty

His salary will bring $52k and total package around $70. That's over 2x the local 2 income family pay.

 

[TCassidy]

What would be your suggestions to someone like me, someone who has graduated seminary but doesn't have experience?

You are aiming too high with your first arrow. Look for an associate/assistant position where you can work under and learn from an experienced man. I was 37 years old when I was called to my first Senior Pastorate, but I had 10 years of experience in subordinate positions.

 

[Johnf]

TCassidy has a very good point that I intended to put in there. Many churches have several men on staff. The man we called was at a church with 7 on staff. He has had several positions as associate pastor positions ranging in all age groups and several administrative positions, so not only has he worked with all ages, but also knows the managerial aspects of running a church. Many of the younger guys had only experience with youth.

You don't have to be a head pastor fresh out the gate. I would highly encourage you to prepare sermons and fill the pulpit as often as you can. Help out with the mundane as often as you can. Those things are important

 

[Revmitchell]

You are aiming too high with your first arrow. Look for an associate/assistant position where you can work under and learn from an experienced man. I was 37 years old when I was called to my first Senior Pastorate, but I had 10 years of experience in subordinate positions.

Yep, I will possibly agree to ordain a man who has not had a formal education but I will not agree to ordain a man who has not be discipled directly by a pastor.

 

[annsni]

I appreciated the method that my husband went through to be ordained. He came on as staff as a pastoral intern and was one for a few years. He did this as he continued to have a consulting business so was still working for a paycheck outside of the church. Then he increased his training and responsibilities at church and eventually became full time on the pastoral staff. There were a few men who were not ordained on staff and so they and the ordained pastors worked together for a period of 18 months going over MANY topics of theology to work towards ordination. The main thing that they did was to study one aspect of theology every month or so and then one would be randomly chosen out of a hat to teach that aspect of theology to the others and the others would be able to do kind of an ordination counsel on him for that subject. It ended up being really rigorous because these were all pretty learned men, all but one who had at least a college degree if not grad degrees. There were at times other pastors from other churches who would sit in on the class as well and THEY would throw questions in too. By the end, each man then was presented to a group of local pastors and were confirmed to be ready for the ordination to ministry. What a blessed time it was to stand with these men of God as they were ordained. (Each man's wife was involved in the ordination since she will be closely involved in most ministry with her husband and she is a helper to him so when the man was prayed over, she was prayed over too.)