If a church needs a pastor....

[Salty]

Currently if a church needs a pastor - a church will advertise on a web site - whether it is denominational, on its own web site, or some other "looking for pastor" web page.

In the recent past - a church would contact a denominational leader and seek out potential candidates - most of whom were currently pastors of other churches. He would come preach once or twice- attend a church dinner to answer questions - and then voted on by the church.

Have you ever heard of a pastor going to a church (which has not advertise for a pastor) who thinks he is the man for that church. Have you ever heard of a man doing that.
As a church member, what would be your thoughts?

 

[annsni]

Do you mean the man walks in when there is a pastor already in position and he thinks he is the man to take the job when they are not even looking?

 

[Aaron]

Currently if a church needs a pastor - a church will advertise on a web site - whether it is denominational, on its own web site, or some other "looking for pastor" web page.

In the recent past - a church would contact a denominational leader and seek out potential candidates - most of whom were currently pastors of other churches. He would come preach once or twice- attend a church dinner to answer questions - and then voted on by the church.

Have you ever heard of a pastor going to a church (which has not advertise for a pastor) who thinks he is the man for that church. Have you ever heard of a man doing that.
As a church member, what would be your thoughts?

The man is nuts. Or Charismatic, but then I repeat myself.

 

[Rob_BW]

Yeah, I'm kinda confused as to what that man would expect to happen. Schedule a preach-off?

 

[Don]

Salty, we need more intel. As Ann asked, is the church currently without a pastor? If so, were they seeking a pastor? Has anyone checked the background/credentials of this man?

 

[Salty]

Salty, we need more intel. As Ann asked, is the church currently without a pastor? If so, were they seeking a pastor? Has anyone checked the background/credentials of this man?

This is strictly hypothetical.

But to answer the second part of your question - suppose a man did walk in under that situation - Yes, I would expect the church to check his background/credentials.

Do you mean the man walks in when there is a pastor already in position and he thinks he is the man to take the job when they are not even looking?

But is this any different that a church seeking a man who is already a pastor of another church?

 

[Revmitchell]

This is strictly hypothetical.

We understand that but even in your hypothetical there is some missing info that is needed to understand your hypothetical situation. Is the hypothetical church looking for a pastor or in need of a pastor when this pastor walks in and says God has sent him?

 

[Salty]

We understand that but even in your hypothetical there is some missing info that is needed to understand your hypothetical situation. Is the hypothetical church looking for a pastor or in need of a pastor when this pastor walks in and says God has sent him?

answer with both options

 

[Don]

Hypothetically....

If the church is looking for a pastor, and a man arrives saying he is the man for that church, I would expect the church to observe their church constitution, do their due diligence in checking his credentials, and follow biblical examples (i.e., casting lots).

If the church does not have a pastor, nor is looking for a pastor; and such a man arrives - well, this church needs leadership, but I'm not sure I'd wanna touch them with a 10-foot pole....

If the church has a pastor and a man arrives saying he, instead, is the man for that church -- I would recommend the church pray. This is a situation of conflict between two preachers of the Word, and I simply can't fathom a man who would do such a thing. No man should ever strive to cause division within the gathered body.

This guy's first name wouldn't be "Ed", would it? <grin>

 

[Revmitchell]

Most likely he would be looked at as a nutball and escorted out the door.

 

[Baptist Believer]

Have you ever heard of a pastor going to a church (which has not advertise for a pastor) who thinks he is the man for that church. Have you ever heard of a man doing that.

Unfortunately, yes. Those who tell the congregation such a thing should rightly be regarded with enormous suspicion.

Thinking about the scenario another way:

If I believed that God had called me to be a pastor of a certain church - and it was told to me in a way that I had NO DOUBTS - I would be obedient and go to that church. However, I would NOT tell anyone what I believed God had told me. I would instead join the church and put myself to work serving the neediest people in the congregation. As the church trusted me as a minister, I would take on more responsibility - as the church requested it - and be content serving quietly.

If God has called me to the church, then He is also going to eventually get His will worked on in the congregation so that I would be seen as a candidate, or even the obvious church. Instead of angling for a position or paycheck, trust God to work out His will. God may have you serve the church without EVER getting paid for it, and that's okay.

--

I've actually thought this through quite carefully since in 1988, I was driving by a church building with a friend of mine when I was out of town. My friend mentioned that he had visited the church and thought it was a dynamic congregation. While he was telling me that, I had an extremely strong sense that I was called to serve that church as the college/young adult Sunday School leader in the future, even though I had never done anything quite like that before - I had been pastoring.

Flash forward two year later and I had ended up moving to the area. The first Sunday I was there, I visited the church. I ended up meeting the Education Minister after worship. He asked about me and I told him I had just moved to town. That was it. Two days later, he called me and asked if he could come by and visit. At that time he told me that God had clearly indicated to him that I should be the college/young adult Sunday School teacher. He was surprised by the revelation because it had never happened that way before. I told him of my experience two years before and we just stared at each other for a moment. I started the next Sunday.

If God can do that for a Sunday School position, then God can certainly do that for a pastoral position.

 

[Salty]

... Thinking about the scenario another way: ...

Thank you for a very informative, sincere and frank answer.

 

[annsni]

Unfortunately, yes. Those who tell the congregation such a thing should rightly be regarded with enormous suspicion.

Thinking about the scenario another way:

If I believed that God had called me to be a pastor of a certain church - and it was told to me in a way that I had NO DOUBTS - I would be obedient and go to that church. However, I would NOT tell anyone what I believed God had told me. I would instead join the church and put myself to work serving the neediest people in the congregation. As the church trusted me as a minister, I would take on more responsibility - as the church requested it - and be content serving quietly.

If God has called me to the church, then He is also going to eventually get His will worked on in the congregation so that I would be seen as a candidate, or even the obvious church. Instead of angling for a position or paycheck, trust God to work out His will. God may have you serve the church without EVER getting paid for it, and that's okay.

--

I've actually thought this through quite carefully since in 1988, I was driving by a church building with a friend of mine when I was out of town. My friend mentioned that he had visited the church and thought it was a dynamic congregation. While he was telling me that, I had an extremely strong sense that I was called to serve that church as the college/young adult Sunday School leader in the future, even though I had never done anything quite like that before - I had been pastoring.

Flash forward two year later and I had ended up moving to the area. The first Sunday I was there, I visited the church. I ended up meeting the Education Minister after worship. He asked about me and I told him I had just moved to town. That was it. Two days later, he called me and asked if he could come by and visit. At that time he told me that God had clearly indicated to him that I should be the college/young adult Sunday School teacher. He was surprised by the revelation because it had never happened that way before. I told him of my experience two years before and we just stared at each other for a moment. I started the next Sunday.

If God can do that for a Sunday School position, then God can certainly do that for a pastoral position.

What a great story. I do agree with you and feel that if we all are listening to the Spirit, He will guide BOTH sides to the same conclusion. Our senior pastor used to say "If we are listening to the same Spirit, we will come to the same end" and it's so true. Obviously the Spirit was speaking to both you and that church!

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

BTW........We are looking!

 

[rlvaughn]

Have you ever heard of a pastor going to a church (which has not advertise for a pastor) who thinks he is the man for that church. Have you ever heard of a man doing that.
As a church member, what would be your thoughts?

I remember I situation like that, though perhaps not all the details clearly. A Baptist preacher (who, Aaron, was a lot nuts and somewhat charismatic) visited a church that was without a pastor. I don't remember whether he knew they were without a pastor or did actually just happen to visit there. Anyway, he presented is as God's providence that they found one another, and that he felt that God led him there. They invited him to preach and later called him as pastor. It did not end well.

 

[TCassidy]

They invited him to preach and later called him as pastor. It did not end well.

A pulpit search committee is the only animal in the world with 12 stomachs and no brain.

 

[Don]

A pulpit search committee is the only animal in the world with 12 stomachs and no brain.

Having served as part of a pulpit search committee a couple of years ago - I can confirm that yes, we had stomachs and not a brain between us....

Now, I have no stomach for it, and still no brain....

 

[TCassidy]

Having served as part of a pulpit search committee a couple of years ago - I can confirm that yes, we had stomachs and not a brain between us....

Now, I have no stomach for it, and still no brain....

I know my statement is true and I can prove it. They called me, didn't they?

 

[go2church]

Well, as soon as the Lord gets that message to me...then we will talk

 

[David Crosby]

In another age it might be considered (maybe) the hand of God. But now a days people probably would be wondering if they were gonna get shot or blown up