Pastoral Search Questions

Just a thought. Have any of those who are sending out resumes and such given any thought to planting a church?

 

MrCoon, hello.

Our committee did it both ways. Once we went to a nearby church where the prospective pastor was preaching in a revival, and heard him preach. On the next go-round we went to the prospective pastor's own church to hear him preach. It may sound awkward, but actually in this part of Kentucky, it's pretty standard practice.

In fact, when we went in, one of their members said, "you're a pulpit committee, aren't you?" "Yep," I said, "and we've come to get yo' preacher." Every laughed and relaxed.

Our practice is to invite a prospect to preach for us is only if we are pretty certain he's God's man for us. We ask him to come a day early to see the church facilities, ask questions, meet deacons and church staff, preliminarily discuss compensation and benefits.

All that's left on Sunday is for him to preach, then meet with the congregation for discussion and questions. The congregation is aware that when the committee invites someone to preach, it is in view of a call and is the one the committee will recommend. We voted on Sunday evening, and informed him of the call. On both occasions I've been involved in, both gave immediate "yes" answers.

MrCoon, it's interesting that you would raise a question about a search committee's visiting a prospective candidate's church. In this part of the country, Western Kentucky and West Tennessee, nobody gives it a second thought. It's done all the time. I'm assuming practices differ by region and culture.

Tom B.

 

I guess Kentucky is a lot more different than I remember from my days at Ft. Knox (and I thought it was strange then too ) hahaha just kidding

When my Dad graduated form Bible College he got his first job in Boca Raton, FL by answering an ad (for a Children's Ministry/Associate Pastor) in the Sword of the Lord (this was 1982) and then he moved to other churches via word of mouth and knowing the ministries' needs. He finally became a Pastor in 1986 after he was told by the Pastor he worked for who knew of an empty pulpit adn then he Pastored for 16 yrs there until "retiring" in 2002.

So how do you list a vacant pulpit? How do you collect resumes? For those who send out a bunch of resumes how do you know who has a need? Maybe I'm missing something but being IFB background I've never experienced these things like you guys are describing.

Interesting and I'd love some feedback. Because as I prepare for the ministry (my USMC contract expires in Dec 2007) I'll be "looking for work" and I'm just curious how this all works for you all. Thanks!!

 

Will you be retireing?

 

No sir...from my personal conviction and the way the Lord has put things in place to confirm this conviction. I'll be getting out after serving on active duty for 14 yrs and 18 yrs altogether (Reserve time). I have been counselled by people I trust on staying in to retire and going if God is convicting...I have even developed my own Pro/Con list. But ultimately it has come down to a joy God has given me for Preaching and Teaching...I try to do both as often as I can As well as the conviction that I wasted years running from God knowing God wanted me in full-time service and I used the military as the means to run away. If I stayed in a day longer than I'm currently contracted for I think it would be displeasing to God! Now I have loved the military and have been able to serve at many different CHurches and have been privileged to be mentored by many good Pastors. The Lord has blessed me with the opportunities that have "padded my resume" and allowed me to serve n nearly every capacity of a local church except as a Pastor and a School Administrator. I have served in the Bus Ministry, been a Sunday School Teacher, involved in the Music Ministry as a Song Leader & Choir Director as well as in a Choir singing solos or with groups, I have been a Deacon, I had worked with Children's ministries from K-4 to Youth Group. I've had many opportunities to preach from behind the pulpit in every service (Sun AM to Wed PM) and then outside of the church at special events, at nursing homes, at retreats adn all of this has done nothing but make me want to do more and preach more and serve more. Oh I've been discouraged, I've been self-righteous, I've been in the flesh doing some of this service but the Lord still gives me my most joy and satisfaction when I am seving Him.

Did that answer your question? Sorry I got caried away

 

MRCoon,

I would encourage you to pray and fast over the decision to leave the military. As someone who has been there, I can tell you the benefits of retirement are worth considering. The Lord called me to full time service in 1998 and here I am still on active duty. I tried to retire a few years ago, but the Lord had other plans. I have served in numerous capacities as you have mentioned. I am very antsy wanting to get in the front lines of ministry. But when I step back, I realize I have been in full time ministry, just a different aspect.

I would never dream of telling you what the Lord has planned for you, only you know that. I will say that we are called to be good stewards of our time as well as our finances. 14 years devoted to the USMC is a great accomplishment, would 6 more years in the USMC allow you to complete your degree (at little cost to you)? Yes. Would a retirement check every month for the rest of your life open more doors for you in ministry? Yes. Would complete medical coverage for the rest of your life provide peace of mind and open up more doors for ministry? Yes.

I will tell you that serving as a staff member in a church, even in a volunteer capacity, will go a long way in helping you secure a position in full time service. Lay experience is good, but in my experiece, search committees put way yonder more value in staff postions than lay positions. Even if you have a ton of education, without the experience, you're going to need someone to help you get your foot in the door. Also, while your military experience is great, you'll often need someone to translate the military terms into terms a civilian will understand. Of course, if you get a phone or personal interview, you can do this with the search committee. The downside is with no staff experience, they may not give you a second look. A two-edged sword.

There are numerous advantages in retirement. Ultimately, the decision is between you and the Lord. I retire in June after 23 years in the Navy's submarine service.

 

Thank you for those kind and encouraging words. I did struggle with this and many of the things you have mentioned as benefits were high on my list and while I've been in the military I've had great opportunites for service and gained much experience. I probably should have mentioned that I feel the Lord may be working it out for me to get (or keep) some of the benefits you mentioned. You see back in 2004 playing football (in the Corps you're never too old for football ) I broke my left hand and wrist and just lately (last 7 months) I've been suffering from nerve damage and loss of grip/strength that has interfered with me doing the Physical Fitness Test. Well in Jan. I had elbow surgery (Ulnar Nerve Transposition) where they took the nerves from under the elbow (the funny bone area) and after cutting the forearm tendons they laid this nerve group on top of my elbow, shaved off some elbow bone and then reattached the tendons...so what was to fix me has not been successful so far and my career may already be over. Physical Fitness is high in the Marine Corps and if you can't do it then you are not promotable, etc.

I'm not a man "in touch with his feelings" or one that operates based on emotions and so prayed for tangible results from God if he wanted me out of the military he would close the door and open others (I know some of you don't like the terms but I do ). In my previous post I mentioned some things that God has put in place to confirm my decision, this is one of them. I had prayed this way before I knew I needed the surgery thinking that I had nearly 2 yrs to worry about it and not expecting confirmation so soon. So I consider that with the military career closing God has answered the question of whether or not He wants me to stay in or get out now.

Another confirmation was I asked God to give my wife the same desire for full-time service and the desire/willingness to leave the military without me saying anything to convince her. So I told her I was praying about full-time service for God after the military (not saying retirement or early..just after). And about a month later she appraoched me and said if God wanted to use me once my contract was over she would understand but was scared (she knows how lazy I can be at times ) and I felt this was God confirming my decision and working on her. But I prayed again for God to continue to work on her and give her peace no matter what. Well, I had my surgery and a few weeks later my wife said, "You know you need to publicly announce our surrender and why have you not done it yet?" And I thanked God right then and said "I've been waiting for God to bring you to this point!!" My Pastor counselled me that I should not try to convince my wife or really share with her my burden or my timeline but to pray and let God touch her heart and to sit back and watch God bring our two hearts in tune with each others. And you know what...it has/is happening and we both are so excited and have changed our prayer to have God not let us get out in Dec 2007 but to get us out this year a year early and let us start serving Him somewhere. A simple injury from simple game of football back nearly 2 years ago may have been part of God's plan for me to serve Him and He is so patient to finally let me catch up with His plan and now that I'm in that position to hear and be lead He is putting all the pieces together.

So while I'm still taking a leap of faith and leaving the military no later than Dec 2007 I think the Lord knows my wife's need and comfort zone is for the retirement and medical security but now thatshe has said I'llgo no matter what...he may be working it out for me to be Medically Retired earlier than 2007 I don't know why...because I fail so much and so often but the LORD IS GOOD!!

I hope my essay clarifies things a little better regarding retirement or getting out. And I pray it is a testimony to God's wonderful workings in our lives and all we have to do is get out of the way!!

Brother Ian: I'm thankful for your testimony and your sharing with me and I pray God will open doors for you after you retire this summer. Let me be the first to say it is an honor to get acquainted with you here and to have served our great nation with you in the Armed Forces. And Im excited for our future service in the Lord's "Active Duty"!!

PS. Writing these long posts is good therapy for my elbow...really...otherwise I'd not write so much stuff....what? you don't believe me?! hehehehe

 

MrCoon asked:

A number of ways. Many churches will list an opening in the want ads in the state Baptist newspaper. The Western Recorder (Kentucky)is full of them.

Our Association office is a good clearing house. The Association is always up to speed on pastoral and staff vacancies in the area. Those who are looking will also send resumes to the Association office.

Word of mouth. Somehow, word of vacancies spreads like wildfire. And many times, pastors will tell their friends about it, and will even recommend people for the search committee to contact.

At a spiritual level, our committee has always wound up with the resume of the man God has for us.

Tom B.

 

MRCoon,

I feel like I understand your heart. Again, I would only encourage you to follow the Lord's will. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine. As a senior enlisted leader, I always like to talk to my people about the pros and cons of the decisions they will make, especially those that last a lifetime.

You have expressed your goals, plans, and desires well, and for that I commend you. It also sounds like you have received good counsel from your pastor and great support from your wife. You are indeed, a blessed man.

May the Lord continue to have His hand on you in all that you do.

Semper Fi.

I wish we had a cool slogan.

 

You do in the Submarine world, don't you?...."Up from the Deep" or is it "Man, that's good recycled air!!" just kidding

Thank you and I envy your prayers for wisdom to identify God's direction.

 

I've really been thinking about this one. When I first started actively sending out resumes, I made a chart listing all the churches, positions, locations, contact info, web sites, etc. to help me follow up. I put the church websites in my favorites in Internet Explorer so I could periodically check on the churches. I have also keep all the emails I send and receive.

I have come to the conclusion that search committees, and this may sound harsh, couldn't care less about the candidates. There are exceptions out there of course. I believe the committee Tom served on is an exception. I don't think they understand the stress they put on a guy that is left hanging becasue they are told, we're still considering you. Just let me know so I can move on.

One glitch I have is that I am not a pastor right now, so how could a search committee come look at me? That would also assume that the church that is interested is fairly close by. How can I send a video of a recent sermon? One other item was mentioned above that needs to be emphasized. I find it interesting a church would require you to fill out a ton of paperwork: include doctrinal statements, philosophies of ministries, etc., etc., and you never hear from them. Did they receive the info, are they looking at it, are you still being considered?

I have also found that the search committee chairman is generally a lay person and does not work at the church. The contact nunber listed in the add is the number to the church, so you can't get him on the phone to check on the progress. Its like you can't win. Again, I know the Lord has a position for me.

I think I was a bit hasty in an earlier post. After reviewing my correspondence, I think I've heard from less than half of the churches I've sent resumes. That means they didn't even acknowledge receipt of my resume. The percentage drops to about 10 for those that say they're moving in a different direction or otherwise let me know I'm no longer in the running.

Most of the time, I check the website and find a person in the position I sent a resume for. I cross them off the list and have never heard anything from them.

One other discouraging thing I've seen. There are churches that have been without a pastor or interim for nearly two years. What do you think the state of that church would be? I wonder if they are trying to save money by not paying anyone?

 

I have faced some of this on a much smaller scale than you Brother Ian. I am looking for a church that needs an Associate Pastor, preferably Youth or Music (or both). And I'm surprised that quite a few of the Churches that are advertising for an Associate Pastor say the job is without pay. Now why would a church advertise for a church position and then not pay the guy who would be interested in coming so does that mean the work load is 'full time' but the job would be part-time? Or is the church busy enough to need a full-time guy but small enough to not afford one? And why would you advertise for a job like this...it seems like if you can't afford a position you would not have this position or would make it a layman position. Maybe it is me but this seems strange!! Does it seems strange to others?! I want to serve full-time not have a full-time secular job and serve Christ part-time...I'm doing that now Maybe my heart is wrong but I think that Christ does want me to do more than I'm doing now!

 

Brother Ian said:

That does seem like a long time. In our church's experience, the search for our last two pastors took a full year. We were blessed with excellent interim pastors, which I think decreased our sense of urgency somewhat. It certainly took the pressure off the search committee to move too quickly. In neither case, however, were candidates kept dangling for a long time. Many were eliminated quickly, others took themselves out of the running, and God closed the door on others. Even though the committee members would have preferred to get our job done quicker, we were also at peace, convinced that God would send us His man in His own time. And that's exactly what happened.

Tom B.

 

MRCoon,

yes, what you point out seems odd to me, too. It probably is a case where they just cannot afford to pay someone for the position, but then in those cases Ive usually seen the job performed by laymen or another church staff member.

Have you thought of looking around at missionary churches and seeing if you can be of any help to them somewhere? You'd most likely have to go on deputation for part of your support, but you'd be serving Christ most certainly!

 

Until recent years I had always assumed that a church would not have an associate pastor unless its size and work load warranted one.

These days it is not unusual in my state for a church to have a non-paid associate pastor even if it has just a few people in attendance.

I find it humorous to hear the pastor of a church that has 30 members speak of his "associate pastor."

 

On the Bible Baptist College website they 'advertise' for a Associate Pastor for a 30-35 member congregation...very strange indeed. I have also had some sweet communication with some Pastors looking for help and have yet to send out a resume.

I'm sort of in a predictament in trying to properly plan and prepare my family for our departure from the military and for entrance into the Lord's work!! This can be an exercise in time management and Godly patience...I pray the Lord will take over the clock and open/close doors as only he can.