When a church extends a call....

100% of God's vote. I served a church following a 100% congregational vote. It was the worst 11 months 23 days of my life. :tonofbricks:

 

Expecting 100 % is unrealistic.

 

Rev Mitchell,
In my time of seeing votes for pastors, maybe five or six, I agree. Most votes I have observed are one or two against. That is normal, usually a personality thing. However, one vote, our last pastor, had twelve votes against out of a voting population at the time of say 70. That got my attention. The term in office turned out to be a disaster. If I had to attach a number to it, I would say anything under 90% might require further prayer on the part of the called person and congregation, and under 80% a veto. I am not a pastor, but cannot imagine someone wanting to lead a local church with 51% of the vote. It is not a vote for political office.

If the same Spirit in indwelling all members, then there should pretty much be agreement, and 49% opposed, IMO, is too much.

 

I have to say though there are many churches where there's a large number of people that aren't following God at all. In fact I would say there are a number of churches were over 50% of the church aren't right with God. Not saying that I would or wouldn't want to go there. I'm just saying that % doesn't always seem to matter. It might be a case where maybe not everyone who is currently attending that particular church should be there moving forward? I know there are some times I've heard stories of "Man if we could only kick everyone but one or two couples out and start over, this church could really thrive." Some places are just full of cancerous people. Anyway how does this transfer to real life application? I'm not sure. In theory if everyone is right with God, then you'd have a 100%. In practice I have never seen this happen before. There is usually at least a handfull of people that will be against it.

 

I got 100% people vote tonight. I believe God was/is in it 100%. Otherwise the vote wouldn't have mattered.

 

I recieved 79% 6 years ago to become the Music Minister at my church...It has been a great 6 years with very little conflict. It was suggested to me that there were some people in the church who wanted a certain lady (who had been directing the choir) to be the music minister...and so they were really voting against anyone else. That is what I think it was, because I have not had 20% of the church opposed to me at all...that Lady and I now have a good relationship and she is now a vital part of the music ministry as one of our primary piano players. I don't really know for sure why the vote was the way it was, but I knew going in that the Pastoral staff and the deacons, and a few other key leaders were behind me, so I went for it.

 

The number of votes doesn't tell me anything. Without knowing the details and specifics as to why it was a disaster I could not begin to know why it was. But I would not put the weight of the blame on the vote. Doesn't make much sense.

 

If one would look at the parable in Matt 13:24 you will see in any congregation there are tares that has been sown by satan that grow right along with the wheat. If i got a 100% vote in a church i would figure all the wheat voted for me and the tares in their sleep walking slumbers voted for me.

 

To me is the called, really called or have they just randomly and personally placed there info in all the churches looking for a pastor and who ever calls for one to candidate then they rely on the vote of the people. then we fall to is man choosing what they want or are they looking for what God wants them to have. Saul or David... The called are called for a reason and its not nor should it be by man But God moving you to the place he wants you to be. I found this to be first hand experience and where I'm now I never would have imagined how I got here but all God. Praise him alone for he is worthy to be praised.

 

padredurand, Amen! There is so much more than accepting a call than a majority vote.

 

Depends on what God wants you to do.

 

My first church called me with a 100% vote. I was there 5 years until the Lord moved us to start a new work. I was there 3 more years. Now my wife and I have been led to move closer to her parents because they can no longer live alone. We had a number of indicators from God that this is the right decision. We are attending the church that trained me for pastoral ministry until God presents the congregation He has prepared to receive me as pastor and that He has prepared me to serve as pastor. Until we are sure God is placing us in the ministry which is His PERFECT will, we will serve Him where He has placed us. If the Lord has called a man to ministry, He will place him in that ministry as long as the man is willing to wait patiently and faithfully for God's leading.

Pray for My wife and I that we will remain humble and patient in this time of transition and that He will comfort us as we transition from a very rural backwoods environment to a large city.

 

I have been a member at a church where calling a pastor "required" a 100% vote. BUT - the way around that: If the vote was non unanimous, then the moderator would then call for a vote - "to make it unanimous"... I never really understood that - Where is it Biblical? Further - isn't that really dishonest?

I actually asked about this practice, and the answer was - the church has to be united in the decision...

Hmmm...