10. Don’t prepare a job description so much as a person description. Job descriptions are canned, boring, and unhelpful, in my experience. You aren’t hiring someone to do a job. You’re hiring someone to be in close, long-term relationship with your church.
You wouldn’t write a job description for your future wife, would you? No, what we men all do is imagine what attributes she’d have — her passion for God, her sense of humor, all sort of things.
Do you need a man who can run a huge, complex church organization? Some churches really do.
Do you need a man to head up the ministers and ministry leaders as a mentor and team leader?
Do you need a man who can help accomplish a merger or lead the church through a major building project?
Do you need a man who can help the church move from legalism to grace?
Figure out where the church needs to go and what kind of man is necessary to get you there.
And prepare to be surprised. The woman we marry is often nowhere close to the woman we imagined — and that is often a very good thing. Who knows: you may discover that, while you were looking for a master of doctrine what you really needed was a master of relationships, but you didn’t realize it until you met a preacher who is a master of relationships.
11. Be painfully honest. A good preacher can smell a sales job. He’ll do his due diligence. Be honest about your mistakes and lessons learned. Confessional elders are far more attractive than elders who pretend to be perfect. They aren’t. The preacher knows it. And he won’t be impressed.
12. Be prepared to discuss the elders’ vision for the church. It would be very helpful to have a vision statement or the like available to give candidates before the first interview. He’ll ask about your vision, and he’ll appreciate anything that gives a sense of the church’s direction.
I don’t mean the one-sentence mission statement so many churches have. They’re fine and all, but they rarely really communicate where you really want to go and who you really are.
Be prepared in the interviews to explain the direction the church is headed, the deficiencies you see (no one is perfect), and your dreams for your congregation. Even if you don’t have a formal document, the candidate will want to see that you have a vision beyond housekeeping and keeping the members happy.
13. You need at least two interviews. We tried not to make a decision without at least two interviews. Three was more typical.
The first interview was often by phone. Before this interview, the elders should have listened to enough sermons (on CD or Internet) to be confident that the candidate has the speaking talent and style that suits the church. The goal is to see whether personalities, theologies, etc. fit.
Normally, the preacher’s wife is not part of the first interview, so that the elders get a clear sense of the candidate — what it would be like to meet with him week after week for many years.
The elders should make sure that time is set aside for the candidate to ask his own questions.
I would make sure that the candidate and elders have no time limits. An interview might last from one to four hours (really). If they click, it could be an evening spent very enjoyably discussing God’s Kingdom.
One of the elders should take notes.
The second interview should be face to face and should include the wife. It’s just reality that the preacher’s wife has a huge impact on his ministry. You need to meet her.
Moreover, they’re not moving unless the wife is happy with the move. She’ll have her own questions and should be allowed to ask them for herself. You want her to be excited about the move.
After two interviews, both sides are likely ready to decide whether to discuss salary and a try out weekend. But never, ever hire with unresolved doubts. If either side is uncertain, keep talking and praying until certainty comes.
You may even need a third interview after everyone has had a chance to pray about it. Don’t hire with any unanswered questions or unresolved doubts.
14. Sort through tough doctrinal issues. Progressive leaders largely find common ground pretty easily. They have far fewer issues to argue over than conservatives. But we progressives have our issues; and every congregation has its hot-button concerns.
Be honest. If you’re not ready for solos, tell the minister. If you’re planning on a major shift, let him know. You’ll expect him to be part of it. He needs to know and be sold on the idea.
Make certain that you have no major disagreements on the role of women, divorce, and such like. And ask whether his wife and family are comfortable with his views.
Many preachers are very progressive in private, but a few lack the courage to admit they believe in the personal indwelling of the Spirit because they have to face criticism from their spouse or parents or siblings. Make sure the preacher in private will be the same man in the pulpit.
(He should ask the elders the same thing, and the elders must be honest. If the elders aren’t in sync with church, they should admit it and discuss how to deal with that.)
I love preacher interviews. Every preacher and every preacher’s wife we interviewed is a delightful person, and the elders learned a great deal from these interviews. It’s just great fun sharing ideas about God’s kingdom with people with a passion and gift for serving in the Kingdom.
15. Interview his wife. If the wife doesn’t want to move, it’s over. If the wife is not theologically compatible with your church and where the elders want to lead it, it’s over.
The elders’ wives should get to meet the candidates’ wife at a social event — a dinner or house party. Women read other women better than men read women. Let your wives use their giftedness to help.
(A wise candidate will also want to know his wife’s take on the elders and their wives.)
16. Meet the kids. If a preacher with young children isn’t a good parent — as revealed by bad attitudes in his children — you’re going to have a problem. If he and his wife don’t agree on discipline and child rearing philosophies, you’re going to have some serious problems.
Now, I’ve known of cases where a preacher had serious problems with his children and the elders and other wise members of the church were able to help the preacher and his wife become better parents. The kids turned out very well.
It’s tough on any parents to put their kids on display, but that’s the nature of being a minister. Like it or not, a preacher will be judged by his parenting skills — in part because preachers are expected to be good parents and to help coach the congregation’s parents. It’s just the way it is.
In any event, the elders should do their homework and not be surprised. Kids will be kids, and so the kids will do stupid things. But wise parents can tell the difference between kids acting like kids and kids reflecting poor parenting.
Jay, you make a lot of helpful points. I would also emphasise being fair in the expectations of the minister’s wife. I know a guy who was a candidate in a large Middle Tennessee congregation that was perhaps a little too impressed with itself. When asked by the elders what he thought the expectations should be of his wife he replied, “About the same as the elders’ wives.” That went over like a lead balloon and he was not offered the position perhaps for other reasons as well. But I think it was a fair point. Unless the church is going to pay the minister’s wife her own salary they have no right to expect anything more of her than of any other leader’s wife. Ministers and their wives are quick to pick up on a church looking for two staff members for the price of one. Nothing in your comments implied that but it happens frequently.
What Jay said about hiring a preacher “You aren’t hiring someone to do a job. You’re hiring someone to be in close, long-term relationship with your church.”
( to me that is like saying you don’t need to hire a tutor for your failing child, just hire him a good friend)
You wouldn’t write a job description for your future wife, would you? No, what we men all do is imagine what attributes she’d have — her passion for God, her sense of humor, all sort of things.
(Jay I really doubt that your requirements for a wife would match that of Gary) and it would be just as hard to find one preacher, man or woman that would fill the bill you posted here “someone to be in close, long-term relationship with your church.” we might step back a little and see just what the “church” is, the church exists of more than a preacher and elders, as for as praying for guidance in hiring a person to inform and advise the flock, why not trust in God to send the best he has to offer first. Just how do a few men who call their self “elder” know better than God what his church needs?
I know God never went to Harding or ACU, but he knows some people who did. If the church prayed hard and long for the best available person, before announcing they were in need, maybe, just maybe, they should hire the first one sent. God sent Jesus and people didn’t like him either, but I believe God sent the best he had. I see it as a mockery of God to get up and pray for something, but say send many so I can cull out the ones not fit.
If we are going to do what we want in the long run anyway, why bring God into the thing anyway. Why not just say “My will, not yours”
I am printing this out for our search committee. how much more is coming?
appreciate it, great thoughts
This might be a good suggestion.It has worked before.
Act 1:23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
Act 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all [men], shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
Act 1:25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
Act 1:26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
If you wish to hire the minister’s wife as an employee, then pay her fairly. I want to second what someone else said earlier about not even thinking about trying to get two people for one salary. My family once employed a small church minister’s wife (denomination is irrelevant) in our business. She would talk about being the janitor, cook, Sunday school teacher and doing every other conceivable job other than washroom attendant. Her husband, the minister, soon got the call to leave the ministry and return to the logging woods.
Now, if the minister’s wife is a professional, the elders might be asked to help her find a position with a nearby company or university. That might be the only way that the husband can/will come. If she wants/needs/has to maintain her own cv and keep her expertise up then you will be interviewing him and brokering her as well.
Additionally, if you are interviewing a woman ministerial candidate, just change the aforementioned gender terms.
I still see strong parallels between this professional hire and others. What Jay describes as a “person description” is in fact a REAL job description. Not just “duties assigned” but what we expect the preacher to accomplish or at least to encourage and facilitate. Some possible examples:
Instead of “effective biblical teaching”: “We want our congregation to get a good theological grounding in salvation by grace through faith, and we want them to understand and recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer.” Or perhaps the other end of the scale, “We want our members to be well-equipped to refute the doctrine of sola fide and to be able to effectively understand and communicate the meaning and necessity of water baptism for the remission of sins.”
Instead of “outreach to the unsaved”: “We want a professional to follow up evangelistic leads generated by the congregation and to create leads of his own by cold-calling or other methods. We expect the minister to close at least 20% of these leads within 18 months.” OR “We want to see a shift in the demographics in the congregation to where there are far more young families with children and more professional and educated members. Minister must be able to put programs in place to achieve these objectives either by addition of new believers or by encouraging members of other congregations to seek membership here. Bringing in new members who already have ministry skills or other resources is a particular priority.”
Instead of “lead teaching and other ministry work done by other members”: “We expect the minister to recruit and maintain staffing of all Sunday School, nursery, and youth group volunteer positions, including back-up teachers and helpers. Minister will train new volunteers and work to upgrade the general capabilities of these ministries by training of existing teachers or replacement with better ones. The minister will represent the eldership as de facto overseer of all aspects of church ministry… except for the physical plant and finance.”
Instead of “support the elders’ leadership in the congregation”: “Minister will discourage compliants about leadership and try to satisfy more ordinary complaints himself. Members whose complaints are ongoing or which may spread to other members will be referred to the elders.” OR, “Teaching on potentially divisive ideas will be avoided. Some such subjects are spiritual gifts, women in ministry, tithing and church finances. If the minister feels such an area needs to be taught about, he will submit such sermons for elder approval beforehand.”
Elders simply must admit to themselves what they really want to see in their congregation– in excruciating detail– before recruiting someone to do the job. That project in and of itself might be more useful and illuminating than the actual hire.
I think it is unrealistic to think that a minister change will cause a church to grow numerically or bring more people to Christ or change the demographics of a congregation if that is not already happening before the minister comes. A new minister will occasionally prompt those kinds of changes but, when it does happen, it will usually happen spontaneously and not from expectations placed on the minister. Putting those kinds of expectations on a minister will in practice usually mean a succession of short term ministers for that church. Expecting a minister to discourage complaints about the leadership is a big red flag indicating some serious problems in the leadership or in the relationship between the leadership and the congregation. Ministers who encounter such expectations in a potential new home church would be well advised to run.
When it comes to growth the truth of the matter is most congregations don’t really want to grow unless it is by CoC move ins who are just like them already. I know a very dedicated minister who earnestly tried to help his previous church grow. They planned for a new building and, in preparation, went to two services. All of the elders and their families went to the early service followed by Sunday School and loved getting out early for lunch. A significant number of visitors from the community started coming but all of them came to the late service. The funding for the new building did not materialize as expected and those plans were put on the shelf. The congregation was weary of two services and decided to go back to one. Guess which service was cancelled? The late one with the community visitors. The elders preferred getting home from church early to seeing their church grow. They implicitly but strongly devalued people who were not already acculturated to the Church of Christ. No minister can make a church grow which only pays lip service to growth.
Brian,
Six on searching for a minister, total. Then another four on ministers searching for a church. Grand total of 10 posts. Unless I think of something else to say. You never know.
When you grow you have to be prepared for who or what comes. Sometimes you get people with ideas that are nothing like you have planned on. At other times you might find that the new members want you to answer their hard theological questions. This growth will last until one or more of your new (male or female) congregants would like to become a deacon or administrative council member. At that time the new people will be accused of taking over.
Being put on display is tough on the preacher’s kids, too.
Most 8 year olds don’t have to worry about whether they measure up to their father’s potential employer’s standards, or worry about whether something they said or did was the reason a job was not offered and the family is still doesn’t know where they’ll be living or where the next paycheck is coming from.