Pastor Search Committee Training

Mobile Baptist Association

C. Thomas Wright, PhD

www.mobilebaptists.org

12 Steps To Find and Call A Pastor

The Ultimate Goal of this Committee is to Find God’s Man Through Prayer and Hard Work !

Elect and assign the Search Committee

Determine what the congregation expects the search committee to do or not do.

Process often takes 2 yearsRemember, Human will can subvert

God’s Will. Develop a job description that defines

your role and functions for you and the church

The church elects a Pastor Search Committee for the following purposes:To survey the congregation to determine a profile of the man and his wife to be sought.To receive and review resumes To search out God’s man by all means possible: Resumes, References, Audio/Videos, Personal Interviews of candidate and spouse, Personal ObservationTo recommend a candidate and family to be voted on by the church.

Job Description continuedTo make all arrangements for visits and the invitation to preach in view of a call. To work with the Finance Committee to jointly recommend salary and benefits for church vote before a candidate and wife is presented.To work with the new pastor and wife to make all arrangements regarding his move to the field and transition for a period including three months after arrival.

Step 1: Planning Discuss the kind of Pastor this church

needs and create a profileAge range, background, education

(SBC seminary Highly recommended)Have church vote on the income

range (should be same as majority of members). Moving costs around 10k

Update and vote on pastor’s job description

Step 1: Planning

Set a timeline, Maybe:3-6 months to collect resumes.1-2 months to pick the top 5

1-2 months to pick the top candidate 2 months to contact references 1 month to schedule confidential visit 1 month to present to church 1 month notice to his current church

Step 1: PlanningDevelop a congregational survey to

involve the people. What do they see as primary

responsibilities of a pastorInclude a question about how much

time he should spend in each responsibility.

Which is most important here? Administrator, Pastor, Preacher, Outreach

Step 1: PlanningAgree what this church needs to look like

in five years, do you want to grow by evangelistically

reaching the entire community or maintain current size/membership?

Building projects? Additional Staff?Before surveying the people, do the

survey as a committee. Be sure the committee represents the church in age and ethnicity. Shouldn’t have more than one member of the same family on the committee.

Step 2: Gather ResumesGather resumes from the MBA,

ALSBOM, SEBTS, NOBTS, SWBTS, and from your people

Let the people know to provide any resume they want you to have

Advertise in state Baptist papersNumber the resumes as you receive

them for easy reference

Step 2: Gather Resumes

Maintain STRICT confidentiality. A pastor rarely recovers when a congregation learns he is looking.

Pray that God will raise up His man to your committee

Set a deadline (3-6 months) to wait for enough resumes before you seriously consider them

Step 3: Narrow The Field to 5 Set aside a special prayer time to

review the resumesSeparately grade each of the resumes

as compared to your profile (this is in fact your first interview).

Meet and record the grades you each gave each resume

You will be amazed at how the Holy Spirit works through you to agree

Step 3: Narrow The Field to 5

You must eliminate some (or all) candidates from consideration

If no one fits the profile send out a new request for resumes.

Pick five resumes for further consideration, create a binder for each one (you will not be able to remember details about each one).

Step 4: Communicate With All Applicants

Call the top 5 candidates to see if they are still available and want to be considered.

Be prepared to describe your church and its situation, provide the URL, written info.

Request 3 audio/video/CD messagesLet them know your process, timeline, and

that you are praying for God’s leadershipContact all others to let them know they will

not be considered at this time

Step 5: Narrow Down To One Man

Develop interview questions that are important to you and the church Determine strengths and weaknesses,

leadership style, preaching style, pastoral style, visitation style, evangelistic style

Interview the candidates by phone and record the answers

Include questions about the wife’s call and her understanding/preference for her role.

Step 5: Narrow Down To One Man

Then send the top 2 or 3 candidates a set of additional “Deal breaker” questions for a written response

Evaluate the answers as a committee and pick the candidate that fits the profile

Let him know he is your primary candidate and see if he wants to continue the process

Provide the timeline and let him ask the questions he needs answered

Step 5: Narrow Down To One ManProvide him a copy of budget,

constitution and by-laws, history, minutes, and his job description

Contact all references Ask references for a second tier of

referencesInvestigate the background of the

applicant for any financial, legal, or personal problems

Step 6: Visit The Candidate

Pursue ONE candidate until you determine he is, or is not, the man

Strict confidentiality is required so he can stay there if you do not call him

Don’t go in the church vanDon’t go in together nor sit togetherDon’t complete visitor’s cards

Step 6: Visit the candidateDon’t let the candidate know that

you are comingDo confirm with the church office

that the pastor will be preachingTake notes and evaluate as you

travel back home, include the evaluation in their binder

Vote to determine if he is still your candidate

Step 7: Invite for Field Visit Invite the ONE candidate, his wife and

children to visit the church and meet with the committee. Confirm the wife’s role

This should be “private” and confidentialGive them a tour of the church and the

area around the church including housing and school options

This is a time for them to ask you questions as well. The questions they ask are very important too

Vote to determine if he is still your man

Step 8: Involve The Church

This needs to be done throughout the process

The survey involves the peopleGive a report monthly in the morning

worship serviceThe financial package needs to be

voted on in step one, now they need to approve the cost of a move

Step 8: Involve The Church

Be sure to work in cooperation with the Finance Committee

Discuss the pastor’s job descriptionDiscuss his philosophy of ministry

and how he will be involved as pastor/leader

Discuss the wife’s rolePrepare them for church growth

Step 8: Involve The Church

Vote on the financial package before he comes to preach

Determine the per cent vote needed to call

Get ALL agreements in writing to protect him and you

Step 9: Invitation To PreachLet the candidate know that you

believe that he is God’s man and issue an invitation to come preach in view of a call

Discuss any details on the job description, finances, and his pastor/leader role

Step 9: Invitation To PreachTell him that you need to know

if he will accept the call of the church on the day they vote to call him

He needs to sense God’s call!

Step 10: Vote To CallBe sure that the church and the

candidate understand the per cent needed to have a call

The vote should be by secret ballotYou should plan a weekend of

activities to give people time to meet and get to know the candidate, his family, and his heart

Step 10: Vote To CallPlan a Friday night time with the

main leadership of the churchPlan a Saturday morning coffee

time where he can share some of his heart with the church and answer some of their questions

Plan a Saturday evening covered dish supper so that everyone can have a chance to meet him & wife

Step 10: Vote To CallAfter the sermon, have the

candidate leave during the voteOnly church members present voteCount the vote and have

congregation sing while countingGo share the vote with the PastorBring him back into the service to

announce his decision

Step 10: Vote To CallCelebrate God’s leadership with a

brief time of worship and praiseLet the people come by and

welcome the new pastor and his family

Finalize the timeline of when he will be on the field before he leaves

Step 11: Transition & MoveThe committee should be

instrumental in helping the pastor move and get settled in

Help with moving arrangementsProvide a house-hunting visitGreet his family and the moving

van when they arriveArrange for some meals to be

brought in for a few days

Step 11: Transition & MoveSchedule some people to go by

and assist with the unpacking if the wife wants or needs help

Follow-through with everything you have said you would do!

Provide written copies of agreements

Step 12: Continued SupportYou should be the greatest

supporters of the new pastorYou should be some of his best

friends in the churchYou need to lend your influence to

helping all the church members to accept him and give him a chance to prove himself

Step 12: Continued SupportYou should continue to serve for a

period of at least three months after he arrives to be sure that he has a group that he can trust and come to with needs

Stand by him unashamedly unless he proves not to be a man of God!

Help him with church growth end