Podcast Episode #109
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We constantly receive questions from listeners of the podcast and readers of the blog and use those questions to frame the content here at ThomRainer.com. Today we use a question from a listener to jump into a discussion about what to do when a staff member leaves.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- The nature of ministry is relationship-driven.
- The most expensive hire you’ll ever make is the wrong one.
- Don’t assume that you can communicate too much.
- If you were starting from scratch, would you need the same staff at your church?
- In most of our churches across North America, our processes are ineffective.
- Circumventing the pastor’s buy-in when hiring a staff member is often a recipe for disaster.
Our nine suggestions for churches looking to hire a new pastor or staff member are:
- Understand that a natural time of grief is needed
- Over-communicate the process and timeline
- Evaluate if the needs for that position have changed
- Explain carefully the process to look for a replacement
- Don’t rush into hiring
- Consider new methods of search
- Get buy-in from key leaders (formal and informal)
- Regardless of the process, the pastor must have buy-in
- Background checks have changed and are mandatory
Episode Sponsor
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped hundreds of churches just like yours find their church staff and are uniquely geared to help you discern who God is calling to lead your church. Find out more about Vanderbloemen Search Group by visiting WeStaffTheChurch.com.
Feedback
If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church.
When a pastor leaves, I think there is great value in bring in an intentional interim pastor who has been trained to help the church through the transition process. It is strongly encouraged in the training that I have had (along with our denominational process) that a church take at least six months to look at the following focal points of its ministry before even interviewing a pastoral candidate:
1) What is the church’s history or heritage? What is important from the past that must be carried into the future? What excess baggage should be left behind?
2) What is the church’s mission or unique identity? What is the church called to do?
3) What does the church’s leadership look like? Is there a shift in leadership? How are decisions made? How is the church governed? What should the staffing structure look like?
4) What are the church’s connections with the community? With other churches? With the denomination? Where is the church theologically and how does that effect the church’s connections?
5) What is the church’s future? What new direction is God calling it to? In light of this future vision, what sort of pastoral leadership will be required?
In my consultation work with churches whose pastors have just left, I tell the leaders (and search committees) that their number one task is not to get a pastor but to see God’s vision for the church and to work through these five focal points. Once a church does that, then they can look for a pastor who shares that vision and they can move together.
Thank you for this podcast. It is much needed in this season of ministry. This time has certainly made me re-evaluate our needs as a church. We are seeing more people step up.
About references: If a previous (pastoral) supervisor decided on his own to write you a reference letter a few years ago specifying that he hoped it could be used for future jobs, do you still need to notify him in the future when you will be using his letter as a reference?
Also, can a reference letter of that nature (not written with any one job in mind) be used more than once? Can you speak to this issue more?
Thanks.
Robin,
From both a church, lay leader, and a secular, full time job, look out if I am turning in a resume that requires references for anything then I let the people know. This way they don’t get caught off guard when they get a call from XYZ company wanting to speak to them about me.
Additionally if I get a call listed as a reference and I don’t really know that person or don’t have a heads up then I can do little to help them and quite possibly will hurt their chances. But if I know that phone call is coming then I can be prepared and have some notes and thoughts written down for that.
Ed
A couple of thoughts…
Having been in ministry at a number of different churches over 30+ years in ministry, both as a staff member and as a pastor, I agree with all the above. However, regarding #5 “Don’t rush into hiring”, I would add these comments:
1.) While a church/search committee ought to pray over and do due diligence when it comes to considering and choosing a potential candidate, they should also be “diligent” about the task at hand. Set a reasonable time frame for receiving resumes and leads and start the process. Some church search committees seem to think that every church needs to take 18-24 months to select a candidate. With all the technology at our disposal, that process can be expedited in a more timely fashion. Ministry areas in many churches (Music & Worship, Education, Students, Children, etc.) often plateau or stagnate because churches take too long to hire their next Pastor or Staff Member.
2.) When it comes to receiving resumes, church search committees need to do a better job communicating with the sender of the resume. A simple email acknowledging receipt of the resume is a common courtesy that only takes a couple of minutes but allows the sender to know where the process is. Along that line, once a resume has been “ruled out”, assign someone on the committee to send that person a generic email saying (for lack of a better expression) “Thanks…but no thanks”. This allows that individual to move forward in their search for God’s place of service for them. From personal experience, there is nothing more frustrating than to not have any communication from a search committee and then find out, after the fact, that the church hired someone else. Sometimes secular businesses do a better job in this area than churches.
Question concerning .6 “Consider new methods of search.” After 22 years our church is now searching for a new lead/senior pastor. Traditionally, in past years, this search has involved a pulpit committee visiting another church and asking that pastor to come be the pastor of their church. Is this still the primary method of search? What are the new methods? Are resumes still one of the primary source of information?
What about when not just one staff member, but all of the staff members leave? Within the span of two years? And before there is even a chance to hire another lead pastor? Is this unusual? The only staff member left is one who constantly rescues people and is perceived as both an angel and a doormat. The whole thing seems unusual. The party line from lay leaders is that all will be fine. But even the staff members who promised to see us through to the next pastor, publically affirmed their commitment, have left. Something seems very wrong here. Those who voice anxiety are quickly hushed as not having enough faith.