Podcast Episode #155
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Discuss the process of interviewing from the pastor’s perspective, but we also discuss topics related to those searching for a pastor. We also discuss an all-too-common faux pas pastors make when interviewing as well as a mistake I made when I took my third pastorate.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- Search committees often don’t give a full representation of the church to a new pastor.
- If there are certain theological stances you will be preaching on, convey that during the search process.
- Pastors, don’t hide your belief system in order to get a job.
- Most of the time, search committees do not ask appropriate doctrinal questions of potential pastors.
- A church’s website will tell you a lot about the church—both good and bad.
- I recommend all new pastors do a demographic and psychographic study of the area around the church.
- A lot of interviewing is common sense, but when in the interview process, common sense often falls aside.
The 10 mistakes pastors make when interviewing with a new church are:
- Exaggerating their previous successes
- Believing everything the committee says
- Being intentionally unclear about their beliefs
- Not asking the right questions
- Majoring on the minors
- Failing to discuss compensation later on or discussing too early
- Not contextualizing their ministry ideas and terminology to the church
- Use of the phrase “In my current church” or “In my previous church”
- Failing to ask others about the church
- Not doing your homework on the church
Episode Sponsors
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is a dynamic community of learners who are serious about ministry preparation biblical studies theological reflection and cultural engagement. Their faculty are gifted men and women who minister as much through research and writing as through local church involvement but their primary ministry is teaching and caring for students. Find out more about TEDS at Divinity.TIU.edu.
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
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Only once did I turn down a church because it didn’t pay enough. The salary package was actually quite a bit more than I’m currently paid, but for what I’ve had to deal with at that church, it wasn’t nearly enough!
So you are saying the church’s problems were not worth its salary. That was your determining factor in turning it down. What about being called of God to go to that church and His grace to see you through the problems? Maybe God wanted to use you? May I suggest that you do a in depth study on Paul’s ministry to Corinth.
Are you a pastor? How long have you been one?
I say this with all due respect. Name one spirit filled pression in the Bible who ever rejected God’s leading for financial reasons.
*person
Autocorrect…
I say this with all due respect: did you even read my comment? I turned down a church that actually offered MORE than I’m getting paid now, so I think you’d have a hard time accusing me of having financial motives. My comment was intended as somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I’m learning that some people on this site are humor-impaired.
Does anybody still believe in the presence of God in their choices anymore?
I do
Compensation issue again: For clarity’s sake and in order to avoid misunderstanding, get your compensation package in writing. I had the unfortunate experience of simply talking salary numbers and when I started the position, I found that we were talking apples and oranges. I thought we were discussing salary and housing allowance whereas the new setting was talking about “salary package” which included health insurance and retirement. In effect, it was a significant cut in compensation which created very significant challenges for my family.
I have since asked for compensation in writing. It hasn’t been a hardship for the church (they don’t wish to be misunderstood) and I have avoided the hardship I experienced earlier.
Larry Burkett used to advise Christians to put ALL business deals in writing. I know that sounds cynical, but as you pointed out, it cuts down on misunderstanding.
Once i was appointed to lead a church, poor me nothing i knew about leadership. Without knowing the former pastor was not willing to quit and some believers needed the former leadership, i wish i knew this one by then i would have been successful . What would have i done in such a situation? Thanx Dr Thom
Of everything Thom said, you only blabber on on the minor issue: salary. Well please look after your family without one. Thom refers to the timing on when to touch on it. Ken I got what you meant. HaHa.
Thank you Thom for excellent advise. Full of wisdom.
“Ken I got what you meant. HaHa.”
Thanks. I’m glad SOMEBODY did. 🙂
The point you listed, “Failing to discuss compensation later on or discussing too early.” is easier said than doe. What do you mean by “too early” and “later on”?
1) As if they were his successes. Needs to reread 1 Corinthians 3:6 & following.
2, 4, 9, 10) Absolutely. No businessman would buy a business, and no valuable employee would join a new employer, without taking those steps in talking to a new company.
3) Amounts to deceit, and we know where that comes from.
6) Seems to me … albeit I am not a pastor … that you’d want to discuss the money after you’ve decided it’s a place you want to be. I’ve been in the wrong job for the right money, and it’s not a good place to be.
Good suggestions, all. Perhaps it is an indication of the presence of an over-attempt to be all spiritual, even to the extent of not using common sense. I think you could do a sermon on most any one of the points you raised.
The thing about being in one of them churches that you can’t trust, you know whatever you preach is needed. What a wonderful opportunity.
Has anybody ever read a missionary’s biography.
Worldly wisdom is ok, but biblical is wonderful. Too often we forget or never have God in our lives. He is a topic as we conduct the business of church.
If God calls you for a job it is either yes or sin. It seems like many have all these worldly ways and none of God in their daily lives. His word does make a good start on a sermon I guess. Many want to do away with God in everyday living or they have never been taught to have the Lord in their lives except for bowing a head and closing an eye and walking an aisle.
Such a waste. 1 cor 1:20
Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
We have such a resource to turn too in not only directing our lives, but enabling us to have the victory.
If times get tuff in a church, Romans tells us Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If God loves you, he will take care of you regardless of the situation.
Not trying to be spiritual , but I see many just acting like the godless
2 tim 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof
God is alive people – time to trust him or step down – If you can trust him for your pastorate and must trust salary etc. that church deserves so much better
Have you ever been a pastor?
correction – should read can’t trust instead of trust.
You also deserve better.
Is it okay to ask questions of the contact person, before sending them your resume?
There is another mistake made when interviewing and that occurs when the trial sermon is delivered, if this is done. The sermon is directed only to the powerful of the congregation and the selection committee. This means that the rest of the congregation may get nothing out of it. (This is like the commencement speech being given to the Trustees/Dons and no one else, which oftentimes happens.) This also tells the rest of the congregation that the new pastor is not really there for them. This may get the interviewing pastor the job/call and a lot of upset people for a congregation.
I don’t know how things work in your church, but in churches I’ve served the pastor must be approved by the full congregation. This not only gives the congregation input on the new pastor, but it also gives the pastor some leverage if power brokers want to fire him. Since the church calls the pastor, only the church can fire the pastor.
The church I grew up in and attended for many years did not have a congregational vote on anything including its own leadership.
I come from a long line of Baptists, so I don’t think I’d ever fit in with a church that had that kind of polity.
A pastor is commanded to take care and provide for his family just as every other Christian husband/father is. Discussing finances, therefore, is not un-spiritual or sinful. I have never turned down a church for financial reasons and don’t think too many pastors would if they genuinely felt God calling them to serve that church. A willingness to serve, however, does not absolve us from the responsibility to provide for our family.
If the salary is so low it will require financial hardship or prevent the pastor from providing from his family, he needs to know that before he says yes. Such knowledge will allow him to discuss becoming a bi-vocational pastor while serving that church (even if just until a church is able to offer more). By discussing those issues prior to arriving on the church field, a great deal of hurt, embarrassment, and other issues can be avoided.
In other words, while finances should not be the main factor in determining whether or not a pastor goes to a new church, the prospective pastor does have a right to know how much he will be paid. To those who think this is “unspiritual”, let me ask you a question: would YOU accept a job where you’d work 60-70 hours a week (perhaps more) if you had absolutely had no idea what you would be paid?
Great comment, Chris!
Forgot to say it earlier, Dr. Rainer,
Great podcast.
Another one is not asking the expectations of the pastor’s spouse, of which there should be none. Make sure that the spouse is not expected to be free full-time labor. This is more commonly seen when the pastor’s spouse is female.
If the pastor’s spouse is male then that church has bigger problems then having unfair expectations of the spouse or not communicating the salary of the pastor upfront.