You Might Have the Wrong Candidate If . . .
December 20, 2010
December 20, 2010
Bob slammed the car door and stomped through the house in a rage. “I’ve had it with those ungrateful people! They’ve pushed me far enough. I told them that the church would fall apart and they deserve it. We’re moving!”
Just 22 months earlier, Dr. Bob had accepted the pastorate of First Church. He came to the office with a list of changes that needed to happen quickly. Bob knew how to pump up those baptism, attendance, and budget numbers. All that the church had to do was follow his directions. This pastor was committed to making a name for himself.
Dr. Bob was offended when church members expressed concern. Apparently, they didn’t know their place. Staff meeting became more like ranchers counting cattle than pastors seeking ways to watch over the souls of their flock. Sermons offered three easy steps to changing marriages and five keys to a happier life. The worship music was the latest and greatest, and the services ran like a well-oiled machine. Yet it didn’t take long for the crisis to boil over.
At the members’ meeting following Bob’s resignation, the church wondered how they should go about their next search. How should they get started and what should they do? It was a daunting task. What questions had they asked Dr. Bob? Did they check his references? No good answers were offered, but a search for a new pastor began.
Selecting a pastor is one of the most important decisions that a church can make. Unfortunately, few churches receive any training on how to conduct their work. It can be a tragedy waiting to happen. A failure in the search process damages some churches and destroys others. With that sobering reality in mind, let’s consider the task not so much in terms of who churches should look for, but who they want to avoid.
Jeff Foxworthy has made redneck jokes an art form. There are thousands of them. You know how they go, “If you mow your front yard and find a car, you might be a redneck.” Trust me, they get worse! While the following considerations are by no means meant to be funny, we’re going to borrow that format: “You might have the wrong pastoral candidate if . . .”
You might have the wrong candidate if he only has three references: his mother and two brothers. A search committee must check references, and then ask the references for referrals to others. If you’re on a search committee, listen carefully to what the references say—and don’t say. Ask questions about the man’s theology, personality, work ethic, morality, spiritual maturity, and people skills. Don’t be afraid to dig deep. Every candidate has flaws, but you owe it to the church to know everything that you can about those issues before the candidate comes in view of a call.
Another way to recognize the wrong candidate is if he isn’t clear about the basics of theology and ministry. How does he describe the inspiration of Scripture? What does he believe about creation? Check his understanding of the person and work of Christ. Expect that the pastor will give you a biblical and passionate account of his salvation and call into the ministry. Request that he explain how he would know if he is succeeding in ministry. If his definition is all about nickels and noses, you have the wrong man! Inquire about his understanding of the gospel. (Read Greg Gilbert’s book What is the Gospel? to pinpoint the major issues so that you’ll be prepared.)
With those big pieces in place, here are several other matters to consider:
You get the idea.