Managing the Pastoral Search
Process
Managing the Pastoral Search
Process - Two books about bringing quality
to the churches pastoral search process.
[excerpt]
Introduction
A story is told of a pastor answering the telephone one
evening to be greeted by an elder from a church in another
city wanting to ask him a question. The elder asked, "Our
church is searching for a new pastor and I was wondering if you
are open to a call?" When the pastor indicates he does not wish
to consider a call since he has only been at his church for
three years, he hears a loudly audible, "Oh shoot!" from the
elder. "Are you sure?" the elder asks, "I need to come up with
three names by tomorrow!" Another pastor tells of not knowing
he was under consideration by a certain church until he was
asked whether he would be on a duo! Such can be the experience
some pastors have with some search teams. It is this style of
approach and callousness we want to avoid.
The examples above are not so uncommon as many search teams
operate in the unknown. Many churches have not had to manage a
search process for ten, fifteen, or even twenty years. Their
membership, from the council members to the actively involved
lay member do not understand the multitude of tasks which make
up the search process. Much of the resource material available
to search teams address the issues in vague generalities which
do not begin to identify the management of the tasks.
The search team has a complex task before them. In order to
have a clear focus, their process must be well thought out,
intentionally planned, and free from unnecessary distractions.
This manual is aimed at detailing the process in enough depth
for church councils to understand the formation of a search
team and then help the newly formed search team understand the
strategy and the order of the multitude of the tasks before
them.
Serving on a search team requires a deep commitment to the
Lord and to their local church. Much time and energy will be
required before the task is completed. The process will likely
take a minimum of six months and as long as two years. The way
the search process is managed can make a difference in your
finding a good pastoral match, in the length of the search
effort, and in reducing the stresses to all parties involved.
Whether your church is in a metropolitan area or in the rural
countryside, whether you are one church of the denomination in
a large area or one in an area with multiple churches in the
same city, you must manage the search process with high
standards of excellence. We are not allowed the luxury of
sitting back, putting out a few ads and sending out a handful
of letters, waiting for pastors to beat down our church door
wanting to serve as our pastor. We need to conduct an
intentional, high quality search process that treats pastors,
and the process, with respect. We need to be competitive and
thorough in our efforts. This manual details a balanced
process, helping the struggling search team compete with highly
organized search teams.
This manual is designed to allow individuals with little or
no experience to serve effectively as members of a search team.
All search team members should read through it at least once.
While it provides detailed information to the search team
chairperson, it also provides all team members with an
understanding of how the process is managed and why. The full
search team will then understand what their task is and how
they can conduct a quality search. The many examples of
letters, surveys, questionnaires are given for you to build on,
not to simply copy. Create your own personalized style of
search, materials and correspondence.
Throughout the manual are many Task Clusters which
illustrate the flow of tasks which typically happen in a search
process. These clusters will help the search team think through
the steps they need to consider, and see them in the broader
perspective of the whole picture. Review them after reading the
chapter where they are found and refer back to them as you work
step-by-step through the search process.
The birth of this manual occurred in search team meetings.
As we struggled with the process, we learned much about what we
did not want to do and much about what we needed to do to be
effective. We also found ourselves in an undefined process
where we were on our own to define what we did, how we did it,
and in what order we did it. Looking at the process with a
critical thinking mindset convinced me of the need for such a
tool.
As you begin your search process and consider the task of
finding the next pastor that God has for your congregation,
reflect on this humorous paragraph that captures the multiple
perspectives of how he is viewed by individuals in your
congregation.
Click here to go to PastoralSearch.org.
|