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.