I've been asked this question often throughout my 20 years of ministry at Saddleback. I've talked with countless pastors and church leaders about staffing issues. I sincerely empathize with them as I listen to the horrors they face concerning staff difficulties.
Unfortunately, most of the problems they face, and are now asking for guidance to resolve, are a reflection of a mistake first made when they ...
Qualified leaders are hard to find. But the search becomes even more difficult when we look for the wrong qualifications. Churches invariably seek candidates who are godly and of good reputation. Does the candidate's calling match the position? Is he or she passionate, devoted, gifted? Good questions, good qualities, but the most important qualification is often overlooked.
One pastor recently said, "I would rather ride a bucking bronco of a church than try to prop up a dead mule." It's helpful to know if you're going to get either of those beasts before you mount up.
Just as the search committee is going to be thorough, the candidate needs to be thorough, as well. Here is a list of strategic questions to help you discern any potential problems when you're seeking that ...
I took a deep breath to push the fatigue from my mind and body. After traveling seven hours to be here, my wife and I were now holding cups of strong coffee, surrounded by thirty people, and trying to connect names with faces.
Members of the committee examined us closely, some smiling, some sizing us up like wary customers looking for a used car. Four months of correspondence, telephone conversations, ...
I shall always prize a man from a church in southern Illinois. He was the chairman of a pastor search committee, and he came to visit with me prior to arranging an interview for the whole committee. He attended our church in a major metropolitan area and had lunch in our home in a large suburb. At the end of the weekend, he asked, "How long do you think you could live in a community of 5,000 people?" ...
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