How to Candidate Wisely and Honestly
The current pastoral resident in our church recently spoke by phone with a member of a local church’s search committee. Like many of its kind today, this congregation is struggling and in dire need of faithful leadership. Unfortunately, this committee member stated, “We’ll call you when the weather gets warmer!” This congregation, presently served by an interim pastor, has lost all sense of urgency in seeking permanent leadership.
Needless to say, candidating to lead a congregation can be a frustrating and nerve-wracking experience. If you’re wondering what to expect upon embarking on this journey, be encouraged to know that no single approach exists when seeking to be a church’s pastor. Every church, like every person, possesses a personality that is context-specific. A “one-size-fits-all” approach simply won’t do from one church to another.
Nevertheless, some things are common and that’s the aim of this article: to help an aspiring pastor consider how to candidate wisely and honestly with a shepherd-less congregation. Some broad principles are applicable in most settings. This article assumes that most readers will be interacting with largely unhealthy churches who have entrusted uninformed and ill-equipped search teams to recommend the next pastor.
RESEARCH THE CHURCH
The analogy of dating or courtship is helpful here because candidating for a church is comparable. The goal of marriage bears similarity to the union between a pastor and a congregation, so both parties should “date” with that goal in mind and should do so only long enough to determine whether the most important boxes have been checked.
An aspiring candidate should seek to learn as much as he can about the congregation. Scour the church’s website. Talk to the local association and state convention. Ask them what they know about the history of the church. Contact pastors you may be connected to in the area. If it makes sense, ask key persons in the surrounding community about the reputation of the church.
In the initial interview with the search committee, come prepared with thoughtful questions. Two good sources of questions can be found online by Jeff Robinson and David Prince. The pastoral candidate needs to ask himself appropriate questions as he prepares to serve a local church. Jim Elliff and Don Whitney have served potential pastors with self-evaluating questions. Seek to understand what the congregation’s expectations are for a pastor.
Much like dating, not everything that can be known will be revealed before accepting the call to shepherd a congregation. That’s what a lifetime together will provide. The goal prior to accepting the church’s call will be to know the things essential about the church.
KNOW YOUR FAMILY
The decision to accept a church’s call to be their pastor is not a lone decision. The candidate should know the willingness and readiness of his family. Your wife and children are embarking on this journey with you. What does your wife think? How will this change affect your children? Depending on the demographic of the congregation, your family may be leaving behind many friends close in age or situation of life for a place with few of these blessings. These changes do not necessarily mean you shouldn’t accept the church, but it’s wise to know how to shepherd your family through these disruptions to their lives (1 Tim 3:4).
It’s also important to consider whether the church can meet your family’s needs. Be realistic about what your family needs to live in that community. Is this a full-time, bi-vocational, or co-vocational situation? If it isn’t full-time, how will this affect the dynamics of your family life, and do you and your wife accept what that will mean (1 Tim. 5:8)?
KNOW YOURSELF
When I came to my current congregation, it had been in steep decline for many years. At best, the church had two years of life left. Challenges inside the church and outside in the community were daunting. I would not have been prepared to lead in such circumstances 10 or 15 years earlier in ministry. So be honest with yourself about your own limitations and readiness. Are you prepared to enter at this point in this congregation’s life and lead them to where they need to go?
Additionally, be honest about your own eagerness to serve this particular congregation. Do you genuinely want to go there or are you making a decision out of desperation? The qualifications for an elder clearly indicate that overseeing a congregation must be done willingly (1 Tim. 3:1; 1 Pet. 5:2).
DON’T MISLEAD BUT DON’T SABOTAGE EITHER
The likelihood of some difficult or complicated questions arising in the process is high. Be prepared to speak to your non-negotiable doctrines or issues. Can you identify these doctrines? Can you articulate your theological distinctives and ministry philosophy winsomely? What hills will you die on and what can you tolerate going in?
Remember, some congregations have deteriorated in health to such a degree that they can barely be called churches. But someone must go and lead that congregation back to health again. Expecting too much of the congregation going in may allow discouragement to quickly set in.
Being candid with the search committee early is important to avoid misleading anyone. Be prepared to answer direct questions with honest responses (see 2 Cor. 4:2). At the same time, don’t sabotage yourself either. For instance, if a search committee is uninformed about “Calvinism,” then navigate such matters carefully. Don’t introduce topics that create fear or controversy where none exists. Some congregations have settled opposition to particular matters and others don’t know that some controversies exist! Assure the search team of your devotion to the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) and that will mean you will preach everything that God reveals in His Word, even the complicated and controversial parts.
I recommend requesting a “town hall” style meeting with the congregation before making any final decisions. Before the church I now pastor voted to call me, I met with the whole congregation and fielded their questions. This “Ask Anything” time allowed me to know what this church cared about most and what issues were of greatest concern for them from the start. I found this opportunity to be very helpful in determining where I would need to work first.
LEAN ON YOUR SENDING CHURCH
I’m operating on the assumption that most guys reading this article will be sent from another congregation. If you’re not, then I strongly recommend that you consider spending at least a year under the oversight of qualified elders in a healthy congregation. If this is your situation, then you have the incredible blessing of godly counselors in seeking a place of service. Ask your elders to assess the prospective congregation with you. Wisdom is found in a multitude of counselors (Prov. 11:14).
Allowing your sending church to navigate your opportunities with you will serve you and your family well as prayer support and for godly discernment. Ask your current congregation to make you aware of your blind spots, to ask you hard questions, and to tell you hard things that you need to know (Prov. 27:6). This is one of the safety nets that Christ has given to us in the fellowship of the local church.
TRUST THE LORD
We have something more certain than exhaustive knowledge about a prospective congregation. We have a sovereign and faithful God who is already there (Matt. 28:20).
God calls you to walk wisely. Throughout the candidating process, trust Him. After approaching your candidacy with wisdom, remember that God is sovereign, and will be with you wherever you go (Heb. 13:5). Settle it in your mind that you won’t know everything about a congregation that you want to know before you go. And that’s okay. You didn’t know everything about your wife before you married her. But you knew what you needed to know, and you trusted the Lord with what you didn’t or couldn’t know.
When Paul and Barnabas were sent from Antioch, only God knew the challenges they would soon face. The Holy Spirit told the church to set these men apart, so they fasted and prayed and sent them off (Acts 13:1-2). We have something more certain than exhaustive knowledge about a prospective congregation. We have a sovereign and faithful God who is already there (Matt. 28:20).