Finding pastoral leadership for smaller churches

Smaller churches often struggle to find pastoral leadership when their current pastors leave. In the area in which I live many of these churches were served by students from a nearby seminary. Even though it meant that the student pastors would normally leave after graduating, there was a constant supply of new students beginning their studies. These church simply accepted the fact that they would have a new pastor every 2-3 years.

However, this seminary is no longer supportive of students serving churches outside its denomination, so this source has dried up for many smaller churches. They are forced to look elsewhere for pastoral leadership. The ones belonging to a denomination can call upon that resource, but most denominational leaders will admit that finding pastors for their smaller churches is a struggle.

Studies have found that seminary trained ministers are reluctant to serve in a smaller church. While this is unfortunate, various factors make it understandable. One major reason is the large student debt many of these ministers have after leaving seminary. The salaries many smaller churches offer could not support the minister's family and service the student loan debt.

The number of bivocational ministers is growing across denominational lines as smaller churches are beginning to call these men and women to serve as pastors. The problem here is that bivocational ministry is largely geographic. Very few people are going to move across the country to serve as the bivocational pastor of a church of 40 people. Most bivocational ministers are going to serve within about 50 miles from where they live.

So what can smaller churches do when seeking new pastoral leadership? Here are some brief suggestions.

1. Ask your denominational or judicatory representatives for assistance. They will know many of the people who might be available to serve in your church.
2.  Many churches still require a seminary education for their pastors. This needs to be reviewed as it is less and less likely smaller churches will attract such people.
3. Do not panic and take the first person who comes down the road wearing a cross around his or her neck. You are better off without a pastor than to call the wrong person.
4. Look within your congregation. Megachurches often call their pastoral staff from within their congregations, and I believe the same thing is possible in smaller churches. I worked with several churches that did that, and it worked out very well for them.
5. When calling a bivocational minister be realistic about your expectations. Bivocational does not mean the pastor works full-time for half the pay. He or she has another job and probably a family and needs to have time for both.
6. Pray and earnestly seek God. I always believe God has someone for every church, and as we seek His leadership He will bring that person to that church.