Searching for a new pastor

One of the most difficult times for churches is when they are seeking new pastoral leadership. Smaller churches have the most difficulty since many pastors will not even consider smaller churches. Even medium size churches often discover it is more difficult to find a new pastor than in the past.

There are a lot of reasons for this, but for our denomination the problem is very simple. We have more churches than ministers. Many of the pastors we do have are nearing retirement and not interested in a new church, and some ministers seeking placement simply do not have the qualifications many churches seek.

For 14 years I served as an Area Minister in our region, and one of my tasks was to assist churches seeking new pastors. It seemed like every year it became more difficult to find suitable candidates for these churches to interview. Some of this was because the churches had unreasonable expectations, but often the problem was that the candidate lacked the skills or experience the church needed. I've been retired for two years now, but I understand the problem has not improved.

It's important that churches seeking pastors not get discouraged or in a big hurry. I often told search committees that having no pastor was better than having the wrong pastor. It was not uncommon for many of our churches to spend 18-24 months seeking a pastor, and in some cases it took even longer.

Churches need to make sure their expectations for a new pastor are reasonable. I'm sorry, requiring a pastor to have a PhD to serve a church of 40 people is not a reasonable expectation. Even requiring an MDiv may not be a reasonable expectation for these churches. Churches might also think through the requirement that their pastor leads a Bible study every Wednesday night for six people. That time could probably be better spent doing something else.

Some churches cannot stand the idea of not having a pastor. I've seen some churches call the first person who came down the road with a cross around his neck and often lived to regret it. Spend time determining what your church needs in a pastor and begin seeking individuals who can provide that. Check every reference, even some that might not be listed on the resume. Today it makes sense to do a background check on your final candidate before presenting him or her to the church. If your church selects good people for the search committee, and they take their time, your chances of finding the right person for your church will be much higher.

This should be a time of intense prayer, not only by the search committee but by the entire church. Seeking a pastor is a spiritual adventure. You need to invite God to be part of this search because He already knows the person He's prepared to lead your church.

If your church is part of a denomination, it's also a good idea to invite a denominational leader to be part of your search. There may be some things he or she will know about candidates that you are considering that will not show up on a resume. They may also know people who are not actively seeking to move but might be open to such a move.