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Well, here you are. You’ve just been asked to serve on the pastoral search team. Let me tell you, I know that mix of honor and fear. I’ve been there.
In our church, we felt the weight of it. And while the to-do list felt long, two big tasks quickly rose to the top for us: the daunting job of filling the pulpit each week, and the weighty work of finding our next pastor.
I can’t tell you how much it helped to learn a few practical things along the way. So, here are the most useful tips that got us through each one.
Practical Pastoral Search Tips For Getting Started
Finding Guest Speakers
Filling the pulpit each week can seem like a daunting task. Not only do you need someone to speak, but they need to be aligned with you theologically and a good fit for your congregation.
How Do You Find People?
Start by calling nearby Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries. Staff in their Bible departments or the chaplain would be able to tell you who is generally willing to teach at churches. Also, seminary students often appreciate a chance to practice their preaching skills.
Once you get a few on your “yes” list, ask them for recommendations. I can’t tell you how helpful this was for us! I had two different speakers offer me a list of three or four other names.
How Do You Ask for Help?
When you’re ready to ask someone to speak at your church, there are some details you want to include up front.
- Why you’re looking for a guest speaker. This can be as simple as “our pastor retired” or “we’re without a pastor right now.” Don’t overwhelm them with details that really aren’t relevant.
- Describe your congregation. Provide age ranges, share what the dress style typically is, and if there are any defining characteristics of your small church, mention them! For example, I often said, “We are a church of 45-50 people. Truly a multi-generational, family-style church, from ages 6 to 86. Some people love to dress it up while others are in jeans and a t-shirt, so ‘business casual’ might describe us well.”
- List specific dates you’re looking to fill. Don’t leave it open-ended, or you’re likely to end up without a definitive yes or no answer.
- Define what they would be responsible for. Is it just the sermon, or would you also like them to do the opening and closing prayer? And how long is your usual sermon? These details help a potential guest speaker know what to expect.
- Share what your compensation looks like. Mentioning the pay and if mileage is included is a courtesy they will appreciate.
If they serve one week and are well received, invite them back! We had a couple of speakers who spoke three or four times.
Also, if you find a week without a speaker, there are other ways to approach this. Have someone from your own congregation teach, have a Youth Sunday, or hold a church service/picnic outside.
Following Up
Once you’ve got someone lined up, be sure to stay connected and follow up.
This looks like being proactive in the details. For us, these are some of the questions I asked:
- What Scripture will you be speaking from? (So we could put it up on our slides.)
- Would you prefer a lapel mic or the pulpit mic?
- This is our church address, and here is how you get there. (We can’t trust search engines to get the directions right.)
- This is our typical order of service, and here are the parts we’re asking you to do.
Also, when the day comes, be sure to have someone standing at the door to welcome them and show them where to go, including if they need a bathroom break before speaking or would like a glass of water.
This might mean someone will need to skip Sunday school so they can be available for your guest. It’s worth it!
How To Find A New Pastor
Even as you’re working on scheduling guest speakers, you’ll be working on finding your next pastor. Here are some things to consider.
Know Your Hiring Process
This might be determined by your denomination or church constitution, but if not, be sure to clarify it before you start. What are the stages of hiring a pastor?
Broadly speaking, for us, it looked like posting the job, accepting applications, doing an interview with the transition team, inviting them to preach, and then having a congregational vote.
Finding Places To Promote
You might feel like splattering your open pastor position everywhere you can, but really, you want to be strategic. Having it on your website and Facebook page is pretty important. But also consider your denomination’s website and universities or seminaries your church is associated with.
You might have some luck with church job sites, but those might also bring in a lot of random resumes that won’t be a good fit. It will be up to your church to decide whether to invest in those or not.
Communicate with Your Applicants
Finally, as you move through the process, it is very important to communicate with all of your applicants, whether they are moving forward or not. Let them know you received their application and what the next step is.
If your team decides it wouldn’t be a good fit, be sure to let them know. This, too, is a simple courtesy and was so very appreciated by those who applied to our church. They knew they could keep looking at other places.
As applicants move into interviews or preaching, be sure to communicate details like times, places, and what to expect. If it’s an interview and they will be free to ask questions as well, invite them to make a list of their questions in advance.
It’s not just you seeing if they would be a good fit for your church, but also them seeing if your church would be a good fit for them!
Eventually, in God’s good timing, you will hire your next pastor. Be sure to follow up with the places where you promoted and even your guest speakers if you developed a good relationship with them, and let them know. They will be able to celebrate with you!
Read More:
How To Write A Sermon Outline In 6 Easy Steps For Pastors
How To Support Your Pastor In Taking A Partial Sabbatical
7 Caring Ways To Celebrate Pastor Appreciation Month
Kari Bartkus is a spiritual director who walks with women who are hurting to help them recognize God’s presence in the midst of their pain, specifically through writing and journaling. She also serves as a speaker and Bible teacher for conferences and special events. Learn more at lovedoesthat.org.
