A pastoral resident of ours recently spoke to another local church’s search committee. This congregation is struggling and in dire need of faithful leadership. Surprisingly, this committee member told my friend, “We’ll call you back when the weather gets warmer!”
Clearly, this church had lost all sense of urgency in seeking permanent leadership.
Needless to say, candidating can be frustrating and nerve-wracking. If you’re wondering what to expect, be encouraged that no single approach exists. Nevertheless, some principles apply to most settings, and the aim of this article is to help aspiring pastors consider how to candidate wisely and honestly with a shepherd-less congregation.
One caveat before I begin: many candidating processes will involve interacting with largely unhealthy churches who have entrusted ill-equipped search teams to recommend the next pastor. That’s primarily the context to which I will speak.
1. Research the Church
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 people in the
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