Charting the Course: A Worksheet for Pastoral Search Committees
Selecting a new pastor is one of the most significant decisions a church can make. The process requires prayerful discernment, careful planning, and honest self-assessment. This worksheet is designed to help your search committee prepare thoroughly by clarifying your church’s identity, priorities, challenges, and expectations before you begin evaluating potential candidates.
By working through these questions together, your committee will:
Establish a shared understanding of the church’s mission, needs, and goals
Identify realistic priorities for the next two to five years
Define the qualities, gifting, and leadership style desired in a new pastor
Address existing challenges openly to set both the church and its next pastor up for success
Clarify expectations regarding responsibilities, time commitments, compensation, and family involvement
A well-prepared search committee not only strengthens unity within the church but also creates a healthier, more transparent relationship with potential candidates from the very beginning.
1) What is the primary purpose of the church?
2) What are the priorities and needs of our church at the present time?
What can we reasonably expect two and five years from now?
What priorities do you expect of a pastoral candidate? (See: Pastoral Priorities download)
3) What are the goals we expect to be completed during the next two years and at the end of five years?
4) What are the existing problems within the church? Be honest! (Any incoming pastor who steps into a minefield of unknown church problems is being set up for failure. Don’t do this -- period!).
5) What is being done to resolve these problems? (Note: Anything remotely resembling a problem should be dealt with as completely as possible prior to introducing any potential candidate to the congregation. Make the corrections now instead of awaiting a “hatchet man” and then blaming him for upset people that are leaving the church. Finally, all this is doubly important if there’s any problem within the leadership!)
6) What are the key areas of spiritual gifting you expect of a pastor?
In what areas do you expect a pastor to excel? Which are less important?
In what ministry areas did the previous pastor struggle that need attention?
7) How do you expect the pastor to spend his time? (Do not put: "as needed" -- that's an easy way out and not helpful at all! If you have expectations now is the time to list them).
In an average week, how many hours should the Pastor spend in:
_____ Prayer
_____ Personal devotions
_____ Sermon preparation
_____ Administration
_____ Counseling
_____ Visitation
_____ Discipleship
_____ Meetings
_____ Leadership training
_____ Family time
_____ Other
8) Is there an "office schedule" you expect the pastor to keep?
9) What education and experience levels are a reasonable minimum for the needs of the church?
10) How do you expect the pastor to interact with the other church leaders? (This is a vital issue. Leadership styles vary, so be wise in finding a match with your church. You may wish to include #11 below in your analysis here).
11) Will the pastor be viewed as the spiritual leader of the congregation or as a co-leader with others in leadership (the elder board, for instance)?
12) What is your expectation for the pastor regarding the resolving of conflict?
What level of participation should the other leaders have?
Will complete support by the board be required?
13) What role and level of ministry involvement do you expect the pastor's wife and family to have? (Friction in the pastor’s home due to “expectations” are brutal. The church should recognize that pastoral ministry for a couple is a team effort. However, this can have various applications depending on gifting, maturity, background, etc., of the particular couple).
14) What is the compensation package?
(This needs to be spelled out, in detail and in writing. There is no end of friction because the church fails to nail this down. This is a nightmare area for pastors to address without being misunderstood, especially as there are so many that have a hand out all the time to be compared against. Get this done, done now and done right!)
How often will the package be reviewed? (I recommend annually, perhaps when the church budget is considered).
What will be provided for continued education, conferences, vacations, comp time?