The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee won’t release details of its investigation into how its former interim president lied about his resume, and the person lined up to be the next interim president withdrew his name the day after he…
CBF names two search teams for key staff openings
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has named two eight-members teams to search for key staff members. One team will identify needed leadership gifts and structures for the future of CBF Global Missions and serve as a search committee for a coordinator…
Clarify those expectations, experts tell pastor search committees
It seems obvious that a church searching for its next leader would be clear on how it understands the role of the pastor in its own context. But the hard truth is congregations are often fuzzy on that detail. “If…
Any questions for us? The critical point in a church search committee interview
In the last few years, I’ve found myself sitting in a number of interviews as our church — First Baptist Church in Greensboro, N.C. — has sought and called several new ministers, including me. With seminarians counting down to graduation…
Calling a different kind of pastor
Forbes Magazine shared 5 Hiring Trends to Watch last week which are especially helpful when translated to hiring trends for pastors. As I work with congregations seeking new pastoral leadership, it often feels like we are looking for pastors who fulfill dated…
Why we need pastor-theologians for leading churches in mission
Anyone doing the work of planting churches will meet unpredictable cultural challenges. By definition, you are going into uncharted turf. You will have to listen, encounter new issues, interpret, translate and engage in ways you never would have to in…
The only vision that works for congregations is God’s vision
“The Triune God is the only true source of vision that is clearly spiritual and has any chance of pulling a congregation forward in the direction of its full Kingdom potential. Humankind has great ideas. Humankind has experiences of inspiration….
One year later: The search process revealed
A year ago today, I announced to all my friends that my days of searching for a church were over (at least for the extended future, anyway). After nearly a year of editing resumes, filling out questionnaires, meeting with search…
Healthy beginnings matter for pastor search process
In a recent training event for congregational conflict interventionists, one of our CHC team members heard Richard Blackburn, a Lombard Peace Center trainer, say this: “When I look into the history of churches I go into for a conflict intervention,…