Candidating for a new ministry as a lead pastor can be exciting and rewarding. But it can also be challenging. If God is leading you to leave your present situation and candidate, you will want to go prepared. One of the ways of doing that is to prepare a list of questions for when you are at the church. They are more for yourself than to be published for the church leadership. Read on for an introduction to some suggested questions. This will be a two-part blog.
What is your church mission?
Every church needs a one-sentence mission or purpose statement that is based on the Great Commission and Great Commandment. This statement should be known and used by the church leaders. It will guide everything the church does and states the reason for its existence. You need to be in full agreement with it and be the kind of pastor who can help your church accomplish it.
What is your church vision?
Many churches lack a compelling vision for what God wants to do in and through the congregation. If the church that you are checking out doesn't, you need to have visionary leadership skills to help them. If it does, you need to be able to fit your gifts and calling with those of that church, and it will excite and encourage you.
What are your actual core values?
Actual core values are not just a wish list of what the church thinks it should do, but are a list of values that are guiding the ministries of the church. When you check out the church in person, see if the church leadership knows the values of the church and use them to guide everything the church does. You will need to make sure your core values are in agreement with those of the church. If the church leadership doesn't have clarity of what the church values, you will need to have the leadership skills to help the church leadership develop them.
What is the role of the board in protecting your new pastor?
Ask the leadership team to describe for you how they have helped to protect their lead pastor. Every lead pastor needs to be protected from unnecessary critics, false accusers, controllers, unqualified leaders, and the like. Use behavioral questions to get a true picture. Even in healthy churches, the lead pastor will need to be protected by the top-level church leadership. See if the board has a clear understanding of this role and how to use it. See if they have the courage to use this role following biblical principles.
What sacred cows will I need to avoid?
A sacred cow is something that should not be touched, and most people think the pastor should not try to touch it. Every church will have a sacred cow or even a whole herd wandering around. When you candidate, take the opportunity to inquire what are the sacred cows in the church? Try to get to know your flock before you accept a call to that church.
What additional questions would you want to ask?
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