Pastoral transition and replacement are always tough for a congregation. This is especially true if they were blessed with a gifted leader. Finding a good pool of candidates is the first step, but that is easier said than done. Where does the church find a good pool of candidates?
There are also a lot of churches looking for pastors. According to LifeWay Research, 250 pastors leave the ministry each month. That’s 250 churches that are looking for a replacement. The pastors who may be in a tough situation and want to transition to a better situation are also leaving. The dilemma this creates is that there will be a lot of open pastorates with a small pool of gifted candidates. Because of this, attracting top-quality leaders to apply for a church is the key. This means that the church needs to sell itself in a way to attract higher-quality leaders.
No matter the size or age of the church, it is possible to attract the highest quality leader that will fit the match of your church. But the most important part is the job description and the elements surrounding that description. Every description and application needs to be clear, but it also needs to be creative.
Here are 9 ways to craft a job description for pastors to attract better applicants.
1. Talk about Culture
Every church has a distinct culture within the church that makes it unique and hopefully attractive. Therefore, the job description needs to describe the culture of that particular local church. Church culture can be summed up by how someone feels when they come to a worship experience and what unique behaviors are seen at that local church. This will highlight why the candidate would want to be a part of that particular church.
2. Avoid Generic Duties
It seems as if every job description for a pastor has the copy and paste from certain passages for required duties. These duties are more generic and need to be put in there, but it should be a small portion, not the bulk. Most pastors, or those aspiring to be senior pastors, can recite the Biblical requirements from 1st Timothy and Titus. If the duties are too generic, the pastor may see the opportunity as bland, thus not applying for the position.
3. Focus on Benefits, not just Responsibilities
Too many job descriptions focus only on what the pastor will give to the congregation. The reason that a church will want to focus on what they will receive is because a pastoral vocation is constantly giving out and living on everyone else’s schedule. There is a reason that 250 pastors leave the ministry every month. If the church offers a sabbatical, continuing education, extra vacation days, health insurance, or special benefits, then that needs to be stated. Pastors want to provide for their families and enjoy ministry as well. There is nothing worse for a church than an underpaid pastor who is struggling financially and emotionally.
4. Share Desired Results
Most pastors would like to pastor a church that wants to see growth and kingdom results. They didn’t follow the call just to manage a church. They want to see lives changed, water baptisms, salvations, missionaries sent, and disciples made. If a church shared attendance goals, numbers of new people serving, salvations they are praying for, and new small groups, this would attract higher-level leaders. High-level leaders want to see results. They want to know they are making a difference. Including this would send the message of a growth mindset instead of a scarcity or boredom mindset.
5. Talk about Privileges and Opportunities instead of Duties
Instead of outlining expected duties (which you have to do), word it in a way that is a blessing, not a burden. Calling it a privilege implies that it is a “get to” duty, whereas a burdensome duty will feel more like a “have to.” For instance, if a church expected a pastor to shepherd the congregation by visiting members in the hospital, then they would phrase it like this: “Opportunity to serve the families of XYZ Church who are in crisis by ministering to them in their deepest time of need.”
6. Highlight the High Points of the City where their Family will Live
Pastors care about where their family will live. They want to be in a good community for their children. Recreational activities, festivals, things to do in nature, and school systems are very important. Some churches feel they don’t have a lot to offer. Being positioned in a good area for families could be a draw for a senior pastor. High-level leaders do think about these things when looking at opportunities.
7. Have a Video Promo or Ad that Shows Your Church in Action
The new age is the digital age. Guests will visit a church online for weeks before coming to the physical campus for the first time. As a result, they can see and “feel” the church. The same is true for attracting better-quality senior pastor candidates. They want to see the church, hear from key staff/volunteers, and find out what makes the church unique. A video can encompass all of this to show them why this particular church is the best fit for them.
8. Vision for the Future and History of the Past
Pastors are mostly by nature “visionaries.” They want to know the church is going somewhere and has a vision for the future. Most churches want to hire a pastor who will protect and relive the past for them. High-level candidates want to know about the history, however, they want to make sure that the church has a vision for the future. Growth always means change. Most churches are resistant to change even though they want growth. Cast a vision of what the church wants to be, who they want to reach, and how open they are to change to see this vision come to pass.
9. Be Upfront about any Distinctives or Abnormalities
This may sound counterintuitive, but it is important. If the church is connected to a denomination with a certain set of doctrinal beliefs, then it is extremely important to mention that in the application section or description section. This will help to keep the church from wasting time with candidates who are not in line with qualifiers that the church views as essential. There may also be an “abnormality,” such as the structure of the church or if the church has gone through a hardship or scandal. For example, one church structure had two senior pastors. One preached on Sundays, and the other ran the ministries. This was in the initial profile of the church and helped vet candidates who were not keen on this.
Including this kind of important information will attract candidates who are better suited for the church, and therefore high-quality candidates. The last thing any search team wants to do is be in the final rounds of interviews with a candidate only to find out that they aren’t a match with the doctrine or aren’t in line with the structure of the church.
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