Jack Hyles wrote an article entitled The Science of Calling a Pastor. In this article intended on instructing churches on how to call a pastor he wrote:
Choose someone who is not a Bible expositor. There is not one expository sermon in the Bible. All of them are topical. I am not fighting expository preaching, but that kind of preaching will destroy a great church. Do not be swayed by their suave teaching. The great soul-winning churches have been pastored by topical preaching. I am not talking about evangelistic churches; I mean soul-winning churches! If you want a soul-winning church, you must call a pastor who preaches topical sermons. Many of our once great soul-winning churches fell prey to the popular notion of expository preaching. They decided that they wanted more Bible, but when they got it, it cost them their effective soul winning.
Contrast this rejection of expository preaching by Jack Hyles with the exaltation of expository preaching by Mark Dever in his Nine Marks of a Healthy Church:
The first mark of a healthy church is expositional preaching. It is not only the first mark; it is far and away the most important of them all, because if you get this one right, all of the others should follow. This is the crucial mark. If you want to read only one chapter of this book, you’ve picked the right one. This is the one you should read first, before all of the others. This will help you to understand what pastors are to give themselves to, and what congregations are to demand of them. My main role, and the main role of any pastor, is expository preaching (page 19).
Please keep in mind Dever’s accurate description of the main ministry of a pastor as you work your way through these steps in calling a pastor.
When a church has need of a pastor they should go courting a potential candidate. Here are some brief suggested guidelines that certainly can be modified according to the need and policies of the church.
1. The deacons form a Search Committee or sometimes the deacons are the Search Committee.
Paul Jackson believes there should be a permanent pulpit committee that would be responsible for securing revival and Bible Conference speakers (The Doctrine and Administration of the Church, 61). Usually, this is the pastor’s responsibility. The Search Committee can contact Placement Ministries in their denomination, or seminaries that are doctrinally sound, or other pastors with whom they have confidence.
2. An Interim pastor is called by the church.
Transformation Ministries (click to view) describes the interim pastor: The Interim Pastor is one who serves a church congregation between regularly called pastors. Though the time frame is shorter, the Interim Pastor is the Pastor of the church for this period, however brief it may be. The Interim Pastor is one who, on short notice, can step into a pastor-less church by providing the necessary leadership and assistance enabling the church to maintain its program, act as a buffer between pastors, perform a healing ministry [when necessary], and prepare the way for the coming pastor.
If the former pastor did not instruct the church on how to select a pastor then the interim should. Paul Jackson wisely advises: “A pastor may be of great help to his church by teaching the members how to call a pastor before he even considers resigning” (The Doctrine and Administration of the Church, 61).
3. The Search Committee will report to the church at least once a month (once a week is better) and give a progress report.
It is almost impossible for a church to over-communicate and especially when seeking the Lord’s will for a new pastor. The church should be encouraged to pray for God’s wisdom in the pastor search process.
4. The Search Committee searches for a godly candidate
Paul R. Jackson states that “men with any of the following characteristics should be avoided:
1) Those too lazy to work.
2) Those too contentious to cooperate successfully with other people.
3) Those too weak and vacillating to provided sound leadership.
4) Those who are unable to manage their own finances and who are, therefore, in perpetual financial distress.
5) Those who are not morally sound.
6) Those whose families are rebellious and undisciplined (1 Tim 3:1-7)
7) Those who are opportunists, willing to talk like Baptists when there is an open pulpit.
8) Those who are not in real doctrinal harmony with the position of the church.
9) Those who are inadequately prepared for such a ministry” (The Doctrine and Administration of the Church” page 60).
4. The Search Committee will consider one candidate at a time.
“Voting on one man at a time has been found a great advantage. Voting on two or more men simultaneously has often resulted in a divided church” (Paul Jackson. The Doctrine and Administration of the Church, page 62). The pastor search can become a personality contest where some members “I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollo.” To these church members, Paul asked, “Are you not carnal?” (1 Corinthians 3:4).
5. The Search Committee will select a candidate by reading his resume, listening to a recorded sermon, or watching a videoed sermon, and by hearing him preach in his church or another church if he is not presently pastoring. The potential candidate’s references should be contacted. A credit and criminal background should be checked. The potential candidate should also check the church’s references such as the former pastor and even neighboring churches who will know the church’s testimony in the community. Local businesses can also give helpful insights into the reputation the church has in the business community. There are ministries that can provide the demographics of the community to help you determine the potential of the church for growth. This is only an aid, not the ultimate basis for knowing God’s will. God may lead the pastor to a church that does not have promising demographics.
6. The Search Committee will then schedule an interview with the potential candidate.
Both the church and candidate should consider if this is a good match of gifts, leadership style, and vision.
A. The Search Committee will discuss important matters with the potential candidate such as his conversion and call to ministry, the motive for pastoring this church, philosophy of ministry, ministry training, present ministry, leadership style, music, wife’s and children’s support for this ministry.
B. The candidate will also want to ask pertinent questions such as why did the former pastor leave, what is the church’s profile (attendance and giving for the past five years), what is church’s expectations of the pastor, what is the church’s vision for its community and world missions. Here is a post on unashamedworkman with 41 questions (click to view) by Colin Adams that a potential candidate can ask the church (Ballymoney Baptist Church Northern Ireland). 9Marks also has some questions: What kind of Questions should a Church ask a Pastoral Candidate (click to view).
C. There will be a number of interviews. At least one of the interviews will include the wife.
7. The potential candidate will be scheduled to come to the church and preach. If there is a positive response from the church the potential candidate will be invited to come for a weekend and candidate. This will give him a chance to meet with different ministries such as Sunday school teachers, paid and volunteer staff, and families and preach a candidate sermon on Sunday. Sometimes the candidate preaches one Sunday, not as a candidate. If the search committee is favorable to the candidate, then the candidate is asked to preach a candidate sermon on which the church will vote.
8. The church will be given a notice, possibly two weeks, on voting on the candidate.
9. The church will vote on a Sunday morning and a three-fourth majority (or whatever is the policy of the church) will be required to extend a call to the candidate. Jackson rightfully advises churches to vote on a pastor for an indefinite time rather than for a year.
10. The candidate will be immediately informed of the vote. The candidate will prayerfully consider the vote and soon inform the church of his decision.
Colin Adams who gave the 41 questions also gave these steps (click here to view) he and Ballymoney Baptist Church walked through which led to him taking the church as pastor.
Hopefully, after this courtship, there will be a marriage made in heaven and the two will live happily ever after.