Practical Considerations
in Calling a Pastor
There is one important aspect to
bear in mind. Calling a pastor is not the same as an appointment for a secular
job . The danger is that we treat it the same. We can so very easily apply the
same principles that the world applies to a work application. It would be a
mistake. To apply secular criteria to the appointing of a pastor is missing the
point. It is a spiritual appointment that we are looking to make. We need, as
godly men and women, to be spiritually-minded, seeking to apply Biblical
principles, with the desire to know the mind of the Lord on this issue.
The practical steps that need to be taken in calling a pastor are not as easy as
they may seem at first. The obvious thing to do is to discover who may be
available for, or who may be considering, a pastorate. This may be done by
seeking to obtain the current lists of available men that different interested
bodies hold (see note 2).
Finding Out
We must bear in mind, however, that not all the men ‘on the lists’ may be
suitable for various reasons. But these have to be investigated. Various
tentative enquiries ought to be made by the church officers concerning their
background, experience, church commitment, and present opportunities of service
for the Lord. We should be finding out about them (speaking collectively) in the
light of the Biblical qualifications that we have looked at previously. So there
are various questions to be asked. What is their standing in the local church?
How long have they been members of the local church? Many churches have rules
that a member has to be with them at least one year before they can take on some
active role in the church, especially a position of leadership, such as a deacon
or an elder. If we are seeking for a man to lead our church, then we need to
look out not only for an ability to lead, but whether he has some experience in
doing so. Leading a church and ministering to God’s people is one thing in
theory, but it is quite different in practice—and a lack of experience and
understanding human nature has been the downfall of many good men.
So ask around. Ask the pastor of the church they are in membership with. Ask
anyone with whom they may have had contact. Obviously, you will need to have
some sort of profile of a man that you may be considering—something like a CV
(see note 3). This should be a fundamental requirement, because you will
need to know the man’s background and experience. You will need to consider his
spiritual life, his practical experience of secular life, and how he gets on
with people. You will need to ask about what is, or has been, his secular
employment. It is advisable that any man under consideration to be a pastor
should have experience in business, commerce, or profession, so that he
understands today’s culture and society, can get alongside people, and can work
at relationships. It is not a good policy, for example, to consider a young man
who has gone straight from school to Bible College, and who then expects to
become a pastor of a church. (In fact, he may be more suited for consideration
as an assistant to the pastor of a larger church). Another question that you
will need to consider concerns any Christian service he has been involved with.
All these questions, and others that come to mind, will give you pointers
concerning whom you may contact to ask with regard to his character,
temperament, and suitability to minister to your church.
When you have gained some insight into a man who may be being considered, then
invite him to preach. As you have gleaned useful information about him already,
you will be in a better position to begin to assess his preaching ability.
Preaching Ability
Assessing preaching ability may be somewhat subjective. Some people like
challenging preaching—many people do not! But what style of preaching do you
want? Is it expository or experimental preaching that you are looking for? Is it
Biblical exposition or topical preaching you would like? Or what would be best
for the nurturing of the church?
It is here that many church members have their own agenda. Every one has
personal preferences or fixed ideas on preaching. So, at this point, there is a
substantial problem. I have heard many stories of how church leaders, having
listened to men under consideration, have been convinced that the style of
preaching they hear is what they would like, and that here is a man the church
should be considering. So they have taken a recommendation to the church, only
to find that the members think very differently! So it may well be a good idea
for the church to meet together for this very purpose—and seek to discuss openly
their hopes and aspirations for a new pastor, and share together difficulties
and problems they may be fearful of. In doing so, the leaders may come to a
consensus on what the church is needing in a pastor. [I stress that word. I used
the word “needing” as opposed to “wanting” because there is a vast difference.]
And having done this, the leaders are in a position to invite men who might meet
such criteria that they now have obtained from the church.
Then, on hearing a man preach, everyone will be able to make some sort of value
judgement. I think one has to be very careful of the usual approach that many
churches take. For this rests on a very subjective idea that we will consider a
man on the basis of whether we like what we hear or not. Be very careful. That
will lead you nowhere fast.
Although the tendency is to rush at this because you face a need, you must have
time to take stock. You do not want to be too slow, of course . Like the church
that recently considered a man who was already pastoring another church (but who
had shown some interest in considering a move). After they had heard him several
times, they waited a year, and then issued a call—to find that he no longer
wanted to move!
But on the other hand do not make haste with speed! You need to hear various men
first of all, so that you can weigh up the gifts of one against another. Then
you need to take time for properly thinking through the implications of working
with any man who may be under consideration—time to pray, time to think issues
through, time to weigh matters up, time for proper discussion among church
members and in the leadership, and time to make spiritual assessments.
Recognition By The Local Church
Is the man under consideration set aside by his church for the ministry of the
Word of God? Has his church recognised his gifts, or is he seeking his own
advancement? The one you would pursue, but the other must be understood for what
it is. We have touched on this earlier—but it ought to be emphasised that the
best people to know a man is his own church. If they cannot recommend him, then
do not pursue the matter. But also be careful—there have been churches willing
to recommend a man purely on the basis that they would like to be rid of him. So
you need a good measure of spiritual and practical discernment. Do your very
best not to get caught out!
Hear Many Men
And how many prospective men should be under consideration at one time? There
are two issues here. First, you need to hear several men in order to know who is
available, and what is “on offer”. In this case, as various men are invited to
share in the ministry of the church on a Sunday, you—the church—must be
prayerfully listening and considering the man and his preaching, according to
the criteria that has been agreed. At this time you want to learn the mind of
the Lord. You want to discern whether it is possible that the Lord is sending a
particular man to you—and that such an impression is laid on your hearts by the
Holy Spirit.
Consider One man
But secondly, when there is a man who is worthy of consideration, you then need
to focus on that one, and that one only. Now, the outcome may prove to be a
negative one—you may come to the conclusion that you do not want to pursue the
matter with him any more. So then you are free to look out for another man, and
focus on him. But only seriously consider one man at a time. It is impossible to
successfully do otherwise. And it is not fair on anyone.
Preaching With A View
But how much do you tell a man who is coming (to use that hackneyed term) “with
a view”. The best policy is to be open and honest with him. He then knows where
he is, and you know he knows—and this helps for good relationships in your
talking together, and considering the matter. Also, do not keep him in the dark
about what is happening—the “state of play”. It is unfair on a man, whom you
have invited to come along, and then you do not tell him what you are doing. If
you are merely making it a matter of prayer, tell him. If you are considering
him seriously, let him know. If you are waiting for a church meeting, which
might be several weeks away, tell him. You know where you are. He knows where he
is. And it all goes to make for happy relationships—even if in the end you feel
it no longer right to pursue the matter with him. Again tell him—and explain
why.
How many times should he preach “with a view”? There are no hard and fast rules.
Some fifty years ago it used to be the custom among some churches to invite a
man to come and preach for six months. Today that is very impractical (it might
have been then!), and it puts a great strain on a man who does not know what the
outcome might be. These days it is quite usual to invite a man to preach on
three occasions. The positives include the fact that you will hear his
preaching, and can assess whether it changes in quality, or whether the man has
anything ‘new’ to say (not just repeating himself). The negative is that you do
not hear how he handles consecutive ministry. These are things to be aware of.
You might like to invite him to take a mid-week meeting or two as well, to see
how he handles himself in a different situation. But along with all this, you
must talk to the man, and his wife (if he has one), as individuals, but also
meet together, whether as elders, or as a committee appointed to this task,
and/or as a church, to discuss matters that occur to you. Now is the time to ask
relevant questions—not after a call has been issued to him!
Meet The Man
And it is advisable for various members to invite him for a meal when he and his
wife/family come on a Sunday. This gives him an opportunity to meet you all
informally, and you will also be able to get to know him better on an individual
basis. You may invite other members to spend some of this time with you as well.
So what questions do you ask him? Theological questions are extremely important.
For example, What are his views on the Atonement, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper,
Church Membership? What are his opinions on the Charismatic issue? Where does he
stand with regard to Ecumenical issues, and Church Separation? Does he
understand the Reformed teaching on the Sovereignty of God and Salvation? Or is
he Arminian in his approach to the Scriptures, preaching and evangelism? There
are many issues that are both important and relevant in understanding a man who
is a potential leader of the church. What is he doing in his present church?
What ministry is he involved in? What responsibilities does he have? Which
direction would he want to take the church who calls him? What are his thoughts
on the subject and practice of worship? And what views of hymnology (e.g.
Praise! Hymnbook, or Mission Praise) and Bible versions (e.g., Authorised
Version, New King James Version, and New International Version) does he hold?
Other questions may be of a more practical nature. What are his expectations of
the pastorate? How does he understand the role of a pastor? What salary does he
expect (as opposed to what you propose to give him, which you should have worked
out already)? Does he expect a private health plan as part of the package (as
some men apparently do today!)?
Does he have a pastor’s heart—a concern for people, a desire to help people,
both socially and spiritually? (You must also be asking yourselves questions
like, Is he a personable sort of man? Does he get along with people in the
church? Does he try?) Is he evangelistically motivated? Has he a missionary
concern?
The Prospective Pastor’s Wife
But do not forget his wife! Her contribution to her husband’s calling is
extremely important. You need to hear her own personal testimony of Grace, and
the Lord’s leading for her too. And what work is she presently involved with in
her present church? How will she be able to handle the situation of her husband
being a pastor? Is she committed to supporting him in this capacity? Is she
really at one with his aims and aspirations? There should be unity in a desire
to serve the Lord together. She must be spiritually-minded, as well as her
husband. And a gracious disposition on her part will be a tremendous asset for
the ongoing ministry of her pastor husband.
At this point may I refer you back to Marriage Status in connection
with the gifts needed by a pastor’s wife. I would also make one other
observation. Please remember that the Pastor’s wife is not an employee of the
church, and therefore she is not a paid assistant of the church! She is
specifically his wife, and her role is to be supportive of him in the ministry
that the Lord has called him to. She is also the mother to his children, and
therefore not the person who is to look after all the other children in the
church! She is an ordinary member of the local church at which her husband is
the minister, and therefore she will be participating in the life of the church
as does any other member, and not in any special way. She will fit in with her
gifts, and she is not to have any role imposed on her.
Now you know everything there is to know about the man under consideration and
his wife! Then what? Ask yourselves, Do you feel that, after all this, he is the
man of God’s choosing for you? Is this merely your personal opinion—or do the
elders, and the church membership, agree? So now you need to reassess the
grounds on which you, the church, are coming to this conclusion. Go over the
essentials, the standards set out in the Scriptures, and review the practical
issues. Pray together about the matter—do not leave that to everybody else! Make
sure you are coming to one mind on the issue—that you have a true
spiritually-minded consensus. Eventually you come to the point where it is all
very positive. You feel that this is the man.
Call A Church Meeting
So you then call a special church meeting, or a meeting especially convened to
consider the matter—or perhaps even a normal church business meeting if you feel
that is at a convenient time. But be careful not to mix church business with the
spiritual matter in hand. Calling a pastor is not a business item—it is a
spiritual concern.
The elders or leaders must then seek to present the man and his ministry, and
all the relevant facts discovered about him and his God-given gifts, to the
church meeting. It is all to be made a matter of special prayer. You need to
consider how to come to a conclusion. Many do this by “secret ballot”—writing
down on paper whether to call, or not to call, this man to be the pastor. In
this way no-one knows the specific views of an individual member, and it avoids
all embarrassment whatever opinion is given. Also, if other members could not be
at the meeting, you should ascertain what their personal opinion might be in a
similar way. The church has to decide for itself whether it will include such
proxy votes, or consider them separately. But what you are seeking at this time
is that the church membership comes to a consensus—and therefore everything
should be done to achieve this, so that any decision that is made will be seen
to be agreeable to all.
The Decision
It is a real blessing if a unanimous decision is made. If some members are
uneasy about inviting this man, due consideration should be given to the reason
for this. A wise leadership is seeking to bring all the church together on this
extremely important issue. And if anyone has any serious misgivings, it is both
sensible and courteous to look into this before any final pronouncement is made.
To not take this into consideration could, and does, divide a church. This is
one of the most important decisions any church can make. If there is room for
discussion, time should be taken, for, as already said, you are looking for 100%
agreement on the matter, even if some personal reservations may remain. Make
sure no one has any hidden personal agenda here. Any reservations ought to be
shared and discussed. But let members then agree to the overall opinion of the
church, submitting to the leadership, who want to do everything in a spiritual
manner—who are genuinely seeking to know the mind of the Lord.
Now an agreement has been reached. The church has decided to call this man. Put
it in writing, together with terms and conditions of the invitation to be the
pastor of the church, and send it to him. Make clear your expectations of him.
You will probably have been discussing these things with him anyway—well, you
should have been!
Sharing The News
In these days of easy communication a phone call after the meeting would not go
amiss, unless it is too late at night. It is much better to hear the news in a
personal way, rather than just receiving something formally in writing. This
applies even if it is a negative decision. But what a joy it is to be able to
share a unanimous call from the church!
The Man Himself
And what of the man in view? Do consider his feelings. He is only human. He has
been praying that the Lord would make His will clear to him and he is seeking to
trust the Lord in this matter. That is commendable spirituality. But do not
treat him as you would not want to be treated! He has been getting very nervous
(yes, he really is human!). His feelings are tearing him inside out. He has been
trying to weigh things up—in two directions at once. On one hand, what if the
church does not issue a call? But then, what if they do? The implications of
receiving a call may be very demanding and very traumatic for him in both
directions. So do not leave him guessing. But having given him the call, give
him time to assimilate it. Do not expect an immediate answer. Of course he has
been praying about the matter—just as you have—but he still needs to think and
pray through the implications, and to consider everything from what is now a
very different perspective. Yes, they will be the same issues as before, but now
he has to look at them from another viewpoint. Try to understand what is
involved for him. He will be feeling anyway that he belongs to neither one place
nor another. So he needs to get his bearings on this. So give him time—do not
demand an immediate response. Be considerate.
But now for the church, there may be two scenarios:
He may turn you down. You do not know everything about his circumstances,
however much you have tried to do so. He may feel, even after all that you have
put yourselves through, that he cannot accept the invitation. Maybe—wrongly—he
has been considering more than one church at once. If that turns out to be the
case, then you will know that he was not the man you had thought he was after
all. And be thankful you found out now!
But if he does accept your invitation, you will be as thrilled as he is. Except
for this: he now feels his inadequacy very keenly. He will be having serious
self-doubts. He will be asking himself important questions. Is he up to the
responsibility? Is he capable of really leading these people? Is he going to
fulfil the expectations of the church who have graciously called him? It is not
a case of not trusting the Lord in the situation. So do not misunderstand him.
But if you do not see any sign of deep humility and self-abasement, then you
need to be very suspicious indeed about whether you have done the right thing! A
man can only fulfil this sacred ministry in humble dependence on the Lord. So if
you see any sign of a sense of reluctance and reticence—rejoice! But pray with
him that this will be overcome by the power God gives to a man whom He is
calling into this ministry. And seek to encourage him. It is a heavy
responsibility that is not to be taken lightly. (Have we not seen that? See
Chapter 2, page 11.)
Settling Him In
Now all the practical issues arise, like, When will he be able to come? Is the
manse ready for him? If not, when will it be ready? Or is he going to buy his
own property? These things cannot be achieved overnight. Is he presently serving
a church? If so, seek to respect their wishes and needs at this time. It may not
be easy for his present church to lose a pastor. Seek to work together with that
church about what is the best time to make the change. Make sure that you seek
to respect his previously made engagements. And do not forget the man himself,
as well as his wife and family who are caught up in all this. It could be a very
difficult time for them. On its own, moving home is one of the most traumatic
events to be involved in. Taking on a church does not make it any easier!
Then there is the Induction Service—it can also be called a Recognition service,
or even Welcome Service—to consider. Is the man ordained, that is, not just set
aside by his church to the ministry of God’s word, but appointed to the ministry
by the laying on of hands? That may be a consideration. When to have the Welcome
Service? Obviously it has to be after the move has taken place, and as near to
the commencement of his ministry in the church as possible. Let him be involved
in asking a man to preach on such an occasion. Discuss with him what you would
like to include in the service. Usually there is some statement by the calling
church, a statement by the man who is called, and a ceremony of joining the man
and the church together—even if it is simply a prayer of commendation. Do you
want “a charge to the church” and “a charge to the pastor”? Or do you wish to
combine the two? You want the day to be a day of real rejoicing and blessing
both for yourselves and the man whom you have appointed to be your pastor. Work
together to ensure that it is.
There is one important point that must not be forgotten. The minister and his
wife must be members of the church. This matter can be dealt with in two ways.
The first option is accept the new minister and his wife into membership before
the Induction or Welcome Service. This is a procedure that is quite commonly
recognised at a communion service. The second option is to formally accept them
into membership as part of the proceedings at the recognition service, before
the new pastor is set apart for the ministry of the church that is calling him.
Of course, we have not covered everything. There are a large number of common
sense issues that will need to be addressed. But I have sought to guide you
through the issues that will help to make the experience a positive one.
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