It probably goes without saying, but hiring a minister is one of the most important decisions you can make in the history of a congregation. A minister is a leader that will guide and shape the faith of your members. The “right” minister can bless you for generations to come. The “wrong” minister can lead to congregational pain, division in the body, stunted spiritual growth, and even lost souls.
The Blessings of a Good Hire
In an ideal world, you hire a minister who fits with the congregation doctrinally, personally, intellectually, culturally and in many other respects. They are immediately effective in the community and in the lives of your members. Members are strengthened and grow in their faith and knowledge of God. The lost are reached and the kingdom of God is expanded in your city. While these sorts of hires have sadly been too rare in the Restoration Movement, there are many notable exceptions. We all know of ministers who have stayed with a congregation for decades, eventually retiring and / or becoming an elder. Both parties have lived life together and blessed each other for eternity and generations to come.
The Pain of a Bad Hire
On the flip side, I know of a congregation who is on their 5th pulpit minister in the last 15 years. I’ve seen firsthand the pain and inevitable process that follows a bad hiring decision. After the “honeymoon” period, members gradually begin to question the fit of the minister. In time, the whispers grow into outright dissention. Members might even be drawn into taking sides (those that support the minister and those that don’t). Eventually the elders have to step in and ask the minister to resign or the minister moves on to another opportunity. It’s tough for the gospel of God’s love to be effectively taught in a “hostile” environment. Before you know it, visitors decline and families start to leave. It especially sad if we are talking about a youth or children’s minister, where we are talking about valuable years of a very short, highly impressionable, period in their lives. Before they know it, these congregations find themselves back on the hiring “carousel” looking for their next minister.
Conclusion
I know that guys like Paul, Timothy, and Silas moved around a lot in their ministries – I get that. Having said that, I am fully convinced that today most of our healthiest congregations have benefitted from long term ministers. Minsters who get to know our members and engage in their lives to strengthen each other for greater works in the kingdom. If your congregation is in the midst of a search or you find yourself on the “hiring carousel”, my prayer for you is that you find the “right” minister this time around. In future blogs, we will talk about the characteristics of a healthy search process and how to reduce the risks of making a poor hiring decision. May God bless you and your new minister in your search.