Finding Your Next Pastor

Finding the next pastor for your church is the one of the most important decisions a church can make.  The next pastor will set the tone for the next chapter of the church’s ministry.  There are two important truths to remember:

No organization rises above the level of its leader – John Maxwell

There are no professional Pastor Search Teams

Churches often make reactive decisions about their next pastor.  If the previous pastor was a good preacher, but a poor visitor, the Pastor Search Team unconsciously will search for a pastor who is relationally warm, but not as effective in the pulpit.  If the previous pastor was a strong leader, the Pastor Search Team may unconsciously search for a pastor who is less decisive.

A better guide for Pastor Search Teams might be this question: “Who do we want to be as a church in the next five years and who can lead us to that preferred future?”  This may sound like creating a profile, but it is much more.  It begins with an understanding of who the church is, the challenges a church faces, and the strengths a church brings to the future. 

Often, an Association Strategist or a Denominational representative will offer to assist a church in this process.  However, each of these positions have their own bias. 

What is often helpful to a church is to have an outside, unbiased consultant who can assist in designing a process to help the church discover their preferred future and their next pastor. 

I offer an evening and morning workshop that can help outline these processes for a church.  In this workshop, we explore these topics:

  • Who do you want your church to be in five years?

  • What kind of pastor do you need to achieve that vision?

  • What are challenges will you face in seeking a new pastor?

  • How do you build a pastoral profile?

  • How do we help a new pastor succeed?

I also offer a more in-depth consulting relationship to walk alongside a church throughout the process.  I would be delighted to have an initial conversation with you or your team to see if I can assist you.  Please email me at clay@wclaysmith.com