When a pastor (or any leader) considers a move to a new church setting or any leader considers a new job, he or she should do whatever is possible to define reality. As Max Dupree, leadership guru and writer said, “The first job of a leader is to define reality.” When I’ve considered a new ministry change, I’ve sought answers to key questions every pastor should ask. And over the years I’ve compiled this list of 28 questions (actually 31) to ask a search committee and/or your future boss. If you’re moving into a non-ministry setting, you’ll want to tailor your questions to your unique setting.
28 Questions Every Pastor Should Ask a Search Committee
- Why me? What about me interested your committee?
- What stories of God’s moving do people still tell?
- What’s not going well that needs changing or needs to go?
- What are the burning issues?
- What are the biggest obstacles facing the church?
- What’s missing?
- What significant events, both successes and traumas, have marked your church’s history?
- How has your church responded to traumas and crises?
- How would your community describe the church?
- What do you most hope that I will do?
To see the rest of the questions every pastor should ask, see page two.
