Appendix 1A: Potential Mistakes a Search Committee Can Make

Potential Mistakes a Search Committee Can Make

1. Ignoring the church’s search process as outlined in the governing documents.

2.Not preparing spiritually.

z It is the committee’s responsibility to discern God’s will…not “making a hire.”

3.Not respecting confidentiality.

z DECIDE THE SCOPE of confidentiality.

4.Failing to fully commit to the search process (do not hurry!).

z Requires great patience and prayerfulness.

5.Not being united.

z Unanimous decisions…unanimous recommendation (a must!).

6.Inadequately communicating with candidates.

7. Poorly communicating with the church.

z Updates comfort the church, even if the update is one of “prayer and patience.” z Anxiety, speculation, and hallway talk enter when the congregation has no information.

8.Not diligently investigating a candidate.

z Viewing history at previous churches. z Discovering how a candidate operates in areas other than preaching (leadership, conflict management, time management, etc.).

9.Committee members talking to candidates without the committee’s knowledge and approval.

z A committee member can begin to be viewed as campaigning for a certain candidate. z A committee member will have information other members do not have.

10. Potential candidates preaching before coming in view of a call.

z Becomes a popularity contest…drives the congregation to only focus on preaching. z Allowing staff candidates to preach regularly may lead to external pressure (see #11).

11. Not considering staff who have expressed interest in the position (see page 8).

12. Giving staff members too many responsibilities.

z The staff member becomes overwhelmed.

13. Hiring a pastor to fix major problems that needed to be addressed before his arrival.