GUIDELINES

FOR CALLING A

PASTOR

Guidelines for calling a pastor

The calling and selection of a new pastor is one of the most important decisions a church is called upon to make. It is an activity that requires proper counsel, careful consideration and earnest prayer. When seeking a new pastor, a church should approach the matter in the confidence that God already knows who He wants to fill the position. The church’s need is to discern God’s will. Too often a church will go immediately for the “top man” when a vacancy occurs assuming it must certainly be the will of God. There is no question that the man of God’s choosing is the “top man” for the church, but the problem is that the church’s categorization of the “top man” and God’s “top man” for the church may not be the same.

In our denominational structure, we have developed a process for helping a church find God’s will for pastoral leadership which is both spiritual and efficient in nature. The Eastern Regional Superintendent will work with the church to learn as much as possible about the church’s unique needs. Additionally he is well acquainted with the pastoral gifts of most of our ministers and is the person to whom the church looks to initiate the process of calling a new pastor. He is committed to working with the church in helping them discover God’s will concerning pastoral leadership. The process that is followed, which is outlined below, results in a three-fold confirmation of God’s will which gives the church and pastor a sense of confidence that the right decision has been made.

The following guidelines are recommended for calling a pastor.

1. Establishing a Committee

Normally the church will want to appoint a special committee to function as a Pulpit Committee or a Pastoral Search Committee. The committee will be referred to as a Pastoral Search Committee in the remainder of this document for the purpose of simplicity, and is the same as the pulpit committee. Some churches have a constitutional provision for establishing the committee, but where that is not the case, the committee may be elected by the church or appointed by the Official Board. The committee may vary in size depending on the desire of the church, but would not normally be made up of less than three or more than seven persons. Most churches do well with a committee of 3-5 persons. The larger committee would likely be more representative of the different ministries of the church. It is important that persons with recognized spiritual sensitivities, leadership responsibilities and personal commitment to the church be chosen to serve on the committee. It is highly unlikely that the former pastor would ever be asked to serve on the committee.

2. Contact with the Regional Superintendent

The first official action of the committee should be to contact the Regional Superintendent to request a meeting with the committee. The Superintendent is the servant of the church and normally will be able to meet with the Pastoral Search Committee within a period of two weeks after being contacted. It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to review with the committee the process involved in recommending a candidate and taking the candidate through the steps leading to a call. The Superintendent will spend time with the committee in an attempt to learn as much as he can about the church so as to facilitate the recommendation. He will look to the committee for any understandings they might have on the qualities and gifts they are looking for in a new Pastor.

The committee should have prayerfully discussed the qualifications of a pastoral candidate which they could share with the Superintendent. A church/pastor model agreement or job function for the pastor would be helpful if such documents exist. After meeting with the committee the Superintendent will make prayerful contact with possible candidates who in his mind are qualified to pastor the church and who meet the pastoral profile developed by the committee. When he finds a man who meets the proper qualifications and who agrees to consider the church, he will provide the committee with the name of the candidate he is recommending along with appropriate biographical information. The Superintendent will not normally provide a church with a list of names from which to pick and choose, but will exercise the responsibility of his office in serving the church’s needs. He will accept counsel from the committee in regard to any candidates in whom they are interested and will provide information on their qualification and/or availability to the committee as may be desired.

3. The Committee Role in the Candidating Process

Once a committee receives a recommendation from the Regional Superintendent, the committee should meet to discuss the recommendation and prayerfully review the qualifications of the candidate. A decision should be reached as soon as possible whether or not to process the recommendation. If for any reason the committee finds the recommendation unacceptable after prayer and review, the committee should notify the Superintendent who will attempt to find another candidate acceptable to the committee. The Superintendent may request a meeting with the committee to better understand the basis for rejecting the candidate.

a. Contacting the Candidate

When the committee has agreed on a candidate it should on behalf of the church, officially contact the candidate to notify him of the church’s interest in meeting with him to discuss the possibility of becoming the pastor. A definite date should be set for the candidate to meet with the committee to explore his candidacy.

b. Arranging for the Candidate Interview

Once a mutually acceptable date has been set for the candidate to meet with the committee, the committee should take the responsibility for establishing the agenda for the meeting and arranging for any hospitality needs of the candidate. The candidate should be notified of agenda items so that he might be better prepared to state his position on them. The committee should make every effort to be prepared for the meeting and to make the candidate comfortable. How well the church handles these matters will say a great deal to the candidate about the church.

c. Presenting the Candidate to the Congregation

If the Pastoral Search Committee is positive about the candidacy of the man they have interviewed, they will want to make arrangements for him to meet the entire church family and vice versa. This may be done in whatever manner seems appropriate or desirable to the church and candidate in question. A church should not necessarily press a man to preach a candidating sermon on a Sunday morning since this is not always convenient for the candidate. If the church feels a necessity to hear the man preach, every effort should be made to accommodate his situation. A time of informal fellowship might be arranged when the candidate is presented to the church by a member of the Pastoral Search Committee and during which the candidate is allowed to make any statements he wishes about his philosophy of ministry and is invited to respond to any questions the church family might wish to ask. During this period of exchange of viewpoints, a member of the Pastoral Search Committee or other designated church leader should serve as a moderator and shield the candidate from having to respond to inappropriate or insignificant questions. It is the responsibility of the committee to make arrangements for all interviews or meetings in which the candidate is involved.

d. Recommending the Candidate to the Church

Once the committee has determined that the candidate is qualified to pastor the church and feels confident of God’s leading in this regard, the committee should request a special business meeting of the church for the purpose of acting upon the call of the pastor. The committee should present a thorough report of its activities to the congregation and be prepared to answer any questions the congregation may have. At the appropriate time, the committee should make a formal recommendation in the form of a motion that the church extend a call to the candidate in question according to the provision of the church’s constitution and any agreement that may have been reached between the committee and the candidate. In some cases the committee may make its recommendation to the Official Board or to the Board of Elders who will in tern make the recommendation to the church body.

e. Notifying the Candidate of the Action Taken

Normally the function of the Pastoral Search Committee would end upon the report of the committee to the church and it becomes the responsibility of the clerk of the church to officially notify the candidate of the action of the church. However, the committee which has worked closely with the candidate in the entire candidating process may wish to inform the candidate of the action taken and advise him that he will receive an official communication from the church clerk in the next few days.

4. The Church’s Responsibility to the Candidate as Candidate

The church is responsible for all expenses incurred by the candidate in considering the church’s inquiry. The church should provide mileage reimbursement for any meeting to which the candidate is asked to attend. The IRS allowance rate is a good rule of thumb. If the candidate is required to travel a considerable distance, air fare and en route expenses are also the responsibility of the church. If the candidate supplies the pulpit on Sunday, the church should pay at least the normal supply rate. Usually a candidate is responsible for his own supply to cover his absence from his own pulpit. He should be consulted about his expenses in fulfilling the church’s requirements.

5. The Church’s Responsibility to the Pastor-elect

Once a candidate has been called and accepted the call to become pastor, the church is responsible for moving the pastor to his new field of service. If there are serious limitations on the church’s ability to assume their responsibility, some consultation should be made with the pastor-elect to determine the most economical approach in this matter. Most pastors will be cooperative in helping find the best solution to moving, but a church should not take advantage of this and be unreasonable in its expectation. If a pastor is being moved from outside the Region, a church may apply to the Conference and Region for assistance with the moving costs. Some limited funds are usually available for this purpose. The church is also responsible to prepare the parsonage (if one exists) for the new pastor and his family. A church should be willing to make reasonable renovations in terms of painting or papering as needed to suit the taste of the pastor and family who will occupy the parsonage. It is recommended that the church consult the pastor-elect on the matter of parsonage renovation and work out some mutually agreeable plan.

6. Installing the Pastor

A church should consider officially installing the pastor at a special service of installation within four to six weeks after the pastor has assumed his position of leadership in the church. The Regional Superintendent is available to provide counsel on formats for installation services should the church need such assistance.

GUIDELINES FOR

CONDUCTING THE

PASTORAL

CANDIDATE

INTERVIEW

GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING THE

PASTORAL CANDIDATE INTERVIEW

When hosting a pastoral candidate the church should attempt to create a warm and open atmosphere in which the candidate can be made to feel at ease. The purpose of the interview is to get to know the candidate better and to understand his thinking on matters of importance to the church. It should not be a time for argumentation or propagandizing pet ideas or theological positions of individual members. The manner in which the candidating interview is conducted will tell the candidate a great deal about the church and may be a significant factor ultimately in his decision whether or not to pastor the church. Consequently the church should,

1. Be prepared to conduct the interview by giving serious thought to the matters to be discussed during the interview (Some sample questions follow at the conclusion of these guidelines.)

2. Advise the candidate in advance of areas you wish him to address so that he will be prepared to give you the best answer.

3. Appoint an experienced moderator who will handle the interview graciously and shield the candidate from inappropriate questions.

4. Be prepared to open the interview by telling the candidate something about your church family and how you see the future. This gives him a little understanding of where you are at as a church and what your aspirations are.

5. Assume travel costs incurred by the candidate in meeting the interview request. The usual rate of reimbursement is the IRS mileage reimbursement rate. If the candidate is traveling by some other mode of transportation the church should assume responsibility for the total cost. These matters can be discussed when arrangements are being made.

SAMPLE FORMAT FOR CONDUCTING THE

PASTORAL CANDIDATE INTERVIEW

*Depending on the candidate and his familiarity with the congregation, questions may be omitted from the list below or others added as the occasion requires. Follow-up questions may be asked after each response before moving onto a different question. Be sure to give him an opportunity to ask questions also.

1. Ask the candidate to tell you something about himself, his family, educational preparation, and church background.

2. When did he decide to prepare for the Christian ministry and why?

3. What are his personal devotional habits?

4. What is his understanding of the role and function of the pastoral office?

5. What does he see as the priorities of the pastoral office?

6. What special gifts does he believe God has given him for ministry?

7. What is his theory of leadership? Does he believe in the giftedness of lay persons and would he seek to use them as co-workers?

8. What is his understanding of why the church exists and how would he seek to fulfill that understanding?

9. What importance does he attach to:

a. Foreign missions

b. Sunday School

c. Youth work

d. Men/Ladies work

e. Local outreach and evangelistic work

f. Being an Advent Christian. Does he have any hesitancy or reluctance about identifying

himself as an Advent Christian and will he cooperate with and promote the work of the denomination?

10. Does he have a problem relating to any particular age group?

11. How important is pastoral visitation to him?

12. Does he believe the basic doctrines of the church and does he feel competent to teach them?

13. What is his position on the person, work and gifts of the Holy Spirit?

14. What is his position on inter-church cooperation and fellowship?

15. Does he feel the “altar call” has a place in the public worship of the church and would he extend an invitation for people to meet God at an altar of prayer?

16. How does he feel about continuing education for himself and does he have any plans to pursue advanced study?

17. What are his financial needs? Discuss the church’s plan to support him.

Other:

* The candidate should also be given an opportunity to ask any questions which may be important to him in determining his interest and compatibility to the church.

PASTOR/CHURCH

MINISTRY

AGREEMENT

AND

UNDERSTANDING

PASTOR/CHURCH

MINISTRY AGREEMENT and UNDERSTANDING

(SAMPLE WORKSHEET)

AGREEMENT between _____________________________________ Advent Christian Church (herinafter “the Church”) and the Rev. _____________________________ (herinafter “the Pastor”); pursuant to and upon his having accepted a duly issued call to serve said Church as Senior Pastor for (an indefinite and unprescribed time period) beginning on or about ______________, depending on his availability.

WE DO AGREE to abide by the following terms relative to our mutual responsibilities toward each other and to the provisions outlined below regarding areas of service and compensation.

THE PASTOR AGREES:

A. The Pastor will serve the Church on a full-time basis. He will establish a weekly schedule particularly regarding day off and office hours and will make this schedule known to the congregation. This schedule may be altered as needs arise, it being understood the Pastor will keep the congregation aware of these changes.

B. The Pastor will normally fill the pulpit at all services except: (1) during his vacation, (2) at times when he is released by the Official Board (herinafter “the Board”) of the Church to carry on special ministries, (3) during illness of the Pastor. Any expense which may accrue to the Church from the Pastor’s involvement with special ministries or denominational services must be agreed upon in principal at the time permission is granted for such services. The Pastor is free to invite a guest or visiting dignitary to fill the pulpit any time at his discretion without approval of the Board.

C. The Pastor in consultation with the board of Deacons, unless otherwise addressed in official Church policy, will be responsible for obtaining guest speakers if he should be absent from the pulpit for any other reason than those listed in (B) above. The Pastor should consider it his responsibility to pay for his guest speakers during any unauthorized absences or during those absences when he is reimbursed for same beyond his normal salary from the Church.

D. The Pastor, with the assistance of the Diaconate or other designated church group will develop a visitation/calling program establishing priorities and strategies to fulfill the expectations and needs of the Church. (It is important for the Church to clearly articulate its expectations of a Pastor in this section)

E. The Pastor will record such information as will enable him to report monthly to the Board and yearly to the Church in writing and to the various denominational entities requesting such reports.

F. The Pastor will duly represent the Church in local church association, and in the Conference of which this church is a member, Eastern Region and the Advent Christian General Conference meetings. He will be expected to attend these denominational meetings providing they do not conflict with important ministry needs of the Church.

G. The Pastor will let the clerk of the Church, or otherwise designated officer, know how he can be reached in an emergency when he is out of town. If this will not be possible, or will work a hardship on the Pastor, he will be responsible to make acceptable arrangements to cover said pastoral needs.

H. The Pastor will obtain the Church’s approval through the Diaconate or Official board when he is asked to accept a major office or major committee appointment outside the Church which requires a time commitment of more than seven days annually.

I. The Pastor will make definite efforts to achieve professional growth in addition to his experience in the ministry by attending seminars and/or by taking courses that will enhance his ability to fulfill the office of Pastor.

J. The Pastor will make personal requests known to the Board. This includes, but is not limited to, any inability to function under this Agreement, any desire to be absent for a reason not provide for in this Agreement and intent to resign.

K. The Pastor will submit his resignation to the Board at least two months prior to the desired termination date, unless mutually agreed otherwise. Before any such action is taken, he should consult with the Superintendent of the Eastern Region (herinafter “the Regional Superintendent”). He will not assume responsibility for announcing or publishing his resignation.

THE CHURCH AGREES:

A. The Church will consider the Pastor to be a full-time employee and will expect him to perform the equivalent of full-time ministry. In consultation with the Pastor, the Church will review his salary annually.

B. The Church will allow the Pastor a flexible weekly schedule which includes (2 days off) per week and allows for change and interruption for personal affairs.

C. The Church will grant the Pastor _______ weeks paid vacation and the privilege of accepting a call to engage in special ministries away from the Church, not to exceed two Sundays, encompassing two weeks. Additionally, the Pastor shall be granted up to ten days annually for overseas mission activity or other special ministry interests. Special ministries above and beyond that which is stated here shall be considered unpaid leave unless the Pastor is requested by the Church to accept such ministries. The Church will normally pay the cost of pulpit supply when the Pastor is away for agreed upon special ministries or mission activity unless the Pastor is paid for his ministries by those to whom he is ministering. In such cases, he will assume the cost of pulpit supply.

D. The Church will allow the Pastor time and opportunity to attend Conference and denominational meetings (General Conference, Minister’s Conference, Regional Convention, etc.) and will normally expect him to attend such meetings provided they do not interfere with church functions at which he is specifically needed. If the Church expects him to attend such meetings, his transportation, registration fees, room and board will be paid by the Church unless provided for by another organization.

E. The Church will provide funds on an annual basis to assist the Pastor in his pursuit of continuing education. These funds shall normally be part of the regular church budget.

F. The Church will bring to the attention of the pastor, through the Board or appropriate agency, any dissatisfaction it may find with him. If the Church finds that it is necessary to terminate his ministry, it will, when circumstances permit and unless mutually agreed otherwise, give him at least a two months written notice following action. Such action will include a full hearing, and after a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Church confirming such termination, an opportunity to appeal. In such cases, the Church will consult with the Regional Superintendent before initiating such action.

G. The Church agrees to compensate the Pastor as follows: (define your pastoral compensation package)

___________________________________ ___________________________________

Pastor Date Church Officer Date

CET 12/06

PASTORAL

COMPENSATION

PASTORAL COMPENSATION

A Search Committee is not normally responsible for developing the pastoral compensation package. It is the responsibility of the Church Finance Committee to recommend to the church the compensation for the pastor. When the Church is preparing to call a new pastor it is important to provide this information to a Pastoral Search Committee since the matter of compensation is usually part of the interview process with a potential candidate.

If the Church does not have a Finance Committee, the treasurer or a small group including the treasurer should be appointed by the official Board to handle the responsibility.

For the benefit of the Committee or person(s) charged with this task, the best place to begin is with the previous pastor’s compensation package. Some adjustments will likely need to be made but at least the elements of a compensation package will be available.

Pastoral compensation packages vary from person to person and a new pastor should be allowed to arrange the details of his compensation in a manner best suited to his situation and needs.

The first step in the development of a pastoral compensation package is for the Church to determine the maximum dollar amount of the compensation package. What is the maximum dollar amount the Church can provide for a pastor? Once that figure is determined, the breakdown of these dollars can be allocated in a manner consistent with the pastor’s needs and interests.

The total dollar amount of a compensation package should include everything a pastor receives by way of base salary and benefits.

A full time senior pastor should receive in the neighborhood of 50-55 thousand dollars as the total compensation package. One rule of thumb is to determine the base cash salary the pastor will receive and add 20-25 thousand dollars for all benefits including housing.

If the Church owns a parsonage, the fair rental value of the parsonage and utilities would be part of the total compensation package even though the pastor does not receive the cash value. Some consideration should be given in this case to help provide for future needs of the pastor.

The Internal Revenue Service has explicit guidelines for determining various elements of pastoral compensation. The Church should seek the counsel of a qualified tax accountant if there is any question about how the compensation package is arranged.

If the Church is unable to provide a standard compensation package the pastor should be allowed to supplement his income with outside employment.

PASTORAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE

A traditional Pastoral Compensation package would include the following:

Base cash salary

½ Social Security

Health Insurance

Pension (recommend 7-8%)

Car allowance (either an agreed upon flat amount or the IRS mileage reimbursement for ministry expenses)

Housing allowance when applicable

Educational support

Hospitality fund

The Church should also be expected to cover all costs related to attendance at denominational meetings such as the Eastern Regional Convention and the Advent Christian General Conference.

FORMS FOR USE

IN ASSESSING

CONGREGATIONAL NEEDS

AND

PREFERENCES

The forms that are included in this section are SAMPLE forms to help understand the Church’s needs better. Selection should be made as to which form or forms would be most useful. A form may be customized to best suit the Church’s need for understanding.

Eastern Regional Association FORM A

Clinton E. Taber, Superintendent

Simple information form for use by pastoral Search Committee and/or Official Board

CHURCH PROFILE FORM

Name of Church ________________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________________

Total Membership ______________ Active ____________ Inactive ___________

Average attendance: Sunday a.m. _______ p.m. _______ midweek ________ S.S. ________

How many would fall into the following age categories:

_______Under 20 _______20-34 _______35-49 _______50-64 _______Over 65

Please answer the following questions as thoroughly as possible. Include different points of view if they exist at any point.

1. What are the most significant changes to have occurred in your church over the past 5 years? Please list and place a (+) before those you consider positive and a (-) before those you consider negative.

2. What do you consider to be the strengths of your church?

3. What do you consider to be the weaknesses or needs?

4. How would you characterize the ministry of your church over the past 5 years in terms of emphasis?

5. What do you think the ministry emphasis of your church ought to be in the future?

6. Has your church ever adopted any congregational goals and if so, what are they?

7. What are the most important characteristics you are looking for in a pastor? What special gifts would be helpful?

8. Do you have a job description for the pastoral office? If so, please attach.

9. What pay package will you be able to offer a pastor?

CET 12/06

Eastern Regional Association FORM B

Clinton E. Taber, Superintendent

PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE SURVEY

To be filled out by Church members and attendees

This survey is conducted to help the Pastoral Search Committee understand more fully the needs of this church, the nature of our ministry and the qualifications and gifts most desired in our next minister. Your prayerful cooperation is appreciated.

1. Please check your relationship to this church. ____ member ____non-member

2. Please check your age category. _____ under 20 _____ 20-34 _____ 35-49

_____ 50-64 _____ 65 and over

3. Please review the following list of pastoral activities and circle your priority rating under the heading, PRIORITY RATING, one being the highest and five being the lowest.

CATEGORY PRIORITY RATING

highest lowest

A. PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD. The pastor should proclaim 1 2 3 4 5

the Word with conviction, clarity and application to life’s situations.

B. LEADING OF WORSHIP. The Pastor should be responsible for 1 2 3 4 5

leading the congregation in worship and creatively varying the

format to develop interest and participation of others.

C. SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF MEMBERS. The Pastor 1 2 3 4 5

should take a personal interest in the spiritual growth of individual

members outside of the regularly scheduled services of the church. The

pastor should set aside time for nurture of members individually or in groups.

D. VISITATION. (church members) The Pastor should visit in the homes 1 2 3 4 5

of church members at least twice a year whether there are special needs or not.

E. VISITATION (non-members) The Pastor should systematically visit 1 2 3 4 5

in the community to minister to non-church members and win them to Christ.

F. VISITATION (special needs) The Pastor should personally see 1 2 3 4 5

that the needs of the ill, hospitalized, shut-in, distressed and bereaved are

faithfully cared for.

G. COUNSELING. The Pastor should hold regular office hours including 1 2 3 4 5

some evening time for the purpose of counseling members and/or non-members.

H. CHURCH FELLOWSHIP. The Pastor should place priority on group 1 2 3 4 5

fellowship and support systems that reach all members.

CATEGORY PRIORITY RATING

I. EVANGELISM. The Pastor should model an evangelistic life style and 1 2 3 4 5

mobilize the congregation through training and interaction to faithfully

witness to their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

J. COMMITMENT TO MISSIONS. The Pastor should place a high 1 2 3 4 5

priority on world missions and encourage broad support on the part of the

church.

K. DEVELOPMENT & SUPPORT OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. 1 2 3 4 5

The Pastor should be committed to the Sunday School and encourage workers

in special ministries through training, and counsel. He should offer his time to

teach as may be desired from time to time. He should be committed to making

the members of his congregation biblically literate and functionally effective.

L. INTERFAITH ACTIVITIES. The Pastor should cooperate with other 1 2 3 4 5

Christian leaders to show a united witness and to address community issues.

Please indicate your preference as to whether or not you feel this cooperation

should be limited to evangelicals, or to include everyone.

_____ Evangelicals only _____ Broad Cooperation

M. SUPPORT OF DENOMINATION. The Pastor should teach the 1 2 3 4 5

doctrinal distinctions of our denomination and make himself available to

serve as may be requested. He should encourage support of the total world

mission of the denomination in all levels of its organizational life.

4. When you have completed the above list, please review and circle the 5 most important things in it, and list them in order of priority. Again, one is highest.

highest 1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

5. List the top three personal qualities, or attributes, that you would like in our next minister.

1.)

2.)

3.)

6. Additional comments can be written on the other side of this sheet.

FORM C

CHURCH ASSESSMENT FORM

Date