How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Many denominations have some sort of system to help pastors find churches.
The UPCI has no such system. Churches seem to be "inherited" as some sort of family dynasty.

How does one get the word out about who they are and what they feel they have to offer?

When I was UPC, you could get info on openings or desired new plants through the District, especially the Dist Home Missions Director.

You could always do what Bro Tim Downs did and start a new church.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Tim Downs

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Shouldn't it be the other way around? Churches looking for a pastor?

There is a "system". Its word of mouth. Prospective Pastors
apply and church boards decide

BTW the whole thing smacks of the Office being a vocation not a calling

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Tom Ups

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Yes, it does seem sort of "hirelingish".

So then, how does one know when a church is looking for a pastor?

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Is there an example in Scripture of a church without a pastor? Or a church 'looking to hire' a pastor? Or preachers 'trying out for the pastorship'?

Seems to me the curch should be teaching and developing its own future leadership.

As opposed to importing some preacher from outside who gets the job largely based on how good a public speaker he is.. or who he knows...

If the church developed its own leadership, then the pastor/elder/whatever would be someone most likely known to everyone in the congregation, and thus this might cut down on the potential for a scandalous 'surprise' later on down the road.

Just saying.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Like I said, word of mouth. The General Board probably knows and passed on the info

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Pray and ask the Lord to open the doors if you feel you are led to minister in that way... and in the meantime, don't be shy about starting a bible study/fellowship group in your own home or meeting place in your town...

I agree 1000%!

HOWEVER, (lol) it doesn't always work out that way, even when you try.

If, for example, your church is affiliated with the UPCI, the District Board will get involved. My father found this out the hard way when he tried to retire and pass the church on to a young man who grew up in the church.

The area Presbyter stepped in, demanded we have several ministers come in and "try out" before holding a vote. The young man withdrew, and the vote went to the close friend of the Presbyter....who the next year ran for District Superintendent.

I'm not saying he helped get his guy installed for an extra vote....well, yes, yes I am. :lol

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

In the oneness apostolic/pentecostal circles , it is a buddy/family system that seems to prevail. I know there are places where perhaps this doesn't happen... but in my experience it has always been the case. My uncle passed his church down to his son-in-law. Every church we have been a part of, the pastor was in the process of establishing his son or son-in-law to be pastor of the church.

Honestly, if all these people who were waiting for their "time to speak" in front of a congregation would just go out into the world, and minister to those in need around them, have bible studies in their homes, find a local hospital or nursing home to minister in, pray and ask the Lord to send you to someone who is hungry and searching.... instead of just waiting around for months to get a chance to preach a sermon in a church building.. perhaps we would see revival!

Originalist.... you can go preach the word without waiting on a church congregation to preach to... pray and ask the Lord to send you hungry souls, and go out into the streets... you'll find them! Don't sit around waiting on a church congregation to invite you in to pastor or minister to... perhaps God is calling you to something much greater than that!

I am a woman, and I am not called to preach, or to pastor, but I am called to be a minister of the gospel! Wherever I go, and whoever I talk to, I pray that the Lord would use me to spread the good news, wherever that is... may it be a bank, the grocery store, a restaurant, the library... wherever I go... I can shine the light of God's love into people's lives, and we can spread the gospel like this, without waiting for an opportunity to have our "moment in the spotlight" preaching in front of a congregation...

Jesus said it best... go ye into the world!

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Very good advice.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Several questions?

What do you believe?

Are you willing to work a job while you Pastor as the Apostle Paul?

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

I would suspect that if you pastor in a church building, you are going to want people to tithe to support the expenses and programs . . .

On the other hand, if you start a church in your home with outreach and bible studies, you can grow the work organically, possibly even using a shared facility when you outgrow the home.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

You could always try Craigslist.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

:toofunny

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

If I were in a Church body and we were looking for a Pastor the first thing I would ask would be what is your statement of faith?

Many bring a Preacher in a few times to preach sermons and then decide on the basis of whether they preach "hot sermons". What a disaster!

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

You're not in a Church body?

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

I thought the "church" was the body.

:icecream

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

I cringe when I hear the term "trying out" with regards to becoming a Pastor; like it's some sport or job.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

I am not in a LOCAL CHURCH.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

When I think of a bunch of pastors applying for the job I think of some advice Timmy gave a while back: Just ask all those who are interested in being the pastor "Do you feel led by God to be here?". All but ONE should say "No". :)

Of course if that doesn't get quite the results it SHOULD get, check several non-related references, do a criminal background check as well as run their credit scores. I would say those three things are FAR more important than any fiery preaching he may unleash in order to "wow!" his potential congregation.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Fo' sho'.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

So if his credit score is bad for no fault of his own, that disqualifies him for ministry?

how is it no fault of his own?

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Obviously many things can effect which are no fault of the individual but it is a tool that can open up further inquiry as to "why" and "how" it is what it is. I believe a credit score is MOST important when dealing with someone who has held the previous position of FULL TIME pastor for an extended period of time. As I type this I can think of one specific pastor who would have never gotten his job had the congregation done a simple background check, including credit score, before offering him the position. Instead they were made to feel that any such check would have been "showing lack of faith in the will of gawd!" and relied totally on the previously mentioned "fiery sermons!" to vote on their guy, with horrible results.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Sudden loss of income due to catastrophic illness or other circumstances beyond his control.

I don't agree with that either. Background checks, I can understand, but not a credit check.....at least not to disqualify them as Pastor.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Especially when in most churches the pastor is the sole manage of all accounts receivable for the church. Even pastors I know who are very open with reporting the churh income and expenses do not include the aggregate tithes in that total number (I fail to see why the church can't know the total amount in tithes that are given...keep individual giving classified, sure, but why are you afraid for the churh to know how much is coming in total?). But that said, at the very least the church has an expectation that their offerings will be used fairly and honestly to cover the overhead expenses of "having church" as well as contributing to outreach and ministries the church claims to support. If a pastor has previously mishandled his own finances, I find it terrifying to trust the man with the finances of an entire church. If a poor credit score shows up, he should be given opportunity to explain, but short of a valid and open explanation, I'd be skeptical.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Absolutely it should be a tooled used. Again, I am thinking of one very specific circumstance where such a check would have possibly saved a whole church of several hundred which now longer exists because of gross financial mismanagement -which previous such mismanagement was present on his credit score and available for all to see.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

I don't think it should be a blanket disqualification. Life happens, we all go through seasons...but, it should be discussed in open and honest dialogue.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Just require any wanna be pastor to get a TWIC card. At their own expense of course.

Probably need a DNA sample, fingerprints, maybe a retina scan, all for 'just in case'.

Definitely will have to have a resume. And it better be a good one, too, not just one of those bland, 'I got it off the internet' resumes.

Credit score most definitely needs to be at 720 or better.

No bankruptcies, obviously.

Divorced and remarried, though, is obviously not an issue.

oh, that...

The Pastor should NEVER be the sole manager of the church finances, neither should any family member.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

ALL of the above is certainly better than a fiery sermon designed to bring down the house. Shoot, I would consider a letter of recommendation from his 3rd grade teacher to be worth more than what he preaches on a Sunday night.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

Which is just common sense.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

I agree. And even though many churches have boards that are supposed to approve expenses over a certain amount, etc. I've typically seen the pastor as the sole manager of Accounts Receivable. Meaning - he's the only one handling the money that's coming IN to the church.

While I do believe the majority of pastors try their best to handle church funds with integrity...when you're the only one with access to bank statements and receipts, how does the church have confidence that what's being reported is accurate? Sorry, I'm completely derailing this thread...but have you actually been in a church where someone other than the pastor or his family were the ones managing the in-flow of cash?

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

While I haven't had a Pastor whose been the sole manager of finances, (my father appointed someone who wasn't related to be in charge of finances) I have been in a couple churches where the Pastor had family in charge of the finances; wife or daughter was the church secretary and handled the finances.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

That's great that you've been in churches where the finances are handled by someone other than the pastor. My parents were very transparent with finances when they pastored. (Showing bank receipts/statements, etc. w/ annual reports.)

I've also been in another church that handles them very openly with a detailed annual report...but the pastor's family is still the only ones who handle the receipts and see any bank statements (and they refuse to show what the total tithes receipts are, for whatever reason).

I've been in another situation where the pastor left the church bankrupt.

Another situation with a very controlling pastor who would never show finances. After we left that church, the building burned down and there were rumors that the church insurance funds weren't handled responsibly (pastor moved into a nicer, bigger house, but the church is still renting a facility instead of building/buying a new facility of their own). Of course, that's speculation, only God knows.

Due to occupation, my family has moved much, and I've seen a lot. I've had a few great pastors whom I trust to handle money responsibly...but their family were the sole handlers of the finances. I've had an overbearing pastor who handled money with questionable integrity (the story above). And I've had an irresponsible pastor who saw the church dwindle over the course of a few years and he left the church bank account with less than a dollar. (Home missions work where he refused to work a full time job while pastoring. His wife refused to work a full time job because he wouldn't help around the house - her words out of her mouth. So I know they were using not just tithes, but also offerings to pay their rent, groceries, etc.)

So, I've seen quite a range of financial responsibilities. But in each case, the pastor and his family were the one ones handling the funds...with mixed success. In the case of the man who left the church bankrupt, if a credit report had been run, I'm sure the district would have had a hint that he may not have been the most responsible candidate.

Re: How does one find a church to pastor?
 

One of the last churches I was at, the Pastor had a relative in charge of finances. Even at yearly business meetings, members (who had to be current with tithes and offerings or they weren't allowed in the business meeting) weren't given a clear picture of the finances. There was a slide put on the video screen that showed a very non-detailed look of the finances. Basically they had the total church income listed and had "tithes, offerings, etc" next to that; then they had total expenses with just the dollar amount. No itemized list of what the expenses were. People wanted more info, but the Pastor said that was all the church was required to show.

Two other churches I've been at have done the same kind of thing. My father passed out several pages of the financial reports at the church he pastored. Thankfully, the church secretary was very detailed and listed everything, down to any evangelist/missionary offering given, the parsonage expenses and other information.

Come to think of it, I haven't had a paper financial report in my hand since I was at the church my father pastored. Everything now days is just put on the screen, if anything is done at all.