CALLING AN AMERICAN BAPTIST MINISTERA Comprehensive Guide for Pastoral Search Committees

with Step-by-Step Resources

Editor

Mary L. Mild

American Baptist Personnel Services

Revised January 2005

CALLING AN AMERICAN BAPTIST MINISTER

A Comprehensive Guide for Pastoral Search Committees

with Step-by-Step Resources

Editor

Mary L. Mild

American Baptist Personnel Services

Revised January 2005

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Calling an American Baptist Minister is a resource that has been created with the help of many differentindividuals and groups. Based originally on careful work done by the American Baptist Churches of NewJersey, it has been revised and developed over the years to meet changing needs.

Reflections, the document used by Search Committees to create Church Profiles, was originally based onthe 1987 research and Doctor of Ministry project of Dr. Hazel A. Roper at Andover Newton Theological School,Newton Centre, Massachusetts.

Many revisions of these documents have occurred with the help of American Baptist regional executive minis-ters, area ministers and national staff. This is the first time the two documents have been brought together inone handbook.

For the revision of the documents for this handbook, we especially want to thank staff from the followingAmerican Baptist regions: ABC of Central Region, Connecticut, Great Rivers Region, Indiana, Michigan, Mid-American Baptist Churches, New Jersey, New York State, Pacific Southwest, Philadelphia Baptist Association,and the West. National American Baptist staff who contributed include Holly Vincent Bean, David Cushman,Rhonda J. Cushman, Richard G. Harris, Fran Homer, Perry J. Hopper and Mary L. Mild.

The materials in this handbook were developed through the financial resources provided by American Baptiststhrough their United Mission gifts and by grants from the Eastern, Mid-Western, Western, and NationalMinisterial Leadership Commissions.

Special thanks to Guideposts for permission to include a story from the publication’s October 1977 issue inthe Search Committee Devotional for Session 3.

Special thanks to Rev. Dr. Trinnette V. McCray, former President of ABC, for permission to use her pictureon the cover.

Photo of Communion and Dr. McCray by Obed Arango. Design and layout by Noemi Ayuso.

Reflections copyright by The American Baptist Home Mission Societies, 1987.Calling an American Baptist Minister copyright is by the Commission on the Ministry, 1991.

Note: If you wish to download a copy of Reflections to use with your computer in creating your Church Profilego to the American Baptist Churches Web site at www.abc-usa.org and click on American Baptist PersonnelServices and then on Reflections.

Calling an American Baptist Minister also will be available from National Ministries on a compact disc (CD) inthe second half of 2005, which includes a copy of Reflections. Order by calling 800-4-JUDSON.

Unless otherwise noted, Bible quotations in this publication are from the New Revised Standard Version of theBible, copyrighted @ 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christin the United States of America, and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

Calling an American Baptist Minister@ 2004 National Ministries, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851

Recycled paper

III

Helpful Terminology

American Baptist Personnel Services (ABPS)—ABPS is a computer-based storage and retrieval systemwhich produces personnel Profiles and provides resources for congregations in the search and call process.For additional information visit their Web site: www.nationalministries.org/abps.

ABPS Profile—is the basic document created by ABPS and used in the search and call process to introduceprospective ministerial leaders to search committees.

Church Reflections—the document used by Search Committees to analyze their ministry goals and leader-ship needs, and the tool that helps search committees create their church Profile in Section VI of this booklet.

Code of Ethics—the document that outlines ethical behavior for American Baptist ministers and is signed byABC ministers at their ordination and often revisited during the search and call process.

Interim Ministries-ABC—the national ABC program that maintains a nationwide pool of individuals who areexperienced in interim ministry. For additional information visit their web site: www.interimministries-abc.org.

Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB)—is a ministry that provides retirement, death, disabil-ity and other benefits for ministers, missionaries and lay employees of churches and organizations of AmericanBaptist Churches USA and MMBB affiliate groups. You can visit their Web site at www.mmbb.org.

The Ministers Council—is an autonomous, professional, multi-cultural organization of ordained, commis-sioned and lay Christian leaders within the American Baptist Churches USA. They are women and men whoadvocate for and covenant with each other to deepen their spiritual journey and to increase their effectiveness,as persons who are accepting the call of God and church for the advancement of the mission of the church ofJesus Christ and to proclaim His truth in a prophetic voice as led by the Holy Spirit. For further information visittheir web site at: www.ministerscouncil.com.

Regional Consultant—a region staff person, often a regional executive minister or area minister, who isassigned to help your church in the search and call process.

Note: Index Dividers can be purchased to help you organize this notebook. Avery Table of Contents ReadyIndex Reference Dividers with10 Tabs are color-coded to match the table of contents of this notebook and areavailable from office supply stores nationwide.

IV

V

CONTENTS

Introduction 1

I The Call to Ministry 3

II Overview of the Pastoral Selection Process 5

III The Pastoral Selection Process 5 7

Contact Regional ConsultantExit Interview with Departing PastorService of Closure/FarewellSelecting Pastoral Search CommitteeDeveloping Interim Ministry PlanWelcoming Interim MinisterDevelopment of Self-Study and Church ProfileReviewing and Selecting Candidates to InterviewInterviewing Prospective CandidatesVisiting Neutral Pulpits and Checking ReferencesChoosing One Candidate to RecommendCandidating WeekendChurch Meeting to Vote Welcoming the New MinisterInstallation of the New MinisterThanking the Search Committee

IV Search Committee Devotional Selections 25

V Search Committee Resources 33

The Covenant and Code of Ethics for Ministerial LeadersThe Exit InterviewWhen the Pastor Leaves: Common CharacteristicsHelping the Church Celebrate the Ministry of the Departing MinisterSuggested Worship Service for Closure with Departing MinisterCharacteristics of a Pastoral Search CommitteeA Covenant of Relationship for Pastoral Search Committee MembersDedication of the Pastoral Search CommitteeA Covenant between Congregation and Interim Minister

77778

1112171819202122222323

333435363738394041

VII

VI Church Reflections 43

Cover SheetOur Church InformationDemographics—Identifying “Your Crowd”Our HistoryCongregational Style IndicatorHow Others See UsOur Church LifeOur Worship LifeWhat We BelieveOur Vision for MinistryWhat Do We Want to Do and What Do We Want our Pastor to DoMinistry PrioritiesCompensation, Benefits and Ministry Related Expense Reimbursement

VII Compensation Resources 69

Compensation GuidelinesCompensation Considerations for Bi-Vocational MinistersCompensation WorksheetCompensation Checklist

VIII Additional Resources 75

Conducting the InterviewInterview Questions for Ministry SpecialtiesMaking a Good Impression to the Ministerial CandidateEvaluation of Ministry SpecialtiesConducting a Telephone Reference InterviewEvaluating the Pulpit PresentationSelf Disclosure and Release FormWhat Can You Expect of Your Pastor?Position Description (sample)Together In Ministry (Ministers Council)Model Candidating WeekendSample Minister-Church AgreementSuggested Resources for a Service of InstallationA Covenant for MinistryAppraisal with the ChurchThe Appraisal Instrument

IX Resource Letters 105

Model Initial Contact LetterModel Follow-Up Letter to Initial ContactModel Letter to Candidates Not SelectedModel Letter of Agreement with CandidateModel Letter to Congregation Introducing Ministerial CandidateModel Biographical Summary

X Bibliography 1 1 1

General BibliographyCompensation Bibliography

43454951555657586061636567

69727374

75778183848587899193959799

101102103

105106107108109110

111111

You have been asked by your church to serve on aPastoral Search Committee. This is an awesomeresponsibility and one that will have a major impacton your congregation in the very near future and foryears to come. The Search Committee’s goal is topresent a ministerial candidate to the congregation.To achieve this objective, it is important to see whereyour congregation has been, identify where you are,and consider the direction God may be leading you.

Leadership change is an important milestone for yourcongregation. This time of transition may feel like awilderness experience. Old and familiar patterns maybe left behind, and new ones have not yet been found.Questions arise and answers are sought. It is a time tolet go and to discover new beginnings, a time to grieveand to heal.

The purpose of this handbook is to share with you theexperience of Search Committees in other AmericanBaptist ch u r ches and to acquaint you with resourcesthat can help you in your task. The handbook is divid-ed into ten sections:

I. The Call to Ministry

II. A Brief Overview of the Pastoral Selection Process

III. The Pastoral Selection Process

IV. Search Committee Devotional Selections

V. Search Committee Resources

VI. Church Reflections

VII. Compensation Resources

VIII. Additional Resources

IX. Resource Letters

X. Bibliography

The Resources sections are by far the largest sections.You may only need a few of the resources, or you mayfind all of them helpful. Use them, as you need them. This can be an exciting journey that you need not travelalone. Your Regional Consultant (usually an executiveminister or area minister) and your interim minister areprepared to assist you along the way by providing mate-rials, presence and counsel.

As you work on your task of selecting a candidate topresent to your ch u r ch, you will want to mainta i nclose, ongoing contact with your RegionalC o n s u l tant, who has skills and information your com-mittee will need during the months that you workt o g e t h e r. He or she values the work of your commit-tee as significant to the life of your ch u r ch and willgive considerable time and attention to your searchprocess. Your Regional Consultant will provide train-ing for the process you will use. The consultant thenwill provide for you American Baptist Pe r s o n n e lServices Profiles matching your search criteria.

Your Regional Consultant also will help you find aninterim minister. One of the wisest things your churchcan do is to hire an effective and qualified interim min-ister to shepherd you during this time of transition.The interim minister will provide continuity during atime of discontinuity and will help your church stayconnected to your denomination as you grieve theloss of the departing minister and prepare for thecoming of a new pastor. He or she will support yourcongregation through preaching and pastoral care.

This handbook will lead you through a process bywhich you will discover who you are as a congrega-tion. It will help you tell your story, define your visionof ministry, identify and contact prospective candi-dates, and select the best prospective candidate torecommend to the congregation. Don’t rush theprocess; participate fully. Seek God’s help continual-ly in your search for new leadership.

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INTRODUCTION

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3

A. The Call of God

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophetsand teachers…While they were worshiping the Lordand fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for meBarnabas and Saul for the work to which I havecalled them.” Acts 13:1-2

The concept of the “call” is a very significant part ofAmerican Baptist tradition. “God moves in the lives ofpersons and in the community of faith to call individ-uals to ordained ministry. Often that call comes in thecontext of life in the local church where one’s com-mitment to Jesus Christ has been made, the power ofthe Gospel is experienced and one’s gifts areaffirmed and encouraged…. The local church con-firms the call by providing opportunities for identifyingand developing the person’s gifts for ordained min-istry and…giving guidance and support as the indi-vidual makes the decision to accept the call and pre-pare for ordained ministry….”1

In the American Baptist tradition, “…the local ch u r che xamines the claim to a call from God and approvesthe candidate’s fitness for ordained ministry.”2

Candidates then are asked to give evidence of theircall to and preparation for ministry. If, after exa m i n a t i o nby a council of representatives of other AmericanBaptist ch u r ches, the person is determined to be suit-able for ministry, it is recommended that the localch u r ch validate the call by proceeding with ordination.

God also moves in the life of congregations. Godcalled your ch u r ch into being and over the years hasprovided your congregation with members, leadersand their gifts. At this time you are seeking new minis-terial leadership. As your congregation prays for God’sguidance in this process, individuals, whose callinghas been validated, are also prayerfully seeking toknow and respond to God’s call as they continue theirvocational pilgrimages. The Search Committee will beworking to be an instrument whereby God’s call to aparticular person is paired with the needs of your con-gregation to create a new partnership of ministry.

B. The Ministry

Your task is to select a minister who will lead, directand guide your congregation in its ministry for Christ

in the world. In Ephesians 4:11-12, we read that thegifts of ministry are “ …that some would be prophets,some evangelists, some pastors and teachers toequip the saints for the work of ministry, for buildingup the body of Christ….”

This passage makes it clear that all the people ofGod are involved in ministry. Professional churchleaders guide you in this task. It is important to keepthis in mind as you seek your next minister.

C. Relationships

Few human relationships are more important thanthose between a minister and the members of thech u r ch he or she serves. The spiritual, emotional andphysical welfare of each member is of pastoral con-cern. A pastor is expected to be an inspiration and aguide, a teacher and a prophet, a preacher and a coun-s e l o r. In these capacities, the pastor will touch the livesof all your members. A pastor is expected to be theleader of the congregation. To an important extent, thech u r ch’s success or failure in Christian fellowship,education, community service, stewardship, member-ship growth, and cooperation will depend on ch u r chmembers’ response to the pastor’s leadership.

A pastor also will represent the church in communityaffairs, in denominational and inter-denominationalmeetings, and elsewhere. The image of the churchwill depend to a large extent on how the pastor func-tions in these settings.

D. The Minister

Your desire is to secure a minister who will meet yourcongregation’s particular needs at this time and onewho will help your church fulfill its ministry as you looktoward the future. As God calls both men and womento a life of faith, so both men and women are calledby God to positions of leadership within the church.Committed and qualified women are responding inincreasing numbers to the call of God to set-apartordained ministry and are preparing themselves toserve as pastors and ministerial church leaders.Today about half of all seminary students are women.

Too often Search Committees dismiss serious con-sideration of a young candidate just graduated from

THE CALL TO MINISTRY

seminary or an older minister with significant years ofservice to give. In doing so, great opportunities areoften missed. A young person brings to the ministry afreshness and vitality that can be very stimulating. Onthe other hand, it may be that the person most ableto meet the needs of your congregation is an olderminister. Rich and wide experience, tested faith, andyears of spiritual growth often make the older minis-ter highly desirable.

As you prepare to call a new minister:• Be open to the leading of God’s Spirit.• Give thoughtful and prayerful consideration

to each potential candidate.• Focus on personal qualities of commitment,

pastoral skills and leadership ability.

E. Commitment and Personal Ethics

You desire and deserve a minister who is deeplycommitted to Christ and to the Church. You are seek-ing a person of moral integrity and dependability. ACode of Ethics for American Baptist ministers hasbeen prepared by the American Baptist MinistersCouncil and is included (Resource A, page 33). YourSearch Committee should become familiar with thisCode of Ethics, and you should ask your prospectiveminister to publicly affirm this code.

F. Preparation for Ministry

American Baptists have long recognized and sup-ported the need for educated ministerial leaders.Since 1965 the educational standard of AmericanBaptist Churches USA calls for a minimum of fouryears of college and three years of seminary (usuallyB.A. and M. Div. degrees) or their standard equiva-lents from accredited institutions. Before calling any-one as your next minister, you will want to carefullyconsider his or her preparation for ministry.

When considering candidates, you will also want tonote the continuing education experiences they havehad in recent years. Involvement in continuing educa-tion is a strong indicator of an effective minister andalso provides indications of ministerial interests andcompetence.

If your church does not employ a full-time pastor, youmay wish to consider a bi-vocational or part-time min-ister, theological student, certified lay pastor, or rec-ognized lay professional. Your Regional Consultant(executive minister or area minister) can assist you inthis search as well.

G. Gifts and Skills

Every congregation would like to have a pastor whois competent in all ministerial skills—preaching, teach-ing, pastoral care, administration, youth work, churchgrowth, and many other dimensions of ministerialleadership. Most likely you will not find a minister whoqualifies equally in all of these categories. The studyof your church, which you will do as part of yourSearch Committee work, will reveal a greater needfor some gifts and skills than for others.

Those persons considering possible leadership ofyour congregation will be seeking to match their skillsand gifts with the needs of your church and commu-nity. Your goal is to make the strongest possiblematch of the abilities of a candidate with the needs ofyour congregation.

H. Ordination and DenominationalCommitment

As an American Baptist church, your congregationwill want to call an ordained American Baptist minis-ter or one who is eligible for ordination in AmericanBaptist Churches USA. If your congregation desiresto consider a person holding ordination in anotherdenomination, who wishes to have that ordinationrecognized by American Baptist Churches USA, con-tact your Regional Consultant early in the process.He or she will share with you an explanation of theordination standards and recognition procedures inyour region.

It is important that your new minister be a personwho has knowledge of and commitment toAmerican Baptist Churches USA and the missionfor which your congregation and the denominationexist. You may receive names from a variety ofsources, some unsolicited. Some may be personsyou would like to consider. Your RegionalC o n s u l tant will assist you in securing back g r o u n dinformation about these persons.

In the months ahead you and your Search Committeewill be working hard. You will be participating inGod’s miracle of calling and God’s gift of providingappropriate leadership for your congregation and itsministry. You will want to invite the congregation toprovide prayer support throughout this selectionprocess. God’s blessing be with you!

1 American Baptist Policy Statement on Ordained M i n i s t r y, pg. 12 (704 1 : 9 / 89 )

2 I b i d .

4

“I will give you shepherds after my own heart, whowill feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

Jeremiah 3:15

Each Pastoral Search Committee’s experience, tosome degree, will be unique. Churches from differentracial/ethnic backgrounds have traditions that differ.There are also variations among American Baptistregions about how the Pastoral Selection Processunfolds. However, a basic commonality has emergedand is presented here as the suggested process forthis important work.

Search Committees will progress at different paces,but a thorough selection process will work throughthe stages listed below. Some stages will move rap-idly; others will take several meetings to complete ormay become more time-consuming than anticipated.Occasionally it may be necessary to repeat stages, ifthe Committee’s progress is derailed by unforeseencircumstances.

Your Search Committee is urged to work througheach stage, check off each task as it is completed,and report the Committee’s progress regularly to thecongregation. A Pastoral Selection Process Poster isincluded in this packet. Display it in a prominent placeand update it on a regular basis to advise your con-gregation of your progress. These are the PastoralSelection Process Steps listed on the poster:

1. Contact Regional Consultant (regional exec-utive minister or area minister)

2. Exit Interview with Departing Pastor

3. Service of Closure/Farewell

4. Selecting Pastoral Search Committee

5. Developing Interim Ministry Plan

6. Welcoming Interim Minister

7. Development of Church Profilea. Gathering data and preparing

church self-studyb. Identifying your vision for ministry

c. Creating your Church Profile and Information Packet

d. Determining compensatione. Preparing search request for

American Baptist Personnel Services

f. Receiving candidate names from different sources

g. Listing your church in American Baptist Ministry Opportunities Listing

8. Reviewing Potential Candidate Profiles/Selecting Prospective Candidates to Interviewa. Determining who is interested in

candidating for your ministry positionb. Distributing your Church Profile and

Information Packet

9. Interviewing Prospective Candidatesa. Preparing for interviewsb. Face-to-face eventsc. Making a good and honest impres-

sion on prospective candidatesd. Conducting the interviewe. Evaluating the interview

10. Visiting Neutral Pulpits and Checking References

11. Choosing One Candidate to Recommend

12. Candidating Weekend

13. Church Meeting to Votea. The congregational voteb. Signing the Minister-Church

Agreementc. Farewell to the interim minister

14. Welcoming New Minister

15. Installation of New Ministera. Service of installationb. Acknowledging your minister’s

leadership

16. Thanking the Search Committee

5

AN OVERVIEW OF THE PASTORAL SELECTION PROCESS

6

You, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are calledby your name; do not forsake us!

Jeremiah 14:9b

1. CONTACT REGIONAL CONSULTANT

“I sent before you, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.”Micah 6:4b

When the prospect of a pastoral vacancy becomesknown, immediately contact the area minister or execu-tive minister of your region. Our denomination has excel-lent leadership and resources to assist in your selectionprocess. As your Regional Consultant, the area ministeror executive minister will assist you in understanding thePastoral Selection Process, using the PastoralSelection Process resources, and calling a new minis-ter for your congregation. He or she will lead you in out-lining your work and the time needed to accomplishe a ch task. Don’t overlook this important resource as youbegin your work and throughout the process.

2. EXIT INTERVIEW WITH THE DEPARTINGMINISTER

Remember the days of old, consider the years longpast; ask your father, and he will inform you; yourelders, and they will tell you. Deuteronomy 32:7

Whether your experience with your departing ministerwas extremely positive or not, there are valuable les-sons you can learn from him or her. In some congre-gations, the Pastoral Relations Committee conductsthe Exit Interview. In some regions, a member of theregion staff will perform the Exit Interview. If neither ofthese is possible, the Pastoral Search Committeeshould consider having a conversation with thedeparting minister, who is in a position to identifysome of your congregation’s strengths and weak-nesses. You also want to know, from his or her ownperspective, the primary reason your minister choseto depart. (A suggested Exit Interview guide,Resource B, can be found on page 34.)

3. SERVICE OF CLOSURE AND FAREWELL

Pay to all what is due them….respect to whomrespect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Romans 13:7

Closure is very important as part of ending a minister’stime with a congregation. Appoint a small group tocelebrate the ministry of the departing minister.Highlight significant accomplishments. Allow peopleto express their feelings, thoughts and blessings onthe minister and family. (Search Committee memberswill find it helpful to review some of the feelings con-gregations may have about a departing minister andthe resulting search process—Resource C, page 35.)

Even if a minister is not leaving under the best of cir-cumstances, a time for closure can be a healing andhopeful experience. In every congregation there arepeople who have strong connections with the depart-ing ministry family. It is important to celebrate the min-istry that is a part of the congregation’s history andlife. (Resources D and E on pages 36 and 37 may behelpful in planning an appropriate farewell for thedeparting minister.)

4. SEL ECT ING AND ORG A NIZING THEPASTORAL SEARCH COM MITTEE

And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your Godask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walkin all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD yourGod with all your heart and with all your soul.

Deuteronomy 10:12

When a pastoral vacancy occurs, the congregationwill elect a Pastoral Search Committee and assign toit the task of selecting a candidate for recommenda-tion to the church. The purpose of the PastoralSearch Committee is to discern the best candidatefor the position and to recommend that person to thecongregation.

The Search Committee is extremely important inevery ch u r ch. Persons elected or appointed to serveshould be people open to God’s leading. They alsoneed to be able to give the Pastoral SelectionProcess the top priority it will demand from them,w h i ch typically takes from 12 to 18 months.

The ch u r ch’s constitution or bylaws may indicate howthe Pastoral Search Committee is to be selected. Ifthere is no bylaw or standing rule related to selectinga Search Committee, it is recommended that thech u r ch moderator (if not the pastor) and the ch a i r p e r-sons of the boards (or the ch u r ch council) form a

7

THE PASTORAL SELECTION PROCESS

committee to nominate persons to serve on theS e a r ch Committee. The Committee is expected tofunction as a whole until the Pastoral SelectionProcess is completed. Experience has shown that theuse of alternate members is confusing. If it becomesn e c e s sary for a member to leave the Committee, areplacement may be elected or appointed.

Various segments of the church’s life need to be rep-resented on the Search Committee. Women, menand older youth may be included. All should berespected members of the congregation and personsof maturity, able to work well with others on theCommittee and open to God’s leading. (Twelve char-acteristics of a Search Committee member areincluded as Resource F-1 on page 38.) Do not acthastily; act prayerfully. Take the time you need for thisimportant task. Keep the Committee small—five toseven members are recommended.

The Search Committee needs to be appointed orelected as soon as a pastoral vacancy becomesknown. If church bylaws do not otherwise provide,the Committee should elect a chairperson and sec-retary at the first meeting. The chairperson will con-vene the meetings, set the agenda for each meeting,and oversee the work of the Committee. The secre-tary will keep the minutes and be responsible for thecorrespondence necessary to the work of theCommittee. The Committee’s minutes should be con-fidential and should clearly state decisions and thework that needs to be completed by whichCommittee members and when.

It is important that Committee members come to acommon understanding about the PastoralSelection Process and agree about how theCommittee will work together—attendance at meet-ings, completing assignments, confidentiality, andrespect for each member’s opinions. Although notm a n d a t o r y, a unanimous recommendation of thePastoral Candidate is desired by most committeesand provides the best possible support for the per-son selected. Your Regional Consultant (executiveminister or area minister) will advise you about othersuggested work practices. (A Covenant ofRelationship for Search Committee Members,Resource F-2, can be found on page 39 . )

Budgetary provision needs to be made for the workof the Committee. Because of variables in travel,number of telephone calls, Church Profile to be cre-ated, letters to be written, and other expenses, thebudget should be flexible and available for use at theCommittee’s discretion. The confidential nature of

the Search Committee’s work needs to be empha-sized to each member of the Committee. Th eCommittee will be dealing with records of pastorswithout the pastors’ knowledge or the knowledge ofthe congregations they are currently serving. All suchinformation must be treated with utmost discretionand kept in complete confidence within theCommittee both during and after the completion ofthe Pastoral Selection Process. (See Resource F-3on page 40 for a Dedication of the Pastoral SearchCommittee.)

The Pastoral Selection Process is a spiritual exercisein discerning God’s will for your congregation. To dothis the members of the Search Committee musttake personal and corporate time to listen to God’sleading. This will take prayer, Bible study and listen-ing carefully to one another, to your interim minister,to your Regional Consultant, to prospective candi-dates, and anyone else God sends your way.Discernment takes patience and an open mind andspirit to the possibilities God may have in store foryour congregation.

Included in the Resources section are seven Biblestudies that can be used during Search Committeemeetings to help you discern God’s will. (You will findthem in Section IV on page 25.)

Occasionally during the process you will hear some-one sa y, “I don’t think our congregation is ready forthis yet.” However, the question you must answer is,“Is God ready for this new possibility we have encoun-tered, and if so, how can we as a committee help ourcongregation get ready for the new thing God wantsto do in our midst?”

5. DE V ELO P ING THE IN T ERIM MINIS T RY PLAN

…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is free-dom….Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that weare engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.

2 Corinthians 3:17, 4:1

A change of pastors presents to your congregationa “critical moment of ministry” known as the interimor “in-between” time. Interim pastoral leadership isessential to provide consistent ongoing ministry andto address the challenges and maximize the oppor-tunities that commonly occur during this time. Wh e nthere are special situations—such as excessive con-flict, grief, or pastoral misconduct—a skilled interimminister can help a ch u r ch work toward healing,v i tality and renewed vision for ministry.

8

In addition to these benefits, the presence and leader-ship of a competent interim pastor creates neededtime and space for the Pastoral Search Committee todo its work carefully, prayerfully and patiently, withoutundue interference or anxiety.

Following the departure of your pastor, your RegionalConsultant (executive minister or area minister) willassist with meeting the interim ministry needs of yourchurch. Should you need Sunday supply preachers,for example, the Consultant can assist in makingthose arrangements. After meeting with the appropri-ate church leadership to discuss your interim needs,the Consultant will describe the best options avail-able to your church.

Often the Board of Deacons or the Pastoral SearchCommittee will decide on the call to an interim minis-ter. Some churches require a congregational vote,and others have their interim minister in place beforeforming a Pastoral Search Committee. Your decision-making process should follow the particular constitu-tion and bylaws requirements of your church.

This is the time to form an appropriate plan, make adecision, and invest in the interim time. Resist thetemptation to make “saving money” a primary goal ofthe interim time: long-term reliance upon week-to-week pulpit supply commonly results in loss of mem-bers, worn-out leaders, and loss of financial support.With a focus on mission and ministry, your churchshould be able to secure competent interim leader-ship at reasonable and affordable cost.

The following choices provide the best possible inter-im ministry plans for your church:

1. An interim pastor from the local area

2. An interim pastor assigned through Interim Ministries-ABC

3. An intentional interim, or interim ministry specialist, whose gifts, training and experi-ence will meet the particular needs of your congregation

Local Interim Pastor Your Regional Consultant can suggest the names ofone or more persons who could serve as your interimm i n i s t e r. (Often suggestions will come from thePastoral Search Committee, the congregation, or others o u r c e s —but these names should be shared with yo u rRegional Consultant who will want to ch e ck refer-ences and backgrounds on these persons.)

Your church leadership will conduct interviews anddecide on a person to call for interim ministry. Whena potential interim minister agrees to consider a callto serve, the terms of the call should be negotiatedand set down in a contract, covenant or letter ofagreement including but not limited to the following:

• The church’s expectations for pastoral duties

• The expected amount of time of service each week—most often in terms of number of days or units (1 unit = a morning, an afternoon or an evening)

• The financial package, including cash salary, reimbursable mileage or other profes-sional expenses, and possibly housing or other benefits

• Term of service – this may be specific (such as one year) or it may be open-ended. The most common term of service begins at the invitation to serve and concludes just before the arrival of a newly called pastor.

• Quarterly evaluations can help indicate the effectiveness of this ministry. Re-negotiations are possible in consultation with your Regional Consultant.

(See A Covenant Between Congregation and InterimMinister, Resource G, on page 41.)

Interim Ministries-ABC Assigned Interim Pastor Interim Ministries-ABC maintains a nationwide poolof individuals who have the professional standing, ref-erences, interest, experience, and willingness toserve. The largest contingent is retired AmericanBaptist pastors, or “Ministers at Large.” The programalso includes pre-retired American Baptist clergy intransition who serve as appointed interim pastors,interim ministry specialists who have specializedtraining or skills, and commissioned woman interims.Most regions of American Baptist Churches USAcooperate with this program.

Your Regional Consultant will contact Interim Ministries-A BC to request an interim minister based on the ch a r-acteristics and needs of your ch u r ch. Working togetherwith the Regional Consultant, the director of InterimM i n i s t r i e s - A BC will identify and prioritize the most suit-able persons who may be available to serve. When anindividual has agreed to consider an assignment, his orher telephone number is shared with a contact personfrom the ch u r ch. Conversations between the recom-mended interim and the ch u r ch contact person mayinclude a conference call with the Pastoral SearchCommittee and, occasionally, a face-to-face visit.

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When these conversations result in a mutualdecision, Interim Ministries-ABC assigns theinterim minister to serve your congregation. Anassignment sheet specifying dates and financialterms serves as the contractual agreementbetween the ch u r ch and the IM - A BC program.The interim minister is accountable to yourregional consultant as well as to the IM - A BCdirector through monthly reports.

• The church provides housing with utilities and pays a monthly fee to IM-ABC based on its budget for pastoral salary and expenses.

• The Minister at Large or Appointed Interim Min-ister serves the equivalent of 41/2 days, or 9 “units” each week. One week of paid vacation per quarter and one week of continuing educa-tion per year are allowed.

• The IM-ABC program pays the interim minister a monthly salary, and reimburses travel expens-es to and from the assignment, as well as all professional mileage expenses. Significant Continuing Education and Training Scholarshipsare made available to the interim minister.Additional benefits may apply.

• The IM-ABC program provides the interim min-ister with a W-2 form for tax reporting each year.

An Intentional Interim or Interim MinistrySpecialistIf your congregation may need extra time and spe-cial skills to navigate the transition in leadership, anintentional interim may be your best plan. A grow-ing number of ministers have identified interim min-istry as their primary vocation and have availedthemselves of specialized training in the field.Some have experience or training in particular situ-a t i o n s — s u ch as ministry to ch u r ches followingsevere conflict or pastoral misconduct; ministry tomulticultural congregations; ministry following afounding pastor of a new ch u r ch; or ministry fol-lowing a very long pastorate.

Usually an intentional interim plan will specify a termof at least one year. The contract or covenant willinclude compensation and benefits commensuratewith full-time ministry, and goals and objectives forthe interim time will be identified. Your RegionalConsultant can help you locate the qualified personswho may be available to serve your church.

Developmental Tasks of the Interim Ti m eSome years ago a research study conducted by theAlban Institute identified at least five opportunities, orexperiences, which congregations typically face dur-

ing an interim in pastoral leadership. The care devot-ed to these “developmental ta s k s ,” as they arise natu-rally during the interim period, will have a direct bear-ing upon the future relationship with your next pastorand the effectiveness of your next pastor’s ministry.Likewise, avoiding these developmental tasks in orderto “get through the interim period quickly” may havenegative consequences for future ministry.

The five developmental tasks are opportunities thatpresent themselves—not necessarily in the followingorder and often simulta n e o u s l y. A skilled interimminister and attentive lay leaders will recognizethese opportunities to grow, heal, renew and revi-talize their ch u r ch:

1. Discovering our history (the good and thebad): including typical patterns of making decisions and communicating; conflict; mis-sion, failure and success

2. Discovering our identity: in the here and now, both internally and as perceived by the surrounding community

3 . Dealing with changes in leadership: I n e v i tably a change in pastors leads to changes in lay leadership. There will be some who need to step back, while others may step up to new responsibilities.

4. Renewing denominational relationships

5. Preparing for a new pastor: including tangible practicalities such as finances, housing, and office space, and intangible preparation by letting go to make room for an important new relationship

Best Practices for the Interim TimeRole: The interim minister is the pastor during theinterim, and should receive the respect and inclusionin the business of the church that would normally beaccorded to the pastor.

• The interim minister’s responsibilities for super-vising or working with staff should be clearly defined and understood at the outset.

• An appropriate board or committee—such as a Pastoral Relations Committee or Board of Deacons—should be clearly identified as the main accountability and support group for the interim minister.

• The church needs to respect the interim minis-

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ter's time limitations and delegate some pas-toral tasks to appropriate boards and committees.

• Avoid using the phrase “only the interim.” Short-term does not mean short on quality, leadership or professionalism.

Expectations: The interim minister should provideregular preaching and pastoral care to the congrega-tion, and work to strengthen the congregation as afellowship of the people of God who have an ongo-ing mission.

• The church should not expect the interim minis-ter to initiate any long-range projects or pro-grams that cannot be sustained by the churchinto the future. The interim minister may initiate renewal and restoration of basic ministries that may have fallen by the wayside—such as regularvisitation, Sunday School, Bible study and prayer, and regular meetings of church officers and other leadership.

• Any misunderstandings should be addressed in a straightforward and gracious manner. The interim minister should not be expected either to “match” or “make up for” the former pastor.

• The interim time offers an opportunity to experi-ment; the interim minister and church leaders may work together to introduce new ways of work and worship.

The Interim Minister and the Pastoral SearchCommitteeThe church should not call the interim minister to bepastor. Inevitably, if the interim minister is competentand caring, the question will arise within the congre-gation: “Why don’t we just call the interim to becomeour pastor?” Experience over many years in manycongregations of many traditions has taught us thatusually this practice proves not to be in the best inter-ests of the church or the interim minister. It can sab-otage both the interim minister’s work and the workof the Pastoral Search Committee, often raising anxi-ety and polarizing the church.

From the unique vantage point of being neither achurch member nor a candidate for the position, theinterim minister can be relatively free and unbiased intaking actions necessary for the ongoing life and min-istry of the congregation.

• The Search Committee should not ask the inter-im minister to suggest or offer opinions on potential candidates.

• The interim minister should not interfere with the

work of the Committee by suggesting candi-dates even when asked. Any concerns or sug-gestions the interim minister may have about the S e a r ch Committee’s process should be shared with the Regional Consultant.

• The Search Committee should communicate regularly with specific information about its progress to the whole church. The interim minis-ter should encourage the congregation to pray for and support the Committee.

• The Search Committee, when ready to present a candidate to the church, should inform the interim minister, who should then arrange to be absent on the candidating Sunday or weekend.

Teamwork: The interim minister should work colle-gially and communicate regularly with the RegionalConsultant.

6. WELCOMING THE INTERIM MINISTER

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ haswelcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7

If the interim minister will be living in the church par-sonage or church provided housing, an individual orcouple in the church should be responsible for clean-ing and furnishing the housing in advance.

A biographical summary or paragraph could be includ-ed in the worship bulletin on the Sunday preceding theinterim minister’s arrival. Lay leaders should be pre-pared to assist and to introduce the interim minister onthe first Sunday. Worship might include a ritual of wel-come or a congregational prayer of thanksgiving andintercession for the new interim minister.

A reception on the first Sunday or shortly after theinterim minister arrives will allow opportunity for ch u r chmembers to become acquainted with the interim.

The role, expectations, responsibilities and regularschedule of the interim minister should be publishedin the worship bulletins and the church newsletter.

Best practices dictate that the ch u r ch should notinvite or pressure the interim minister to become acandidate for pastor. Any expectations that anexception may be made in this policy should be fullyexplored and decided upon before the interim min-istry begins. Good endings precede good beginningsAt the end of the Pastoral Selection Process, when anew pastor accepts the call to serve, the church

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should plan an opportunity for people to recognizeand thank the interim minister. Worship on the lastSunday of the interim could include a ritual or prayerof thanksgiving and farewell.

All financial obligations between the ch u r ch and theinterim minister should be settled at the close of theinterim minister’s service, or as soon after as possible.

The interim minister should leave for the new pastorinstructions on practicalities, such as location ofarea hospitals; location of keys, thermostats, sup-plies; regularly scheduled meetings; importa n tphone numbers; computer passwords; etc. A briefconfidential list of members requiring special pas-toral care, i.e. the terminally ill or recently bereaved,should also be provided.

7. DE V ELO P MENT OF SEL F - S T UDY ANDC HURCH PRO F IL E

“Now write what you have seen, what is, and whatis to take place after this.” Revelation 1:19

There are two major steps during this phase of thePastoral Search Committee’s work. First, you willcomplete a S e l f - S t u d y of your congregation, andthen you will come to a consensus on what is mosti m p o r tant to include in the C h u r ch Pr o f i l e that youwill share with potential candidates.

To complete your Self-Study, you will need to gatherinformation to help you think clearly about the direc-tion your congregation is moving, such as demo-graphic information about the community your con-gregation serves; reflections on the history of yourcongregation; and the style of leadership that willwork best with your congregation’s style. In addition,you will want to consider your mission emphases,your worship life, your theological beliefs, and yourgoals and ministry objectives.

C h u r ch Reflections, a resource provided byAmerican Baptist Personnel Services (ABPS), isincluded as Resource H on pages 43-68 to guideyou through the following steps in creating your Self-Study and Church Profile.

N o t e : If you wish to download a copy of C h u r chR e f l e c t i o n s to use with your computer in creatingyour Church Profile go to the American Ba p t i s tC h u r ches Web site and click on American Ba p t i s tPersonnel Services and then on Reflections. C a l l i n gan American Baptist Minister, which includes a copy

of C h u r ch Reflections, will also be available fromNational Ministries on a Compact Disc (CD) some-time in the second half of 2005.

Gathering data for your Self Study (pages 45-59 )This step involves receiving the reports on C h u r chReflections 1-7. Make summary copies whereneeded. Send a copy of the forms to yourRegional Consultant (executive minister or areaminister). Much of this information can be used inwriting the Church Profile to be sent to candi-dates. Below is a brief description of each docu-ment in C h u r ch Reflections with instructions onhow to complete it.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS- COVER SHEET (page 43)

The cover page includes information on the identity ofthe church, the contact person for the search com-mittee and contact information for the appropriateregional staff person.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 1 - OUR CHURCH INFORMATION (pages 45-48)

Having a clear picture of your church will assist youin finding a pastor who can lead you in the yearsahead. Who you are as a church must be communi-cated to potential pastors so that the persons youinterview will have a way of considering your charac-teristics, stories, beliefs, strengths, vision and expec-tations of each other. This will help supply basic infor-mation for writing your Church Profile.

Assign one committee member to take responsibilityfor the completion of Church Reflections 1. Otherscan be asked to help gather data; resources such asannual reports and the church clerk could be helpfulin filling out this section. Some of the informationasked for can be an approximate number.

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION (page 49)

Your ch u r ch and potential ministerial candidatesmay find demographic information very valuable toyou as you plan. It may help your ch u r ch under-s tand your community better. Demographic infor-mation can give you ideas about outreach min-istries. It may help potential candidates determinewhether this is the type of community in which theyare best suited for ministry. There are many sourcesof demographic information. The demographicinformation sheet will help you find useful demo-graphic information to include in your search

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process. Your committee might select some demo-graphic information to be included in Our ChurchInformation or you may want a separate sectionentitled Our Community.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 2 - OUR HISTORY (pages 51-53)

The story of your ch u r ch is important. It is a story offaith, struggles and relationships. Your story willhelp you and other leaders see your past, under-s tand your present situation and anticipate yourfuture vision for ministry. The relationships with yourformer ministers are significant parts of your storythat need to be reviewed as you prepare for newleadership. It will be helpful to discuss these rela-tionships with your Regional Consultant. How muchof this information you include in your Church Profileis up to you. Your Regional Consultant may be aguide to you in this area. You can be sure thatpotential pastoral candidates will ask you aboutyour relationship with former ministers.

Ask one committee member to be responsible for thecompletion of Church Reflections 2. If you have achurch historian or a church history, consult them.Talk to old-timers in the church. Many persons canbe called upon to help fill out this section. You mayalso consider asking your interim minister to help yousolicit this information through an all-church event.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 3 - CONGREGATIONAL STYLE INDICATOR(page 55)

Before inviting new leadership to your congregation, itwill be very helpful to assess how your congregationworks. What is your style of leadership? How do yourelate to the larger ABC body? How do you react tosocial issues? How are decisions made in your con-gregation? We suggest that each committee membercomplete the Congregational Style Indicator. Then, ifthere are congregational leaders that are not on theS e a r ch Committee, also ask them to complete thisform. In addition, ask a small number of persons whoare not in leadership to also complete the form.Sometimes it is helpful to get different perspectiveson how the membership thinks the ch u r ch operates.

Sending all of these forms to a candidate would becumbersome. Have someone compile a consensusoverview using the Congregational Style Indicator asa base. If there is great disparity in the congrega-tion’s perspectives, indicate that on the completedform sent to candidates.

When your Search Committee receives Profiles ofpotential candidates compare your congrega-tion’s style with the Work Style Ratings of thepotential candidates.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 4 - HOW OTHERS SEE US (page 56)

Sometimes others see you differently from how yousee yourself. Their perception can give new insightsor affirm what you already know. One committeemember should be assigned responsibility for gather-ing this information.

The information on this sheet can be gained fromother churches in the community, churches in yourassociation/area, your Regional Consultant, formermembers or ministers/staff, or groups with whom youwork or share facilities. Choose two to five for a bal-anced perspective. You may gain the information bytelephone interview, through correspondence, or atan association/area event.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 5 - OUR CHURCH LIFE (page 57)

This section will aid you in describing various aspectsof your church’s life from Sunday school and mid-week Bible study to mission involvement and day-care program.

E a ch member of the Search Committee is asked tofill out this form. You will need to make copies fore a ch person. It is important for all committee mem-bers to come to the meeting at which this sectionwill be discussed with the form completed. Eachpart of the form will be discussed, and a summary ofthe responses noted on a summary sheet.

Note: One of the choices on the scale is 5: SomedaySoon We Would Like To Try This. This is one indica-tor of a possible new direction that the ch u r ch mightbe headed for which you will need specific ministeri-al leadership.

If there are strong disagreements, they should be dis-cussed and consensus reached. Much of this informa-tion you will want to share with possible candidates inyour Church Profile. A copy of the form can be includedin your Profile or a narrative could be written of each part.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 6 - OUR WORSHIP LIFE (pages 58-59)

Congregations and their corporate worship experi-

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ences are different. Worship is the major focus ofcongregational life. Our Worship Life will help you tothink through what is important in the worship life ofyour congregation. Notice that there is a criterion,titled Someday Soon We Would Like To Try This. Thisis an indication of the direction your congregationmight be moving in its worship life. It may be animportant clue to new leadership.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 7 - WHAT WE BELIEVE (page 60)

Knowing what you believe is important for dialoguewith a potential pastor because all ch u r ches and pas-tors do not believe exactly the same way. For exa m p l e ,most, but not all, Baptist ch u r ches have come out of ah e r i tage that honors certain basic principles. Th e s einclude “soul liberty” (the right and the responsibility ofe a ch believer to interpret the Scriptures as led by theHoly Spirit), the importance of believers’ baptism, theautonomy of the local congregation, the priesthood ofall believers, and the associational principle. Here is anopportunity to discover what your ch u r ch believes.

Assign one or two members the task of getting theinput of ch u r ch members for this section. You mayuse interviews with a wide age span of the congre-gation, including the children. You might ask someof the ch u r ch school classes or ongoing groups tospend a session or more giving their ideas aboutthe categories. The interim minister might be askedto preach on the topic with a sermon talk back ses-sion to get members thinking. Two helpfulb r o chures are also available from the ABC Officeof the General Secreta r y —“ What Do AmericanBaptists Be l i e v e ? ” and “ Ten Facts You ShouldK n ow about American Ba p t i s t s .”

After you have gathered the data, the task of thecommittee is to describe the beliefs it feels are impor-tant in shaping the life and mission of the church.

You will need to decide what the questions are thatyou want to ask potential candidates in preparationfor a dialogue regarding the deepest values and con-victions of pastor and people.

C h u r ch Reflections 8, 9, and 10 will help you iden-tify Ministry Priorities for your next ministerial leader.C h u r ch Reflections 8 will help you think through andidentify your vision for ministry and your congrega-tion’s ministry goals. C h u r ch Reflections 9 will helpyou identify the strengths that are already present inyour congregational leadership and those ministryspecialties you will need from your next pastor.

C h u r ch Reflections 10 will help you prioritize theministry preferences you have identified for your nextministerial leader.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 8 - OUR V ISION FOR MINIS T RY (page 61)

Before your church actively engages in the processof inviting new leadership, it is very important to havesome idea of what you want to do and where youwant to go. In this step, the Pastoral SearchCommittee (and possibly a larger group of leadersfrom the congregation) will use Church Reflections 8- Our Vision for Ministry on page 61. From learningwho you are, your unfolding story, your beliefs, yourministries, your gifts, you will be able to describe yourVision for Ministry. We suggest that you hold a meet-ing where all of leaders of the church are invited. (Ifthe congregation is small, you might consider invitingthe whole congregation.) A suggested process forsuch a meeting is described in Church Reflections 8.Participants can be encouraged ahead of time toconsider questions 1-4 in Church Reflections 8. Wealso suggest that you invite your RegionalConsultant, interim minister or other facilitator to aidyou in this process.

Note: The Congregational Style Indicator, What WeBelieve, and Our Vision for Ministry are great oppor-tunities to involve the greater congregation in aninteractive group process. Doing so may help thecongregation have a better understanding of itselfand its diversity.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 9 - WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND WHAT WEWANT OUR PASTOR TO DO (pages 63-64)

Once you have completed the Our Vision for Ministryit is time to consider what ministerial skills your con-gregation will need to realize these ministry objec-tives. Ask each committee member to completeChurch Reflections 9.

One or two committee members may be given thetask of obtaining the opinions of the whole congre-gation, or certain boards or committees. The SearchCommittee needs to decide what groups should besurveyed. The forms could be mailed to church mem-bers or distributed at a church worship service. Askone person to tabulate the congregation’s response.Ask them to keep in mind the future vision of the con-gregation. You may want to include a vision state-ment as a cover sheet to this exercise based on theresults of Church Reflections 8.

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Tabulate the Search Committee’s responses sepa-rately to determine how these responses match withthose of the congregation. Similarities affirm that theSearch Committee and the church are “on the samepage;” discrepancies indicate that further workneeds to be done in understanding how the differ-ences will influence the church’s expectations of thepastor’s ministry.

C HURCH REF L ECT IO NS 10 - MINIS T RY PRIO RI T IES (page 65)

Once your committee has identified the key areasthat you want your next pastor to be competent in, listthe top eight categories in order of their priority.(Note: When ABPS searches its computer data baseof ministerial leaders these priorities will be taken intoaccount in addition to other priorities you have iden-tified, such as education, salary limitations, housingpreferences, region of the country where the candi-dates may currently be living, experience in urban,rural or suburban ministry, etc. Any of these prioritiesmay limit the number of Profiles available to you. Themore open you can be and the fewer restrictions youhave, the greater the number of Profiles that will beavailable to your committee.)

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 11 - COMP ENS AT ION, BENEFITS AND MIN-IS T RY- REL AT ED EXP ENSE REIMBURSE-MEN T (pages 67-68)

Compensation for pastors is determined by cashsalary and housing. These are the tangible expres-sions of compensation. Benefits include retirement,insurance for disability and death, social security off-set, etc. In addition, the pastor receives reimburse-ment for ministry-related expenses. The ministry-relat-ed expenses are not a pastor’s compensation, butundergird the expenses of the pastor in the course ofthe church’s ministry. Days off, vacation, continuingeducation, retreats are avenues of renewal fromwhich the church benefits as well as the pastor.

Several things might be taken into consideration asyou prepare your compensation package. One ofthose is the biblical teaching that the laborer is worthhis or her hire. A second is the salary package ofthose in like professions with comparable educationand job expectations. Another is the salary range ofthe area in which your church is located. Yourchurch’s attitude toward the value of ministry and therole of the church in society is often reflected in yourcompensation. Be creative in determining the pack-age you will offer your pastor.

The chair of the Search Committee should takeresponsibility for working with appropriate boards orpersons to fill out this form. Your region office mayhave specific guidelines to assist you in determiningfair compensation.

Determining CompensationMaking decisions about your minister’s compensa t i o nrequires taking a careful look at a number of factors.Your ch u r ch’s financial resources and unique circum-s tances play a major role in determining cash salary andhousing. You should also weigh these considerations.

• The minister’s responsibilities, experience, education, expertise, effectiveness and years of service to the church

• The cost of living in your community• The salaries of other professionals with similar

education, experience and responsibility• The compensation paid by churches of similar

size, based on average Sunday worshipattendance, membership, church budget, etc.

It would help communication and team work if youinvited the Finance Committee, Trustees or otherresponsible board, to meet with the SearchCommittee and your Regional Consultant to setguidelines for compensation. Doing so separatelycould create tension between the groups. Th eFinance Committee is charged with raising, allocatingand protecting the finances of the church, while theSearch Committee is seeking fair compensation forthe new minister. Meeting together with the RegionalConsultant enables everyone to hear the same infor-mation and operate from the same perspective andcan eliminate confusion later on in the process.

Contact your American Baptist Region Office or yourMinisters and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB)member service representative for comparativech u r ch compensation information, recommendedminimum cash salaries, and other guidelines. TheConsumer Price Index (CPI) and the average salariesof selected white-collar occupations—includingschool teachers, principals and superintendents canbe obtained from your State Department of Labor orthe U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of LaborStatistics, Washington, DC 20212.

Another piece of the salary puzzle is effective buyingpower—the spendable income that remains afterFederal, state and local taxes are paid. Information foryour area is available from MMBB, or can be found inthe annually updated “Survey of Buying Power,” anissue of the magazine, Sales and Marketing

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Management. This publication is available at mostpublic libraries.

Multiple Staff ChurchesCongregations that have multiple pastoral staff shouldfollow the same procedures for annual compensa t i o nreview with all staff persons. Ministry-related expens-es should be fully reimbursed and benefits provided,as would be the case for the senior minister.

The amount your church determines it should be pay-ing its pastoral staff may not be reachable within thefinancial restraints of the church budget in one year.However, the church can establish a plan to reachthat goal in several steps over two or three years.

Even when the base compensation has been deter-mined, you should continue to look at compensationissues each year. Providing no increase is actually areduction in pay. The minimum should be a cost-of-liv-ing increase. For additional guidelines regardingother aspects of clergy compensation and benefitssee C h u r ch Reflections 11 on page 67 andResource I-1 on page 69.

Creating your Church ProfileYour Church Profile will contain much of the informa-tion you have already gathered in your Self-Study.Remember the Church Profile is the first impressionyou will have on your prospective candidates. Intoday’s media-conscious world, it is important topresent yourself well.

In preparing the Church Profile, think of your “audi-ence”–prospective ministerial candidates. Answerthe question, “Why would I consider moving to thiscongregation?” There are usually many good rea-sons to consider moving to a new pastoral situa-tion. Help your candidates identify the ones that arevalid in your situation. (Examples: “This is a greatcommunity to raise a family.” “There are manyopportunities here for a rich ministry.” “This is aplace where a pastor can be in bi-vocational min-i s t r y.” “This is a congregation open to change andg r o w t h .” “This is a multicultural congregation andc o m m u n i t y.” “This is a congregation open to womenin ministry or a clergy couple.”) Be sure to describeyour situation honestly and at the same time hope-fully and enthusiastically.

In addition you will want to include some of the fol-lowing materials:

• Your most recent Annual Report, including t h e current budget

• Photographs of church buildings, including parsonage, if applicable

• Representative photographs of groups within the congregation, including some action pictures of church activities and ministries

• Church bulletin samples• Your Constitution and Bylaws• Community information or description• Salary range• Church structure diagram• Church covenant• Church purpose statement and/or mission

statement• Link to your church Web site

Your Church Profile should be reviewed by yourRegional Consultant, who has seen dozens ofChurch Profiles. The Consultant will be able to rec-ognize areas where you could enhance the ChurchProfile to tell your story more effectively. Multiplecopies of the completed Church Profile should beproduced for potential candidates and also for shar-ing with the whole congregation in a meaningful way.

Preparing the Search Request for AmericanBaptist Personnel ServicesOnce you have completed your Church Profile andcome to a consensus on the skills needed by your nextministerial leader, you are ready to request Profilesfrom American Baptist Personnel Services (ABPS).

When you have completed Church Reflections 8, 9,and 10, your Regional Consultant will prepare aSearch Request for ABPS based on the MinistrySpecialties and other priorities identified by yourSearch Committee. Many factors go into a searchrequest: salary and geographic limitations, ministrypriorities, previous work experiences, and education-al background, to name a few.

At any one time, there are usually about 500 minis-ters whose ABPS Profiles indicate they are “Open toMove” to another ministry opportunity. Of those, typi-cally only a small number – less than 50 – will matchyour ministry priorities. The more criteria you includein your search the fewer Profiles will match yourrequest. Whenever possible it will be to your advan-tage to remain open to as many potential candidatesas you can. The beginning of your search is not thetime to eliminate possible candidates.

In addition to ABPS Profiles, you may receive names,resumes or letters expressing interest in your ministryopportunity. Accept all names graciously and give

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them to your Regional Consultant who will requestABPS Profiles of the persons.

Should a potential candidate not have an ABPSProfile, ABPS staff usually can help a candidate cre-ate a Profile in 30 days or less. If you want to evalu-ate all American Baptist candidates using compara-ble information, you can request that all persons inter-ested in your position complete an ABPS Profile.Non-American Baptist candidates also can create aProfile with the permission and sponsorship of yourregional executive minister.

Listing your Church with Ministry OpportunitiesListing (MOL)E a ch month ABPS publishes the MinistryOpportunities Listing (MOL), which includes alllocal ch u r ch, regional, national and internationalministry opportunities within American Ba p t i s tC h u r ches USA that are reported to ABPS byregional and national units. Some ecumenicalopportunities also are included. Discuss with yourRegional Consultant the possibility of listing yourministry position with MOL .

For ministerial leaders who subscribe to the service,MOL provides information about the church or organ-ization and the community in which the ministryopportunity is located. The listing usually includes aone-sentence statement describing some uniqueaspect of the opportunity. Be sure to include some-thing that will entice ministers to want to learn moreabout your ministry situation.

8. RE V IE W ING CA NDIDATE INFO RM AT IO NAND SELECTING POTENTIAL CANDIDATES TOINTERVIEW

The Profiles that you receive from ABPS will usual-ly be from persons who list themselves as “Open toMove" or “Might Consider Moving.” However, eventhose who list themselves as “Open to Move” maynot be interested in your particular ministry situa-tion. Pastors are looking for many different things.Some are interested in moving to an urban area,others to a rural area, and still others would preferto move to the suburbs. Some are looking to be in aNew Church Start situation, and others prefer ane s tablished congregation. Some are interested in asetting where they can be bi-vocational. Some cler-gy couples hope to find a situation where they canminister together. Many other variables exist thatcould interest a pastor in becoming a candidate foryour congregation.

Important NoteBefore you spend hours evaluating Profiles ofpotential candidates who may have no interest inyour ministry situation, ABPS strongly recommendsthat you send a brief introductory letter to all theindividuals whose Profiles you have received. If youask through your Regional Consultant, ABPS canprovide mailing labels for those persons who aregenerated on your ABPS Search Request. In someregions the Regional Consultant will begin thes e a r ch process by giving you mailing labels withoutProfiles so that you will not waste time readingProfiles of persons who do not want to be consid-ered at this time.

In the letter tell them in a paragraph or two some ofthe more significant features about your congrega-tion that they will want to know. Let them know thattheir ABPS Profile matched your church’s ministryneeds. Then ask them to return an enclosed postcardor send a short letter, if they would like to receive acopy of your Church Profile and Information packet.(A sample of such a letter can be found on page 105,Resource Letter A.) The ministers who respond pos-itively to your letter move from potential candidates toprospective candidates. Give this group of personsyour serious consideration.

The Profile is meant to be an introduction to possiblecandidates. Try not to use it as a tool to arbitrarilyreject someone. Many a good candidate has beendismissed prematurely. Try not to make that mistake.

Distributing Your Church Profile andInformation Pa cke tWhen you receive postcards or letters from potentialcandidates, honor their requests and send each ofthem a copy of your Church Profile. Ask them to con-sider your ministry opportunity and, if they are stillinterested in having you consider them as a pastoralcandidate, request a letter of interest. You might alsorequest other information, such as a sermon, video oraudiotape, and/or answers to three or four specificquestions. Or this step can be done at a later time,with persons you are especially interested in. Be sureto give a deadline for responding.

If you do not hear from at least five promising can-didates, before proceeding further, ask yourRegional Consultant to search the ABPS system formore Profiles that match your congregation’sneeds. Repeat the above steps. If this processtakes more than six weeks, be sure to inform thosewho have already responded to you what is hap-pening. Don’t leave them in the dark.

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When you have at least five or more serious can-didates to consider, then study their Profiles andthe supportive information they have sent. If youhave followed the suggested process, at this timeyou should only be considering those people whohave expressed some interest in your ch u r ch. Yo uwill need to learn how to read the ABPS Profile.Your Regional Consultant will be helpful at thispoint. A document, “Interpreting the ABPSP r o f i l e ,” will be sent with your Profiles. The task isto identify those persons whose Profiles and othersupportive information most closely coincide withyour congregation’s Goals and Vision for Ministry.Do not be too quick to dismiss someone from yourlist of possible candidates. Every minister can onlyselect eight Ministry Specialties from a list of 30 -some possibilities. Most ministers could easilyselect 10 or 12 Ministry Specialties. Look for evi-dence of other ministry skills in the Wo r kExperience Section of the Profile or in the narra-tive. If you do not see evidence of what you arelooking for, make a note to ask about it during ani n t e r v i e w. From the information you have received,select your top three to five candidates.

In the past, a common mistake that some SearchCommittees have made is to eliminate someone forreasons other than ministry gifts, such as age, gen-der, where they currently live, or what seminary theyattended. Resist the urge to eliminate a potential can-didate on information only found on the Profile. If youhave concerns about something you notice on theProfile, be sure to check it out in person. And remem-ber your job is to discern whom God is calling to yourcongregation. God works in mysterious ways, so tryto remain open to the new thing God wants to do inyour congregation.

9. IN T ER V IE W ING PRO SP ECTIVE CA NDIDAT ES

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon ofthe church at Cenchreae. Romans 16:1

Preparing for the interviewsPast behavior is a good indicator of future behavior.For example, if you are looking for a minister whohas skill in pastoral visitation, ask a question likethis: “Our congregation is very interested in havinga pastor who visits our members. Can you tell usabout your practice of visitation and about a partic-ular time when you felt you did a good job visitingsomeone in your congregation?” You should have atleast one question for each area of ministry in whichyou hope your next minister will have competence.

See Resource J-2 on page 77 for examples of pos-sible ministry questions. Note: it is possible to asktoo many good questions. Select 10 to 12 ques-tions that will help the minister tell you his or herstory most effectively.

Face-to-Face EventsIn many areas of the country, American Ba p t i s tRegions work together to sponsor what are knownas “Face-to-Face” events. These events offer aseries of “first time” interviews between PastoralS e a r ch Committees and clergy, seminary seniors orgraduates in the ordination process who are opento new ministry opportunities. Interviews are sch e d-uled based on candidate and Search Committeepreferences and on a matching process. This pro-vides an opportunity for Search Committees tomeet eight or more potential candidates at one time.It is also an excellent way for Committee membersto practice their interviewing skills. All ministers par-ticipating in Face-to-Face events must be registeredwith American Baptist Personnel Services (ABPS )prior to participation. Several of these events usual-ly occur each year. Search Committees pay for theirown transportation and housing, plus a small regis-tration fee to cover the cost of meals. These eventsare usually highlighted in Ministry OpportunitiesListing. For more information about Face-to-Faceevents, contact your Regional Consulta n t .

Making a Good and Honest Impression onProspective CandidatesAs you meet and interview candidates, they will alsobe taking a close look at you to determine if they areinterested and comfortable in considering your min-istry opportunity. In 2001, a group of AmericanBaptist ministers was asked to describe those thingsthat Search Committees did and did not do thatmade an impression on them. Resource K on page81 gives a summary of this ministerial feedback. YourSearch Committee may want to discuss the impres-sion you think you will make on candidates and howyou may improve that impression.

Two particular comments came up in the conversa t i o nagain and again. One was a concern that SearchCommittees were not always forthcoming and honestwith the ministers. This caused bad feelings and mis-trust later in the search process. Second, potential can-didates were not kept informed of where the Committeewas in its search process. In all your interactions withcandidates, the Golden Rule is a good guide.

Conducting the InterviewInterviews with prospective candidates are among the

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most important parts of your work as a SearchCommittee. It is essential that attention be given toprocedures that will produce the most effective results.

The interview process is a time to examine values, atti-tudes, temperaments, hopes and dreams for the future,faith journeys and theological concepts. You will havethe opportunity to get acquainted with each other andto engage in mutual sharing of facts, so you can deter-mine if there is compatibility between the ministry giftsof a candidate and the needs of your ch u r ch .

M u ch of the effectiveness of the interview willdepend on the Committee's preparation. The follow-ing suggestions may be helpful:

1. An interview confirmation letter should be sent to the candidate with details, such as time of the interview, expense arrangements, the exact place of the meeting, and direc-tions. Even if there has been a telephone con-versation, it is important that these details be confirmed in writing.

2. The ch u r ch should be responsible for all expenses related to hosting the candidate and spouse for the interview, including mileage allowance or transportation, housing, meals, etc. These expenses should be paid to the candidate before he or she leaves the interview.

3. Sufficient time should be allowed for the confer-ence, preferably a full evening or its equivalent.

4. Consideration should be given to whether or not the spouse will be involved in this first interview. It is the candidate's decision that is being sought, but the spouse's reactions will be a part of the decision. If the spouse is invit-ed, then the interview process should include time for her or him to participate and to ask questions he or she may have.

5. Do not plan a busy schedule ahead of the interview. It is wise for the candidate and spouse to see the church, parsonage, com -munity, schools, shopping areas, etc., but time should be allowed for them to freshen up and possibly rest prior to the interview.

6. An informal agenda should be planned for theinterview. The Committee will be conducting the interview but should not dominate it. Give the candidate adequate time to explore questions and concerns. Discuss the areas of

concern you want to explore. Plan to ask questions that are related to the Ministry Specialties (Refer to J-2 Interview Questions for Ministry Specialties, pages 77-78). Determine in advance who will ask whichquestions, so the entire Committee partici-pates. (See Resource J-1 on page 75 and following for a suggested agenda and inter-view questions.)

7. Plan to hold the interview at a place where interruptions will be eliminated and confiden-tiality is maintained and where the setting promotes a relaxed friendly atmosphere. This could be at the church, in a home or in a private room at a restaurant.

In most cases, no candidate will have all of theministry gifts that your congregation is seeking.During the interview process you will determinethose persons whose gifts come closest tomeeting the needs of your congregation.

Evaluating the InterviewAfter each interview, the Search Committee will wantto evaluate your impressions of the candidate in rela-tion to your Ministry Priorities. Together you will wantto assess the candidate’s ability to perform these min-istry skills. Plan to meet as soon as possible after eachinterview to evaluate it. You may also want to referb a ck to the candidate’s Profile and the ratings thatwere done by people who know his or her ministry.

This is a serious step in the selection process. Prayershould be an important part of the Committee’s timetogether, for direction and guidance in selecting theperson needed for the church.

Evaluations should be made in light of the original cri-teria set forth by the Committee and the congrega-tion. Also discuss your impressions and feelings.Make a list of the candidate’s strengths and weak-nesses that you have uncovered from the interviewand from the other materials you have received. (Atool to help you compare candidates is found asResource L on page 83.)

10. VISITING NEUTRAL PULPITS

Sometime during the search process, you will want toobserve the worship leadership of one or moreprospective candidates. When this seems like a nextstep, contact your Regional Consultant who willarrange for the candidate to lead worship and preach

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in a neutral pulpit. All arrangements between theSearch Committee, the candidate and the neutralchurch should be carefully worked out through yourRegional Consultant to avoid any misunderstanding.

Note: If a Search Committee visits a candidate in thechurch where he or she is presently serving, possiblemisunderstandings between the minister and thecongregation are likely to occur.

Some Search Committees may, with the prospectivecandidate’s permission, choose to observe the can-didate in his or her current ch u r ch. If you and theminister agree, remember to be discreet to avoidembarrassing the minister or members of the con-gregation. Do not inform any member of the congre-gation that you represent a Search Committee. Donot drop in unexpectedly.

(Some things to consider when observing a ministerleading worship and preaching are listed in ResourceN on page 85.)

Checking referencesChecking references is another very important part ofthe Search Committee’s work. It is often overlookedbecause of the enthusiasm that a Committee feelsabout a prospective candidate. However, no candi-date should ever be chosen until satisfactory refer-ences have been obtained.

There are several ways that references may be ch e ck e d .At preliminary stages, your regional consultant can pro-vide reference ch e cks by contacting other regional con-s u l tants. They will usually contact the person’s first ref-erence on their Profile, who is always a national/region-al executive minister or area minister.

When you have narrowed your prospective candi-dates to the group you hope to interview, you willwant to directly contact the references listed by thecandidates. Plan to contact at least three referencesfor each prospective candidate. Telephone calls areusually the most effective way to contact references.Not only will you get immediate responses; you alsowill hear voice inflections that are important to fullyunderstand the meaning of the words. And you willbe able to ask clarifying questions. Letters are muchslower and may be misunderstood. Your Committeewill be responsible for checking all the references forthe candidate you recommend to your congregation.

The first reference on the ABPS Profile is always anational or regional consultant. This individual may ormay not have personal knowledge of the individual.

The primary reason they are listed first is to validate acandidate’s ABC membership and ministerial status.If the staff person is not able to answer all of yourquestions about the candidate, you may want to askthe candidate for one or more additional references.

Keep in mind that maintaining confidentiality aboutthe information received from any reference is ofsupreme importance. Close the reference interviewby asking a general question that invites the personto share information not otherwise covered, such as,“Is there anything else we ought to know about thisperson, that we have not already covered?”(Resource M on page 84 can assist you in thisi m p o r tant ta s k . )

The regional and national staff members of AmericanBaptist Churches USA work hard to validate the cre-dentials and ethics of ministers they recommend toABC congregations. If you consider persons fromother sources, it is important to be especially carefulwhen checking their references and credentials, asthey will not come with the same evaluation by theirABC counterparts.

11. CHOOSING ONE CANDIDATE

Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know every-one’s heart. Show which one of these two you havechosen.” Acts 1:24

After prayer and careful consideration, yourCommittee will narrow the prospective candidatesdown to the one candidate you wish to recommendto the congregation. If you are unable to reach anagreement at first, you may choose to re-interviewone or more of the candidates you are considering, orinterview other candidates.

When your Search Committee is in agreement onone minister as the candidate of choice, and that min-ister agrees to the recommendation of his or hername to your church, you are ready to move into thelast stages of the search process.

Under no circumstances should the congregationconsider more than one candidate at a time. To do sodivides the church membership.

C h e ck the bylaws of your ch u r ch for the provisionsregarding the calling of a minister. Note the lengthof time and method required to give due notice forthe congregational meeting to vote, the number ofpeople required for a quorum, and the majority

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required for extending a call. Prepare the neces-sary notices and calendar in accordance with thebylaws provisions.

Self-disclosure and Release FormAmerican Baptist Churches USA seeks to maintainthe highest moral and ethical standards in the prac-tice of ministry. As a part of your process, it is rec-ommended that you ask the candidate you have cho-sen to complete a self-disclosure and release form. Insome regions your regional consultant carries out thisstep. (For a sample self-disclosure and release form,see Resource O on page 87.)

Pastoral Job DescriptionWhen your congregation calls a new pastor, there aredefinitely expectations your membership has of thenew pastor. As much as possible make every effortto clarify expectations between the pastor and thepeople. (Resource P is a tool to assist you in thisprocess and can be found on page 89.)

Some congregations have found it helpful to have apastoral job description to help to clarify expecta-tions. This can be shared during the interviewprocess, or as a part of your church Profile. It also canbe developed after the minister comes to the churchwith the help of the Pastoral Relations Committee. (Asample of Pastor’s Job Description and items toinclude can be found in Resource Q on page 91.)

Note: Do be careful in using a job description not tolimit the work of the Holy Spirit by prescribing exact-ly what your minister should and should not do. Youmight want to indicate that these are the types ofthings that your congregation anticipates a ministerwill do; however, this document is open for negotia-tion with any pastoral candidate.

Negotiating the Minister-Church Agreement

In the same way, the Lord commanded that thosewho proclaim the gospel should get their living bythe gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:14

The Search Committee, through one member or asub-committee, should facilitate negotiating theM i n i s t e r - C h u r ch Agreement. The suggestedAgreement (see Resource R-2 on page 97 ) ,designed by the Ministers Council of AmericanBaptist Churches USA, provides a useful model forpreparing the agreement. Adapt the Agreement tomeet the needs of your congregation and your minis-terial candidate, being sure that it includes:

• Cash Salary• Housing and utilities—either parsonage or

housing allowance• Medical and Dental Plan• ABC Retirement/Death Benefit Plans• Social Security Offset• Accountable Automobile Expenses• Ministry-related Expense Reimbursement• Moving Expenses• Length of Vacation• Continuing Education Time• Other agreed-upon items, such as sick leave,

disability provisions, maternity leave, military chaplaincy reserve service, etc.

It is usually wise to discuss your Minister-ChurchAgreement with your area minister, or you may con-sult your Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Boardmember service representative for advice. Be surethat the minister and proper boards or committees ofyour congregation approve the Agreement prior topresenting it to the congregation for action.

Informing the CongregationSend every member of your congregation a letter tointroduce the recommended candidate andannounce the meeting at which the congregation willvote on extending the call. (Resource Letter E onpage 109 provides a model for this letter.)

Pastoral Biographical InformationYou will want to provide biographic information aboutthe recommended candidate for the congregation.(See Resource Biographical Summary F on page110 for suggestions of information to include in thebiographical sketch.)

12. CANDIDATING WEEKEND

The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness tomeet Moses.”…Then Moses and Aaron went andassembled all the elders of the Israelites. Aaronspoke all the words that the Lord had spoken toMoses, and performed the signs in the sight of thepeople. And the people believed.

Exodus 4:27, 29-31

Once the Search Committee and the chosen candi-date have come to an agreement that you both wishto proceed, a candidating weekend should bearranged by the Committee. A weekend visit by thecandidate, including his or her family, with a variety ofactivities enables the congregation to becomeacquainted. Include multiple opportunities for infor-

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mal meetings with the leaders and other church mem-bers. The weekend should include a service of wor-ship during which the candidate preaches. (SeeResource R-1 on page 95 for help in planning thecandidating weekend.) Your regional consultant alsowill have helpful suggestions.

13. CHURCH MEETING TO VOTE

And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell onMatthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Acts 1:26

Presenting the Candidate and the Congre-gational VoteBefore the congregation votes on the recommendedcandidate, the Search Committee should present itsimpressions of the candidate’s abilities and skills in min-i s t r y. Share your convictions for presenting this personto become the ch u r ch’s spiritual leader. You are givingwitness to your discernment of God’s call to ministry.

The Committee also should describe details of theMinister-Church Agreement. The church clerk shouldenter this information into the minutes of the church.

The congregation will vote by ballot according to itsbylaws to accept or reject the committee’s recom-mendation at a regular or special business meeting.

As soon as the church has taken a vote, it is bothcourteous and necessary to inform the candidate inperson or by telephone. The call of the church shouldthen be put in writing by the church clerk, confirmingthe details of the arrangements that have beenauthorized by the church in the Minister-ChurchAgreement. This letter should be mailed as soon aspossible after the meeting, requesting a prompt replyaccepting the call. (For a model letter see ResourceLetter D on page 108.)

After the candidate has accepted the call, write let-ters to those who were considered candidates butnot selected. Thank them for their time and inter-est, and inform them who has been called.(Resource Letter C on page 107 provides a modelfor this letter. )

Signing the Minister-Church AgreementThe Minister-Church Agreement, that confirms theterms of the call, should be signed by the minister-elect and the church clerk. Give one copy of thisagreement to the minister-elect; place a copy in yourchurch files; and send a copy to your regional con-

sultant. (See Resource R-2 on page 97 for a sampleMinister-Church Agreement.)

Farewell for the Interim MinisterEven though the interim minister may have servedyour congregation for a short period of time, peopledevelop relationships. Plan an opportunity for peopleto recognize and thank the interim minister for his orher ministry with your congregation. Worship on thelast Sunday of the interim ministry could include a rit-ual or prayer of thanksgiving and farewell.

Before your congregation can move on to a newrelationship with the pastor you have called, it isi m p o r tant to have a well defined conclusion to thepre vi ous mi ni str y. (See page 11. )

14. WELCOMING THE NEW MINISTER

We appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respectthose who labor among you, and have charge of youin the Lord and admonish you; esteem them veryhighly in love because of their work.

1 Thessalonians 5:12

Welcoming the new minister and family is the firststep to assure a successful ministry together and anintegral part of the new minister/congregation rela-tionship. While ch u r ches may welcome their ministersin different ways, there are some basics to be noted.

Your new minister and family are coming to your commu-nity as strangers. Your Committee can do much to makethem feel at home and to acquaint them, not only with themembers of your own congregation but also with othersin your community. You may need to enlist the help ofother appropriate persons or boards within the ch u r ch .

If a parsonage is not provided, your congregationmay need to provide the minister with one or moretrips to your community to make housing arrange-ments. In addition to the responsibility of caring for allcosts connected with the minister’s move to yourcommunity, your Committee should:

a. Make sure the parsonage is completely ready. Redecoration should be done in consultation with the incoming pastor. All repairs should becompleted and utilities should be connected and in good working order.

b. Arrange housing accommodations for the minister and family until the furniture is moved into their new home.

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c. Arrange to have meals served by ch u r ch families and/or at local restaurants during the time the parsonage/home is being settled.

d. Make sure the minister’s study is complete-ly ready.

e. Introduce your new minister and family to the community through an article in your local n e w s p a p e r, but do not release the news itemuntil the timing is cleared with the minister.

f. A conducted tour of your community may beappreciated and helpful and could include:

• Local services that are available• The local school system • Available medical services• Shopping areas and recreational options

g. Provide information about them in your bulletin and newsletter.

h. Introduce your new minister and family to thecongregation during the first worship servicehe or she conducts. Arrange a special reception following the service or during the first few weeks.

i. Soon after your new minister arrives, arrange an informal meeting with all ch u r ch leaders. This meeting will give the opportunity for him or her to become more fully acquainted with your leaders and the programs and goals of the various organiza-tions in your ch u r ch .

j. Share your church’s history, traditions and stories with the minister.

15. INSTALLATION OF THE NEW PASTOR

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting,the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas andSaul for the work to which I have called them.”

Acts 13:2

A few months after the minister arrives, the SearchCommittee should work with the Board of Deaconsor other appropriate board, the minister, and yourregional consultant to plan a service of insta l l a t i o n .Some ch u r ches plan this service for a Sundaymorning: most plan it for a Sunday afternoon when

neighboring ch u r ches and community representa-tives can attend. A congregational reception is heldfollowing the service.

(For suggested resources for the installation service,see Resource S on page 99.) Your regional consult-ant also can provide examples of services used byother congregations.

Acknowledging Your Minister’s LeadershipEncourage the congregation to extend profes-sional respect and courtesy to your new minister.It is important that your new minister be called onfor pastoral support. Explain that it is not appro-priate to invite the former pastor back to performministerial services.

Ministers, who accept the Covenant and Code ofEthics for Ministerial Leaders of American BaptistChurches, pledge to sever all pastoral relations withformer parishioners. Deep friendships are abiding,however; and the former minister is free to continuepersonal relationships. Pastoral and professionalcontacts with former parishioners should be under-taken only on the invitation and consent of the pres-ent pastor or ministerial staff member.

16. THANKING THE SEARCH COMMITTEE

We always give thanks to God for all of you andmention you in our prayers, constantly remember-ing before our God and Father your work of faithand labor of love and steadfastness of hope in ourLord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

When the Search Committee’s work is completed,Committee members should be thanked by themoderator at a worship service and formally dis-charged at the next regular business meeting,unless it is a continuing committee. If the latter isthe case, a vote of thanks should be extended tomembers for their work.

Pertinent transactions of the Committee, includinga summary report of the Committee’s work, shouldbe given to the ch u r ch clerk for inclusion in thech u r ch minutes.

All Profiles and confidential papers including refer-ence letters and interviews used by the committeeare to be destroyed.

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17. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Establishing or Implementing the Pa s t o r a lRelations CommitteeYour congregation will continue to build a partnershipbetween the pastor and the people. Many congrega-tions have discovered that a Pastoral RelationsCommittee fulfills this function well, and AmericanBaptist Churches USA recommends that your churchhave an active Pastoral Relations Committee. It isstrongly recommended that some members of theS e a r ch Committee be elected to serve on thePastoral Relations Committee.

The reason behind this centers on the fact that theSearch Committee members were the first to estab-lish and build a relationship with the minister andwere the critical group in explaining and interpretingthe ministry needs and expectations. They have aunique relationship with the minister from the verybeginning. Consequently they are best equipped tohelp the minister and congregation debrief the firstsix months of ministry.

Two helpful resources are available. “The PastoralRelations Committee,” a booklet, is available throughyour regional office. A video, "A ProductivePartnership" is a 25-minute video for pastoral rela-tions committees. It is available from the MinistersCouncil, PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851.610/768-2334. Cost: $10.

Conducting Ministry ReviewsVi tal to the long-term positive outcome of the part-nership between the pastor and the congregation isan intentional process of periodic ministry review.These reviews can be conducted at various points inthe partnership. Your regional consultant will provideresources and the process for assisting the PastoralRelations Committee (or sometimes the Board ofDeacons) and pastor to review their mutual ministry.Resources are also available from the ABC MinistersCouncil. (See Resource U and V on page 102 and103 for a brief summary for conducting MinistryReviews and the Appraisal Instrument.

Celebrating the First AnniversaryJust as healthy marriages celebrate anniversa r i e s ,your congregation and pastor will want to celebratethe first and other significant anniversaries of yourpartnership in ministry. Many congregations have atradition of such anniversary celebrations markingtheir milestones in ministry.

Congratulations! You have proceeded through theAmerican Baptist Pastoral Selection Process. Withconfidence in the leading of God’s Spirit, you arenow poised on the threshold of a new partnership ofpastor and people, joined in the privilege of ministryin Christ’s name.

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Purpose: To encourage prayerful seeking for God’sguidance but with the understanding that hearingGod’s answer is based in part on being “in the rightplace at the right time.”

Scripture: “My sheep hear my voice. I know them,and they follow me.” John 10:27

Development: There are times when we need tohear a word from God. Perplexed, uncertain, need-ing to know the mind of Christ we strain in vain, thesky seems like a leaden vault through which ourprayers cannot pass. Yet the truth is our prayers dopenetrate the vast gulf and God’s answers come onthe wings of Love. But we do not always receivethem because we are not in tune with our Lord. Evenas a radio receiver must be on the correct frequencyto receive the transmission so the human heart mustbe in harmony with God to receive the response toour pleas. The right equipment out of tune is useless.Endless prayers that are not supported by expecta n tfaith and trust are futile.

Yet when indeed we are in that right relationship andon God’s wavelength we hear, even though all about

us be confusion and disorder, even as a mother hears her baby cry amidst bedlam when no one else canhear a thing. Or imagine a noisy room with everyonetalking at once when suddenly someone speaks yourname. Your ear picks it up as clearly as though noother sound was present.

“My sheep hear my voice.” John 10:27

“Let anyone with ears listen!” Matthew 11:15

We not only need to pray but we need to listen sothat we can receive God’s answers.

Discussion: Take a few moments to receive prayerrequests from members of the committee. By placingall of your concerns in the hands of God, you will befreer to focus your attention on your task at hand.

Take time to pray for one another and for the work ofthe group.

Closing Prayer: Gracious God, help us to consta n t-ly seek you and live our lives, so that when you areseeking us we will be where you want us to be. Amen.

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SEARCH COMMITTEE DEVOTIONALSession 1

Purpose: Discerning God’s will is an act of faith thatmust go beyond our wants, understandings andunfulfilled expectations.

Scripture: ”Your kingdom come. Your will be done,on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

I l l u s t r a t i o n : A seminary student was at least hon-est when filling out a questionnaire to provide infor-mation concerning her preferences on a profile tobe used in helping locate her first pastorate. Onequestion asked, “Where would you like to locate?”In reply the student said, “Anywhere the Lordl e a d s … G e o r g i a .”

It is not always easy to discern the difference in ourwills and God’s will.

D e v e l o p m e n t : Jesus’ reply to the disciples’request to teach them to pray was a short model ofprayer we call The Lord’s Prayer. In this model Jesussuggested that we should pray for God’s will to bedone—the emphasis being on God’s will, not ourwill, regardless of how worthy our will may appear.Praying “God’s will be done,” and discerning God’swill is not always simple or easy.

Followers of Jesus have discovered that God’s will isoften discerned by sharing with friends and in prayer.Along with studying the Bible, God’s will is discernedby the use of available helps and resources. Butalways it is an act of faith. A choice has to be made.Having availed ourselves of prayer, Scripture reading,the counsel of friends and helpful resources, we exer-cise faith that our choice is God’s will.

In time, a year, five years, after the glow of the newrelationship dims, expectations begin to tarnish. Canwe exercise the same faith then as now that ourchoice is the will of God?

Discussion: In a spirit of confession, discuss togeth-er how difficult it is to put your trust totally in God andin one another as you begin this process. What doyou need from God and one another to have yourhearts, minds and spirits open to God’s will at thistime? Pray for one another and for God’s leading.

Closing Prayer: Our God, we pray that we may beopen to your will in the life of this congregation. Openour eyes to see the new thing that you want for ourcongregation, and give us the faith and courage tofollow on the path you are leading us. Amen.

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SEARCH COMMITTEE DEVOTIONALSession 2

Purpose: To focus attention on the varieties of giftsthat are needed and provided by God for the wellbeing of the church.

Scripture: The gifts God gave were that somewould be apostles, some prophets, some evangel-ists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saintsfor the work of ministry, for building up the body ofChrist, until all of us come to the unity of the faithand of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturi-ty, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-13

Illustration: A writer in the October 1977 issue ofGuideposts* shared this testimony:

“ The woman who slouched down on theother side of the subway car distressedme. Her hair was matted, her face dirty,and though it was a cold night outside, shewas wearing a flimsy cotton dress and ablanket through which she had torn holesfor her arms. As a Christian, I wondered,what should I do? She was so obviously inneed. Wasn’t there some shelter I coulddirect her to, some place where she wouldget all the attention she required? No, Ifinally reasoned, her problems were toos taggering for me.

“As I pondered and rejected possible solu-tions to the woman’s plight, the car came toa stop. A young man, poorly dressed butneat, rose to leave. He was out of the car andthe train had started up again before I reallynoticed what he had done. He had slippedoff his gloves and laid them on her lap.”

Development: God has chosen not to meet theneeds of the church and the world directly. Instead,God gives gifts to individual persons that are to beused for the benefit of the whole church and thewhole world. No one person has all the necessarygifts which the Body of Christ needs, but all that arenecessary for the well being of the church are dis-tributed among the people of God.

Right now this church has need of the gifts that apastor will bring. We do not need to be anxious aboutthat. Just as God prepared someone with a pair ofwarm gloves on a cold night, so God has already pre-pared someone to be the next pastor of this church.All we have to do is to be sensitive to discover whothat might be.

Discussion: The person whom God is preparing foryour congregation is also, at this time, goingthrough a discernment process. Imagine for a fewmoments what it must be like to consider moving toa new community, a new ministry position and a newcongregation. Pray for your next pastor—that Godwill surround him or her with peace, wisdom and asense of purpose.

Prayer: God, you are the one who gave gifts tohumankind and who still provides for our everyneed. You provide for every need so that we canbecome people who are mature in the faith. Yo uknow our need of a pastor for this congregation.Help us to wait with patience and to work with vigorto discover who it is who has the gifts you intend togive to us. Amen.

*Used by permission from Guideposts, October 1977.

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SEARCH COMMITTEE DEVOTIONALSession 3

Purpose: To focus attention on the leadership role ofwomen in ministry.

Scripture: There is no longer Jew or Greek, there isno longer slave or free, there is no longer male andfemale; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28

Illustration: One of the great renewals of our timehappened at Mariners Temple Baptist Church in NewYork City. Not long ago this urban church near ournation’s financial center was in a desperate situation,with attendance having dwindled so low that recov-ery seemed impossible. The new pastor did not knowwhere to begin or what to do.

H o w e v e r, the pastor soon found that at noon everyworking day, office workers who wanted to eat outdoorscarried their lunches to the ch u r ch steps. The steps ofthe ch u r ch were filled with opportunity! The pastoropened the ch u r ch and invited people in for lunch t i m ediscussions. Many began to come for Sunday worshipas well. Those who asked about membership were toldthat they were welcome if they wanted to becomeinvolved; otherwise, it would be better if they did notjoin. Today Mariners Temple has up to 500 in its noon-time meetings and a full sanctuary on Sundays.

Development: In Romans 16, Paul adds personalwords of greeting to men and women who were par-ticularly dear to him. Each one mentioned was aleader among those early ch u r ches in his or her ownright, but two were in a special category: “A n d r o n i c u sand Junia, fellow Jews, were in prison with me; theyare well known among the apostles, and theybecame Christians before I did.” Romans 16:7 (TEV)

“Well known among the apostles” has two possiblemeanings. This special pair may have been so effec-tive in their ministry that they were regarded in thatselect class of evangelists who, for a time, werereferred to as “apostles.” It may also mean that theirwork had caught the personal attention and appreci-ation of the twelve.

Either way, this passage helps us understand thatGod may use any and all of His children for leader-ship in the church. Andronicus was a man, but Juniawas a woman. Both were counted equally in theselect group that made up the apostolic circle.

Does God still pour out power through ministers whoare women? Well, you be the judge. The pastor ofMariners Temple Baptist Church was a woman. Andthere are several hundred other women pastors whoare demonstrating their God-given gifts of leadershipto American Baptist congregations. Today almost halfof all seminarians are women. Could it be that God isdoing a new thing?

Discussion: Imagine for a moment that God haschosen your next pastor and, to your surprise, theperson is a woman. What would you say to Godabout this selection? Are there other types of minis-ters you might initially reject, whom God might wantyou to consider?

Prayer: God of surprising possibilities, as Paul andPeter and the other disciples had to be taught toopen their minds to the new people you wanted themto be, help us to be open to the new possibilities youmight have in store for us. Help us not to say “No,” ifyou are saying “Yes.” Amen.

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SEARCH COMMITTEE DEVOTIONALSession 4

Purpose: To focus attention on the qualifications ofthe pastor as they relate to the needs of the localcongregation.

Scripture: “I give you a new commandment, thatyou love one another. Just as I have loved you, youalso should love one another. By this everyone willknow that you are my disciples, if you have love forone another.” John 13:34-35

Illustration: The young couple was in the first ses-sion of pre-marital counseling. Each knew what he orshe wanted in the relationship, but when the pastorasked, “What is it you have to offer each other?” bothfell strangely silent. The man finally broke the silencewith the comment, “I guess I never thought of it thatway. Most of my thoughts have been about what Iwanted to receive. I’m not sure how to answer yourquestion. I hope what I have to offer is something shewill want. As for her real needs, I’m not sure what theyare. I hope I can meet them.”

Development: The relationship of pastor and peopleis like a marriage. Each is in a position to give andreceive from the other as well as to work together increating a new relationship. The best working relation-ship results when a pastor is able to model what Jesusspeaks about in John 13. Our love for Christ causes usto love others and our service to them is in Christ’sname. We serve Jesus by serving others “as unto Him.”

Service always grows out of love and love is themotivation for serving. In our search we need theSpirit’s leading to the one of God’s choosing—whocan love us and serve us according to our need andthe one who will be open to our love and will allow usto serve him or her as well. All other qualificationsmust be subordinate to these.

As we examine the qualifications of the person wewill one day call to lead us, may we also look forthose qualities that undergird all others: a love forGod and a heart for serving God’s people. We cando with more but never with less.

Discussion: What gifts of caring and concerndoes your congregation have to offer your newpastor? How can your ch u r ch support and encour-age your pastor to be the best he or she can be?In the past has the ministry in your ch u r ch been aone-way street or have respect, love and expres-sions of concern gone both ways between thepastor and the people?

Prayer: Lord, we believe you call each of us to loveand serve—both pastor and people. This is what wedesire in ourselves and in the one you call as ourp a s t o r. May we learn that to love you we must loveone another, and to serve you we must serve oneanother? In the name of the One who loves andserves us all. Amen.

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SEARCH COMMITTEE DEVOTIONALSession 5

Purpose: The interval between pastors may be atime of testing, a time of anxiety, a time of trial. Butmore importantly, this time may be a time of renewal,a time of growth, a time to learn anew of God’s planfor our church.

Scripture: While staying with them, Jesus orderedthem not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for thepromise of the Father. Acts 1:4

But those who wait for the Lord shall renew theirstrength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles,they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk andnot faint. Isaiah 40:31

Illustration: Waiting is among the most commonexperiences of life. We wait in lines to pay for the gro-ceries; we wait in airports and at bus stops. We wait inoffices to see the doctor or the dentist. We wait in hos-p i tal corridors to learn of the prognosis of our friendsand loved ones. When away from home, we wait toreceive a letter from the family. We wait to learn of thenew promotion. Waiting is not uncommon. Wa i t i n gmay be a time of anxiety and stress, or waiting may bea time of learning of our dependence upon God.

Development: Elijah knew what it was to wait, butit was in the waiting he learned most about God.Waiting in the Valley of Despair he learned mostabout God’s caring, God’s love, God’s provision.Waiting under the juniper tree, exhausted and without water or food, he learned of God’s full provision. In

the cave, frightened for his life, waiting, he learnedthat God has the last word. Waiting in a gale with theearth shaking beneath his feet, he heard the hush ofGod’s voice. In times of waiting, God’s word may bemost profound.

In Acts 1:4 we are reminded that the apostles wereasked to wait on the coming of the Spirit. The apos-tles used this time to gain strength, courage andpeace. We could well learn from them. In our con-s tant demand to meet schedules in the surgingactivities of life, we must find time for quietness,patient waiting, where there will be less striving andmore time to receive. As the prophet Isaiah so wise-ly counseled, “They that wait upon the Lord shallrenew their strength.”

Discussion: What was a time in your life when youlearned an important lesson while waiting? How, foryou, has waiting been sacred time?

While waiting for the call and the coming of anew pastor, may this time be used as the apos-tles and the prophet used the time of waiting…torenew our strength, to renew our commitment, torenew our vision.

Prayer: God, you never leave us nor forsake us.While waiting for your leading, your purpose to befulfilled, may we be renewed in purpose, in vision,and in understanding of your will for our ch u r ch andour lives? Amen.

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SEARCH COMMITTEE DEVOTIONALSession 6

Purpose: To focus attention on the need for buildingand maintaining healthy pastor-people relationships.

Scripture: I thank my God every time I rememberyou, constantly praying with joy in every one of myprayers for all of you, because of your sharing in thegospel from the first day until now. I am confident ofthis, that the one who began a good work amongyou will bring it to completion by the day of JesusChrist. It is right for me to think this way about all ofyou, because you hold me in your heart, for all ofyou share in God’s grace with me, both in myimprisonment and in the defense and confirmationof the gospel. Philippians 1:3-7

Development: Some years ago our denominatione s tablished the idea of a Pastoral RelationsCommittee. The reasoning behind the need for sucha committee is the fact that too often the pastorbecomes isolated from the people and the peoplefrom the pastor. Communication breaks down.Misunderstandings mount. A gap may develop aseach is distanced from the other. This becomesuncomfortable for both the pastor and the people. Itnot only can lead to a strained relationship but also toending the relationship prematurely.

Pastors need to feel the support of their people. Inthe process of serving the needs of the people some-times little or no attention is paid to the pastors’ ownneeds. This can lead to unhappiness and/or burnout.As a result true effectiveness can be lost.

There is danger in taking any relationship for granted,especially a cherished one. Yet too often we tend tovoice our criticism while withholding our affirmation.In a healthy relationship both are shared freely andspontaneously.

Discussion: Have you ever felt unappreciated? Howdid that affect your relationship with a person orgroup? What are some ways people have shown youhow much they appreciate you or something youhave done for them?

Clergy support is far more than financial. What is neededmost is emotional support. We can’t always give a com-p e n sation raise, but we can always say thanks and affirmthe one we look to most for spiritual leadership. The healthof a congregation is usually measurable in its ability to sa ya heart-felt “thank you” to those who give of themselves inits nurture, care and leadership. Even clergy need a regu-lar diet of daily “hugs” to maintain and grow.

Prayer: Take a few moments to thank God for allthe ways you as a committee have been led throughthis process.

Closing Prayer: Lord, help us understand the needsof our pastor, so we may serve him or her as true part-ners in ministry. Like you, may we think more of serv-ing than of being served, of affirming than of beingaffirmed. Help us realize that, in meeting the needs ofothers, our needs may be met also. In the name of theOne who hugs us all. Amen.

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SEARCH COMMITTEE DEVOTIONALSession 7

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Having accepted God’s call to leadership in Christ’sChurch, I covenant with God to serve Christ and theChurch with, the help of the holy spirit, to deepen myobedience to the Two Great Commandments: to lovethe Lord our God with all my heart, soul, mind andstrength, and to love my neighbor as myself.

In affirmation of this commitment, I will abide by theCode of Ethics of the Ministers Council of theAmerican Baptist Churches and I will faithfully sup-port its purposes and ideals. As further affirmation ofmy commitment, I covenant with my colleagues inministry that we will hold one another accountable forfulfillment of all the public actions set forth in ourCode of Ethics.

• I will hold in trust the traditions and practices ofour American Baptist Churches; I will not accept aposition in the American Baptist family unless I am inaccord with those traditions and practices; nor will Iuse my influence to alienate my congregation/con-stituents or any part thereof from its relationship andsupport of the denomination. If my convictionschange, I will resign my position.

• I will respect and recognize the variety of calls toministry among my American Baptist colleagues, andother Christians.

• I will seek to support all colleagues in ministry bybuilding constructive relationships wherever I serve,both with the staff where I work and with colleaguesin neighboring churches.

• I will advocate adequate compensation for myprofession. I will help lay persons and colleagues tounderstand that ministerial leaders should not expector require fees for pastoral services from constituentsthey serve, when these constituents are helping paytheir salaries.

• I will not seek personal favors or discounts on thebasis of my ministerial status.

• I will maintain a disciplined ministry in suchways as keeping hours of prayers and devotion,endeavoring to maintain wholesome family rela-tionships, sexual integrity, financial responsibility,regularly engaging in educational and recreationalactivities for ministerial and personal development.

I will seek to maintain good health habits.

• I will recognize my primary obligation to thechurch or employing group to which I have beencalled, and will accept added responsibilities only ifthey do not interfere with the overall effectiveness ofmy ministry.

• I will personally and publicly support my col-leagues who experience discrimination on the basisof gender, race, ethnicity, age, marital status, nationalorigin, physical impairment or disability.

• I will not proselytize from other Christian churches.

• I will, upon my resignation or retirement, sever myministerial leadership relations with my former con-stituents, and will not make ministerial contacts in thefield of another ministerial leader without his/herrequest and/or consent.

• I will hold in confidence and treat as confidentialcommunication any information provided to me withthe expectation of privacy. I will not disclose suchinformation in private or public except when, in mypractice of ministry, I am convinced that the sanctityof confidentiality is outweighed by my well-foundedbelief that life-threatening or substantial harm will becaused.

• I will not use my ministerial status, position orauthority knowingly to abuse, misguide, negativelyinfluence, manipulate, or take advantage of anyone,especially children.

• I will report all instances of abuse as required bylaw to the appropriate agency. In any case involvingpersons working in ABC ministry, I will also report thecircumstances to the appropriate regional and/ornational denominational representative.

• I will show my personal love for God as revealedin Jesus Christ in my life and ministry, as I strivetogether with my colleagues to preserve the dignity,maintain the discipline and promote the integrity ofthe vocation to which we have been called

*Ministers Council, American Baptist Churches USA

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Resource A

THE COVENANT AND CODE OF ETHICSfor Ministerial Leaders of American Baptist Churches

It can be very valuable to plan an Exit Interview nearthe date your pastor departs.

The Exit Interview provides a time for

• Debriefing with the resigning or retiring minister• Recounting some of the highlights and

achievements of his or her ministry• Stating the minister's hopes for the church• Clarifying the minister's relationship with the ch u r ch

This is not a time to attempt to change the minister'sdecision to leave nor to debate and argue with the min-i s t e r. It is a time to listen and to gain insights into theneeds and issues of your ch u r ch for future planning.

Appropriate questions for the minister might include:

1. How was the church different from your expectations when you came?

2. In what ways are the people different now than when you came?

3. What are some experiences that have been important during your ministry here?

4. What do you think are the strengths of the congregation?

5. What do you think are the weaknesses of the congregation?

6. Was there anything you hoped to accomplish but didn't? If yes, why?

7. What kind of ministry do you feel the church needs to address now?

8. What are some changes that might be needed for the congregation to grow in ministry?

9. Have essential records been completed and arrangements made for the transfer of information and materials?

Clarify the relationship the departing minister willhave with the church in the future.

A reminder: In the Code of Ethics for MinisterialLeaders of American Baptist Churches (ResourceA on page 33), a former minister is urged not toprovide pastoral services to members of thech u r ch except when a succeeding ministerextends an invitation to do so.

Close the exit interview with expressions of thanks-giving for the pastor’s ministry.

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Resource B

THE EXIT INTERVIEW

When a pastor leaves a church – either resigning orretiring – it is typical for members of the congregationto experience some or all of the following concerns.The longer the interim period, the more these con-cerns may come to light.

Impatience– A desire to move forward quickly in addressingissues and calling a new pastor.

Anxiety – A concern about too much change and anu n c e r tain future.

Grief– A feeling of sadness over the departure of the previouspastor and concern for “all the work we have to do now.”

Expectation– A belief that a new pastor will be found very soon,including an expectation that the regional consultanthas just the right person in mind.

Frustration– A growing sense that things are getting “out of con-trol” and that the church will suffer a loss of members,money and mission focus.

Low self-image– You may begin to hear these comments: “We don’thave…” “We can’t do…” “We are not able to …”“Let’s wait for the new pastor…” “We’ll never be ableto attract a good minister.”

Power changes– A concern about leadership: “Who is incharge here?”

Lack of communication– With the change in pastoral leadership, old pat-terns of communication don’t seem to work as well.

Finances– Who controls the money? What is the accountabil-ity system? How are we doing financially?

The Search Committee– Questions about what the Committee is doing.Pressure on the Committee to find the right person,and do it quick l y. Frustration on the part ofCommittee members about the length of time it cantake to find the right person.

Why not keep the Interim Minister? – Concern over the length of time it takes to find anew pastor, and a desire to shortcut the process bysimply keeping the interim minister. The struggle maybe over commitment to new leadership and a lack ofreadiness to move on.

Closure Issues – Working out the relationship with the former pastor,especially if he or she stays in the community. Lateron, finding a positive way to say good-bye to theinterim minister.

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Resource C

WHEN THE PASTOR LEAVES: COMMON CHARACTERISTICS DURING A PERIOD OF CHANGE IN THE CHURCH

36

Reception

• A reception allows the congregation to celebrate, share memories, and affirm the departing pastor’s ministry.

• A meal – breaking bread together – can add warmth and a feeling of fellowship.

Recognition of ministry gift ideas:

• Gifts from different ministry groups within the church

• Opportunity for persons to contribute financially toward a congregational gift

• Opportunity for verbal gifts: "I want to thank you for..."

• Audiovisual recording of the events – can be used as a gift

• Letters from church members, colleagues, etc. – especially appropriate when the pastor is retiring or leaving the area

• Photo album of events during the pastor’s ministry

Worship

• Last Sunday worship service

• See Resource E on page 37 for “Suggested Worship Service”

Resource D

HELPING THE CHURCH CELEBRATETHE MINISTRY OF THE DEPARTING MINISTER

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Call to Worship: Isaiah 6:1-9

Minister shares his or her call to ministry. Reminds church where he or she previously served.

Hymns: Congregational favorites

Season of Prayer: Congregation presents the part of the church history that they have lived together with the minister.

Prayers of Thanksgiving: Sentence prayers for important events and contributions.

Thanks for the Memories: Presentation of ornaments for a tree of celebration.Ornaments may be individual or family symbols of their relationship.Any gift giving could happen here.

Gift or remembrances from minister to congregation: Minister should state his or her relationship to the congregation and to indi-

viduals after the completion of his/her tenure. Explain that he or she will notcontinue to officiate at weddings and funerals, because it is not consistent with the American Baptist Covenant and Code of Ethics. (See Resource A on page 33.)

Hymns: Minister's favorites

Our Shared Ministry: Church members share how the pastor has been a blessing to them.Minister shares how the congregation has been a blessing to him or her.

In Remembrance: The minister serves communion to the congregation with an emphasis on Matthew 26:29.

Laying on of Hands: "Bless them on”: A time of prayer for the departing minister and family.One of the leaders of the church can offer prayer for the pastor and family and ask others in the congregation to surround the minister’s family and lay hands of blessing on them.

Hymn: "Bless Be the Tie That Binds"

Benediction The pastor can offer a final word of benediction to the congregation.

Resource E

SUGGESTED WORSHIP SERVICEFOR CLOSURE WITH DEPARTING MINISTER

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A Pastoral Search Committee member is one who:

• Has a good level of spiritual maturity and is prayerful

• Has the trust and respect of the congregation

• Is able to share the vision of what can be

• Is able to keep confidences within the group

• Understands and can articulate what the church needs

• Has a good level of trust in God’s working in and through the process

• Is teachable, willing to learn the search process, and willing to do the homework

• Has a sense of denominational identity and commitment

• Is usually positive and hopeful

• Is willing to make this responsibility a high priority in his or her life

• Is willing to work toward consensus and abide by the group’s decision

• Is open to the candidacy of all persons whom God might be calling to this congregation without regardto age, race, gender, physical handicap or marital status

Resource F - 1

CHARACTERISTICS OF A PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE MEMBER

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Having been entrusted with the important task of finding and recommending to our congregation the personwhom God is calling as the next spiritual leader of our congregation, I thoughtfully and prayerfully make thesepromises:

• I will pray for the Search Committee and our church.

• I will seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

• I will pursue with integrity the Pastoral Selection Process upon which the Committee has agreed.

• I will strive to be aware of my biases.

• I will practice active listening so that I can learn from others.

• I will respect the opinions of others.

• I will maintain confidentiality – candidate names, references and Committee discussions will not be shared beyond the Committee and our regional consultant. I will not disclose confidential information to family members, friends or other members of the congregation.

• I will be punctual and attend all meetings, if at all possible.

• I will follow through on assignments.

• I will respect and communicate support for the Committee’s decision as we recommend a candidate to our congregation.

_________________________________________________Search Committee Member

______________________________Date

Resource F - 2

A COVENANT OF RELATIONSHIP FORPASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Invite the Pastoral Se a r ch Committee to come forw a r d .

To everyone present:Most of the time a church selects leaders from itsown membership. A Nominating Committee recom-mends a slate, and church members vote for theirofficers. Those chosen are already known to most ofthose who vote to select them.

A significant exception is when a minister is called byvote of the church to be the pastor or an associatepastor. These persons come from outside the churchmembership and are not usually known by the con-gregation.

Therefore, a congregation’s trust level needs to bevery high toward the Pastoral Search Committee,which is charged with recommending a minister. Andthe trust level toward God must be higher still, as wepray and expect God to lead in the Committee's andthe congregation's decisions. The Committee mem-bers have already given themselves to this importantcalling by saying, "Yes" when asked to serve.

To the Committee:Your commitment level is high. Your own ideals andlove for Christ and the church assure that you willseek out a person of high ideals, a person who lovesChrist and the church.

You are human. Ministers are human too. But humanbeings who are led and empowered by the HolySpirit do great things for God. And we are confidentthat you will serve well as members of the SearchCommittee.

There are recommended procedures to follow. Some ofthem seem time-consuming, detailed disciplines. Yo umay be tempted to take short cuts to save time. Butalways weigh that temptation alongside of your aim tolet God lead you to the right decision. The right deci-sion is measured by eternity more than by earth's time.

Will you pray for the work of the Committee and thechurch? Will you seek the guidance of the HolySpirit? Will you strive to be aware of your biases andpursue with integrity the Pastoral Selection Process?Will you respect the opinions of others? Will youmaintain confidentiality in all aspects of your work,

not disclosing confidential information to family,friends or members of the congregation?

If so, please respond with the words, “With God’shelp, I will.”

Ask the members of the congregation (who areable) to stand.

To the Congregation:Will you give yourself to prayer for this Committee, foryour church, and for the one whom God leads theCommittee to recommend to you?

Will you give yourself to renewal of the church's innerspirit, to numerical growth by your own faithfulness inthe worship services and activities, to participationthat will help the church to attain goals and visionsworthy of our Lord, so this church will be a lively andvital witness for Christ and a nurturing Christian fam-ily in which a new pastor will find kinship, opportunityand a challenge to serve?

Will you give this Committee permission to work inconfidentiality, not expecting members to discusswho they are considering, realizing confidences mustbe kept to prevent misunderstandings and out ofrespect for a minister's continuing relationship withthe church now being served?

Will you receive with open minds and hearts the bestthinking of the Committee when they are ready to reporttheir recommendation and make your decision on allphases of the pastoral call with the same earnestnessof prayer then as when you started the process?

Will you welcome the new pastor and family as newbrothers and sisters in Christ, with unique gifts fromGod and, leaving past accomplishments and con-cerns behind, move into the church's new day withhope and enthusiasm?

If yes, please respond with the words, "I will, Godbeing my helper!"

Prayer of Dedication

Written by the Rev. Raymond King, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Valparaiso, IN

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Resource F - 3

DEDICATION OF PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE

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The following is an agreement for interim ministry service between _____________________________________

(name of church)

in _____________________________________________ and ______________________________________.(town, state) (name of interim minister)

Both parties have agreed to the following covenant:

I. The interim minister will begin to serve on ____________________.

II. The interim minister agrees to provide pastoral leadership for __________ units of time each week.

III. The interim minister will be responsible for the following:

A. Giving intentional leadership to the Five Tasks of the interim period as found in The Tasks of the Church during the Interim Period*. (Refer to page 10 for a description of the Interim tasks.)

B. Preaching and leading the worship life of the church.C. Officiating at baptisms, weddings and funerals, as requested. D. Leading classes and other services mutually agreed upon, such as overseeing administrative tasks.E. Visiting the sick and shut-ins and counseling church members, as requested.F. Attending appropriate meetings of the church body as mutually agreed upon, and making

periodic reports.

IV. The church will support and cooperate with the interim minister and will assume responsibility for:

A. Working on the Five Tasks for congregations.B. Attending worship services and meetings.C. Providing clerical assistance as needed.

V. The church agrees to provide the following compensation to the interim minister:

_____ Units per week at _________ to ________ per unit_____ Vacation (one week for three months of service)_____ Travel expenses at ____________ (rate per mile)_____ Expenses upon submission of vouchers _____ Health insurance_____ Other

VI. The interim minister and the church agree that the interim minister will not be a candidate for the position of pastor.

VII. This covenant will be reviewed and revised as needed after three months and extended as mutually agreed by the church and the interim minister. Either party may terminate the covenantal relationship with30 days notice of such intent.

VIII. At the termination of the interim relationship, representatives of the church and the interim ministeragree to participate in an evaluation of the interim period.

_________________________________ _________________________________ _____________Congregational Representative Interim Minister Date

Resource G

A COV ENANT BE TW EEN CONGREG ATION AND IN TERIM MINIS TER

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1. CHURCH NAME:_________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS :______________________________________________________________________________

CITY AND STATE: ________________________________________________________________________

CHURCH TELEPHONE: __________________________________________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________________________

FAX NUMBER:___________________________________________________________________________

2. PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON:

ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________________

CITY AND STATE: ________________________________________________________________________

TELEPHONE:____________________________________________________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________________________

FAX NUMBER:___________________________________________________________________________

3. REGIONAL CONSULTANT (AREA OR EXECUTIVE MINISTER):

ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________________

CITY AND STATE: ________________________________________________________________________

TELEPHONE:____________________________________________________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________________________

FAX NUMBER: ___________________________________________________________________________

Resource H CHURCH REFLECTIONS

SELF -STUDY AND CHURCH PROFILECover Sheet

Available in Word

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1. Which indicator most nearly describes our community?

a. ____ Center city (in city of more than 25,000* population)b. ____ Transitional urban neighborhood

(in city of more than 25,000* population)c. ____ Stable urban neighborhood

(in city of more than 25,000* population)d. ____ Inner suburbe. ____ Outer suburbf. ____ Small city (5,000 to 25,000* population)g. ____ Small town (less than 5,000* population)h. ____ Open country

(*You may wish to indicate the exact size of your community.)

2. The approximate number of members and church participants within the following distance of our church building.

a. ____ 1 mileb. ____ 1-2 milesc. ____ 2-5 milesd. ____ 5-10 milese. ____ more than 10 miles

3. Which indicator(s) most nearly describes our congregation?

a. ____ DOW N TOWN CHURCH - People travel from a wide distance into the center of the city

b. ____ FEDERATED/UNION - Initiated, supported, or identified in some way with two or more denominations

c. ____ NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH - Serves a relatively small residential neighborhood of the city or the suburbs

d. ____ NEW CHURCH - May have begun as a mission of an already established churchand/or with the gathering of like-minded persons to fulfill a vision for ministry

1. ____ 5-10 years as a church2. ____ 2-5 years as a church3. ____ less than 2 years as a church

e. ____ OLD ESTABLISHED CHURCH - Has a long history of ministry and may have helped establish other churches

f. ____ RESTARTED CHURCH - May have a long history and lived through significant community change and emerged with a new vision for ministry

g. ____ SMALL TOWN CHURCH - Serves a town of a few hundred to less than 5,000 residents

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 1

OUR CHURCH INFORMATION

Available in Word

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h. ____ YOKED PARISH - Yoked together with another church of the same or a different denomination for the support of pastoral leadership(If dually aligned, or yoked with another denomination, indicate other denomination)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

i. ____ OTHER ___________________________________________________________________

4. In which denominational events does our church participate and how many members attend?

a. ____ The Biennial Meeting of American Baptist Churches USAb. ____ The annual/biennial meeting of our regionc. ____ Meetings of our association/aread. ____ Training events sponsored by our regione. ____ Camping/conference programsf. ____ Other ___________________________________________________________________

If dually aligned or yoked with another denomination, in what events from the other denomination doesour congregation participate?

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

5. The approximate number of members and/or church participants in each category.

MALE FEMALE TOTAL

a. 0-9 ______ ______ ______

b. 10-14 ______ ______ ______

c. 15-19 ______ ______ ______

d. 20-29 ______ ______ ______

e. 30-45 ______ ______ ______

f. 46-55 ______ ______ ______

g. 56-65 ______ ______ ______

h. 66-74 ______ ______ ______

i. 75-79 ______ ______ ______

j. 80-above ______ ______ ______

TOTAL ______ ______ ______

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 1

OUR CHURCH INFORMATION (continued)

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6. The approximate racial/ethnic mix of our congregation.

a. ____ African Americanb. ____ Asian Americanc. ____ European Americand. ____ Hispanic/Latinoe. ____ Native Americanf. ____ Other ______________________________________________

7. The approximate number of households in each category.

a. ____ Single female parent with one or more children at homeb. ____ Single male parent with one or more children at homec. ____ Married with no children at homed. ____ Married with one or more children at homee. ____ Separated/divorced with no children at homef. ____ Separated/divorced living aloneg. ____ Single adult living with parent/sh. ____ Single adult not living with parent/si. ____ Widowed living alonej. ____ Widowed with one or more children at homek. ____ Other ______________________________________________

8. The approximate number of members and church participants:

a. ____ Employed full-timeb. ____ Employed part-timec. ____ Homemaker full-timed. ____ Retirede. ____ Studentf. ____ Unemployed

Employment category:

a. ____ Clerical, office, etc. j. ____ Militaryb. ____ Craft worker, production supervisor k. ____ Professionalc. ____ Farmer or farm manager l. ____ Salesd. ____ Farm laborer m. ____ Servicee. ____ Health care worker n. ____ Teacherf. ____ Household worker o. ____ Technicalg. ____ Laborer p. ____ Other _____________________h. ____ Machine operator q. ____ Other _____________________i. ____ Manager, proprietor, executive

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 1

OUR CHURCH INFORMATION (continued)

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9. The approximate number of households in our church by estimated income range.

a. ____ $ 0 - 24,999b. ____ $ 25,000 - 44,999c. ____ $ 45,000 - 59,999d. ____ $ 60,000 - 74,999e. ____ $ 75,000 - 89,999f. ____ $ 90,000 - above

10. Create an Organizational Chart of your congregation’s formal structure. Such a chart might include one or more of the following boards, committees or groups:

One Board with sub-committee or task groups Multi-Board or several BoardsPastoral Relations CommitteeCooperative programs:

____ between boards____ with other churches____ with social agencies

Clubs or organizations

11. Financial matters often reflect the commitments of a church. The following suggests information that mightbe helpful to potential candidates.

The current total budget of our church is $ __________________The current average annual income of church participants is $________________The current expenses of the church is $ _________________The annual mission giving is $___________________The current endowment is $__________________Income from the endowment is used as follows: _____________________________

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 1

OUR CHURCH INFORMATION (continued)

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What is demography?Demography is the study of populations. It answersquestions like the following: Is our neighborhoodgrowing? Are there any children around the church?How many families are headed by single parents inour church’s neighborhood? Do the members of thechurch look like the people in the church’s ministryarea? A demographic study of the church’s ministryarea can help you to see your neighbors from a dif-ferent perspective. Not only can such information behelpful in planning new outreach; it can also be help-ful in describing your church and community to aprospective new pastor.

How to define your area of interest

When conducting a demographic study, it is impor-tant to define the area you are studying. Here aresome questions to consider. What is the extent ofthe study? What level of detail do you need to con-sider? Does the area you wish to study have a cen-ter--your church location, perhaps, or a potential sitefor a new church or a new building? Do you want todraw a circle or some other shape around the cen-ter? Do you want to determine distance in terms ofmiles or drive time? Perhaps you may wish to studyyour whole city or town as a unit.

A number of different levels of geography are com-monly used for local demographic studies. You maywish to use city or town, ZIP code, or census tract.Note that while Z IP codes are convenient, especiallyif you are contemplating a direct mail campaign, thepurpose of Z IP codes is to deliver the U.S. mail. TheCensus Bureau relates demographic data to ZIPcodes by the use of ZIP Code Tabulation Areas,which approximate ZIP Code boundaries.

You can begin this part of your homework by drivingaround the area you wish to study and noting bound-aries such as streets, rivers, or railroad tracks. Thenlook at a map to define the area to be studied.Affordable mapping software such as Street AtlasUSA from DeLorme (www.delorme.com) may behelpful, but you can use paper maps, as well.

Which pieces of information do we need?There is more information at our fingertips than wecan easily absorb, so we need to be selective. To

create a summary description of your community for aprospective new pastor, for example, you might lookup the racial/ethnic makeup of the population togeth-er with information on age, household wealth, andhousehold type and size. If you are thinking of sta r t-ing a new, cross-cultural ministry, you may wish toidentify the different language groups represented inyour study area and the parts of the world from whichthe most recent immigrants to your area have come.

How do we present our discoveries?There are different ways to present what you discoverin your demographic study. In general you should avoidpresenting reports with many columns of numbers andtry to tell the story naturally, instead. Numbers shouldbe summarized, and charts or graphs should tell ones t o r y. USA Today routinely does this effectively.

Consider your audience and the forum of your presen-tation. If you will present your findings to prospectivenew pastors, a combination of narrative describing yourcommunity together with simple charts and a map canbe very helpful. If you are making a presentation tomembers of your ch u r ch in a congregational meeting, aclear oral presentation supplemented by maps can behelpful in telling the story. Maps can be especially help-ful in contrasting and comparing the neighborhoodswithin your ministry area. Remember: keep it simple!

What do we do with this information?It is important to use demographic reports obtainedfrom a database or a company in conjunction withwhat you or other informants know about an area.The mile high view needs to be qualified by theground level view! Demographic reports can promptyou to ask questions that require further investigationat the local level. Demographic studies are not magicand do not provide answers to the question: whatshould we do? However, they can help you to frameyour questions.

Where can we get help?National Ministries has prepared some resources tohelp you find demographic information for yourch u r ch. If you have Web access, navigate to:w w w. n a t i o n a l m i n i s t r i e s . o r g / d e m o g r a p h i c s . Th e s ematerials are periodically updated. You may also callthe Rev. David Cushman at 800-ABC-3USA, ext.2494, to ask for help.

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CHURCH REFLECTIONS 1

Demographics—Identifying “Your Crowd”

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The year our church was organized: _________________

What led people to establish your church?

Who are the people (laity and ministers) who stand out in the story of your church? What contributions havethey made?

There are significant turning points in the life of every church. Identify your turning points with a statement oftheir significance and an approximate date. Some examples follow:

Building burned Natural disaster in communityBuilding program Pastor anniversary/ordinationChanges in the community Persons entering the ministryChurch anniversary Relocation of facilitiesChurch split/s Roll call/homecomingEvangelistic crusades Staff developmentFederation Started a new churchFounding YokingGrowth explosion UnyokingMission projects Other ____________________Mortgage burning Other ____________________

Turning points lead to celebrations. What events does your church celebrate?

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 2

OUR HISTORYSECTION I

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The Story of Pastor/Church Relations

List the last three installed pastors of your church and their tenure.

Name Dates Served From To

1. _______________________________________ ___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2. _______________________________________ ___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

3. _______________________________________ ___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Name the primary strength each of these pastors brought to the ministry of the church:

In addition to financial support, describe how your church encouraged and supported the most recent personwho held the position you are now seeking to fill:

If a previous pastor is currently a member of the church, describe his or her role in the life of the congregation:

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 2

OUR HISTORYSECTION II

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Have any of the last three installed pastors left involuntarily or under pressure?

____ Yes _____ No

If yes:

1. Choose the issues that may have contributed to the termination. You may ch e ck more than one.

_____ Conflict of personalities in the church_____ Inadequate performance_____ Pastoral style inappropriate for this church_____ Ethical issues_____ Financial stresses_____ Other

Specify

2. Indicate, if you can, which of the following best describe the congregation’s behavior toward a minister prior to her or his leaving. You may check more than one.

_____ civil _____ kind_____ compassionate _____ supportive_____ harsh _____ indifferent_____ happy _____ sad_____ angry _____ hurt_____ (other) _____ (other)

3. Describe what your church has learned from the experience about itself and its relationship with personswho provide ministerial leadership.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 2

OUR HISTORYSECTION III

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1. Our church expects our pastor to ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 1. Our church expects the pastor to take leadership. share in leadership.

2. Our church makes use of conflict ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 2. Our church seeks to avoid conflict and confrontation. and confrontation.

3. Our church is influenced by ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 3. Our church is influenced by history and tradition. contemporary ideas and trends.

4. Our church’s approach to social ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 4. Our church’s approach toissues is basically educational, issues is decidedly activist. Weleaving any action to individual have a proven history of takingconscience. a stand on social issues as

a congregation.

5. Our church feels ethical ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 5. Our church feels ethical decisions should be based on decisions should be made inabsolute standards. light of circumstances.

6. Our church emphasizes ABC ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 6. Our church minimizes ABCrelationships locally, nationally relationships locally, nationallyand internationally. and internationally.

7. Our church is often involved ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 7. Our church is seldom involved in community affairs. in community affairs.

8. Our church’s ideas and plans are ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 8. Our church’s ideas and plans aremade by an informal network. made by the responsible board,

committee or task force.

9. In making decisions our church ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 9. In making decisions our churchis governed by boards. is governed by the congregation.

10. Decisions are communicated ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 10. Decisions are communicatedformally through worship, informally by bulletin boards,bulletins and newsletter. posters, grapevine or other

informal network.

11. Our church places much ◆ ■ ● ● ■ ◆ 11. Our church places littleemphasis on giving to ABC emphasis on giving to ABCnational and world mission national and world mission.

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 3

CONGREGATIONAL STYLE INDICATOR◆ Tends VERY strongly ■ = Definitely Tends ● = Somewhat Tends

Following are 11 continuums.Please mark ONCE on each line indicating which way your church tends.

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What are the present ministries of this church as you perceive and/or experience them?

What new opportunities of ministry do you see for your church?

What are potential areas of growth for your church?

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 4

HOW OTHERS SEE US

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Our church offers:

Sunday School for all ages 1 2 3 4 5

Midweek prayer/Bible study 1 2 3 4 5

Midweek children’s programs 1 2 3 4 5

Child care for all services 1 2 3 4 5

Children’s ministry opportunities 1 2 3 4 5

Youth ministry opportunities 1 2 3 4 5

Senior adult ministry opportunities 1 2 3 4 5

Single adult ministry opportunities 1 2 3 4 5

Small group Bible study 1 2 3 4 5

Needs-based small groups 1 2 3 4 5

Special needs groups 1 2 3 4 5

Women’s Ministries 1 2 3 4 5

Men’s Ministries 1 2 3 4 5

Spiritual gifts assessment 1 2 3 4 5

Teacher training events 1 2 3 4 5

Revival/Renewal services 1 2 3 4 5

Mission education 1 2 3 4 5

Mission involvement 1 2 3 4 5

Community service opportunities 1 2 3 4 5

Ecumenical worship events 1 2 3 4 5

Intergenerational activities 1 2 3 4 5

Discipleship classes 1 2 3 4 5

Day-Care ministry 1 2 3 4 5

“English as a Second Language” Ministry 1 2 3 4 5

Community basic needs ministry 1 2 3 4 5

Other ___________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

Other ___________________________ 1 2 3 4 5

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 5

OUR CHURCH LIFE

SCALE: 1 = Always2 = Most of The Time3 = Occasionally4 = Never5 = Someday Soon We Would Like to Try This

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WORSHIP is the major focus of life together in the church; it gathers the people of God together regularly.Use the following list to help describe the worship experience of your congregation. You can simply check theones that apply to your church situation or you can mark each one according to the following criteria:

A = Always Happens

R = Regularly Happens (note monthly, yearly, etc.)

M = Most of the Time Happens

O = Occasionally Happens

N = Never Happens

S = Someday Soon We Would Like to Try This

CONGREGATION:

____ Worship committee plans our worship

____ Children participate in worship

____ Lay Leaders participate:

____ Make announcements

____ Pray

____ Preach

____ Tell Children’s Story

____ Church Covenant is read

____ People greet each other as part of worship

____ Prayer concerns come from the people

____ Verbally

____ Written form

____ Responsive Readings/Litanies are used

____ Unison Prayers are used

____ Unison Bible Readings are included

____ Communion Served by Minister

____ Invitation is extended to make a decision to join church or make public decision for Christ

____ Other: ________________________________________________________

MUSIC:

____ Choirs participate

____ Children’s Choir

____ Youth Choir

____ Adult Choir

____ Other: ___________________________________________________

____ Hand Bell Choir participates

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CHURCH REFLECTIONS 6

OUR WORSHIP LIFE

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MUSIC: (continued)

____ Congregation participates in singing

____ Praise Songs/Choruses

____ Familiar Hymns

____ New Songs

____ Gospel Songs

____ Songs with inclusive language are used

____ Other: _______________________________________________

____ A Worship Team leads congregational singing

____ A Song Leader leads congregational singing

____ Soloists participate

____ An organ is played

____ A piano is played

____ Other instruments are played

____ Guitar

____ Drums

____ Other: _______________________________________________

____ We use computer-generated music accompaniment

WE LIKE THE MINISTER TO:

____ Be the only worship leader

____ Mention all prayer concerns in the pastoral prayer

____ Preach sermons with a biblical focus

____ Preach sermons on evangelism

____ Preach sermons on social issues

____ Preach sermons on stewardship

____ Share leadership of worship with laity

____ Share leadership of worship with other staff/associate pastors

____ Share leadership of worship with students in ministry

____ Tell the children’s story

____ Use input from the Worship Committee

____ Encourage use of charismatic gifts

____ Use a variety of worship styles

____ Wear a robe/stole

____ Other: _______________________________________________

CHURCH REFLECTIONS 6

OUR WORSHIP LIFE(CONTINUED)

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It is important for the Search Committee to preparefor a productive dialogue with potential candidatesabout their Christian faith and experience, convic-tions about the church and its ministry, and other top-ics of mutual concern to both the Committee and thecandidates.

Because American Baptists are not a “creedal” peo-ple, there is no agreed upon summary of doctrinesand practices that govern our lives together.Nonetheless, each congregation and each potentialcandidate hold to convictions that need to beexplored to determine the potential of compatibilitybetween the two potential partners.

Your interim minister may be able to help you identifywhat your congregation believes. This might be donein Bible study groups or through a special congrega-tional event. Please remember that what a congrega-tion affirms in faith may differ from specific beliefs ofa former pastor, the interim minister or a past or pres-ent church leader.

Congregations reflect their beliefs in their ChurchCovenants, By-Laws, statements regarding thechurch’s purpose, and choice of educational materi-als and worship aids, such as a translation of theBible, the hymnal and litanies that are used regularly.

The topics listed below are similar to those suggest-ed for pastors preparing for ordination.

What are some of the convictions about these topicsthat are held by members of your church?

Do some members of your church have differing posi-tions? Will a new pastor need to help the congrega-tion be respectful of these differing views? Or domembers tend to have similar views? And do youwant a leader whose views are similar?

• God; Jesus Christ; Holy Spirit

• The Bible and its use

• Believers’ Baptism; Lord’s Supper

• The purpose, place and mission of the church

in today’s society

• The role of the laity; the role of the minister

• Soul Liberty

• The autonomy of the local congregation

• The priesthood of all believers

• The associational principle

• Your commitment in support of American

Baptist Churches USA

• Your relationship to ecumenical witness

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CHURCH REFLECTIONS 7

WHAT WE BELIEVE

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Instructions:

We suggest that you hold a meeting for the leadersof your church. (If the congregation is small, you mayconsider inviting the whole congregation.) We alsosuggest you invite your regional consultant (executiveminister or area minister), interim minister, or otherfacilitator to aid in the process of determining yourchurch’s Vision for Ministry.

Step One: Ask those present to respond to the following ques-tions, one at a time, listing each answer on a separatethree-by-five-inch (or larger) card.

1. What are the strengths of our church?

2. What are the needs of our church?

3. What do we do well?

4. What do our neighbors need from us

as a church?

Step Two: Group the responses that relate to one another sothat each grouping becomes an area of ministry –one that is currently happening, or one that thechurch would like to see happen.

Step Three: Prioritize the areas of ministry that you have identified.List the ministries you are currently doing and wish tocontinue. Then list ministries you want to start assoon as possible. And finally list ministries you wouldlike to start someday in the future.

Step Four: Identify and list on newsprint the most likely hin-drances in your church or community to accomplish-ing each of the ministries in Step Three.

Step Five: Identify and list on newsprint how you would like anew pastor to help you in these ministries.

Step Six: Identify and list on newsprint what the church is com-mi tte d t o d oing to ac c omplis h the se minist ries .(Include the leadership gifts and skills in your con-gregation.)

Step Seven: As the Search Committee, use this information todetermine the skills you need from your pastor and todescribe your church’s ministry goals and vision topastoral candidates.

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CH U R CH R E FLE CTIONS 8

O U R VI S I O N F O R M I N I ST RY

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Below is a list of ministry activities that relate to thelife and work of a congregation. For effective partner-ship in ministry, the work ultimately belongs to bothclergy and laity. However, at specific moments in thelife of the congregation, pastoral leadership is need-ed more in some areas than others.

From the list select the ministry activities for which thecongregation has major responsibility, and place a “C”beside them. Then select eight ministry activities forw h i ch your ch u r ch is seeking professional skills at thistime, and place a “P” beside them. Not all the activi-ties listed will apply to all ch u r ch positions.

Note: The numeric codes below, (PS010, PS 0 2 0 ,PS 0 30, etc.), will be used later by your regional con-s u l tant when matching your ministry needs with theministry strengths of potential ministry candidates

____ PS010 Prepare and implement budget. (budget/financial management)

____ PS020 Develop and maintain programs and activities for enlarging the member-ship and/or the church’s vision for ministry.(church growth)

____ PS025 Gather together a new body of believers on a regular basis for Bible study and worship that will lead to a new perma-nent congregation. (church planting)

____ PS030 Keep persons informed through the use of the media, the church newslet-ter, etc. (communication)

____ P S 040 Identify and evaluate the needs of the community and work to meet those needs through individual and/or corporate action. (community assessment/involvement)

____ PS050 Resolve conflict situations with persons and groups for the sake of the church’s ministry. (conflict management)

____ PS060 Provide opportunities (a place and/or persons) for individual, couples, families and/or groups to enter a healing relationship. (counseling)

____ PS070 Work with a language, ethnic or cultural group different from your own. (cross-cultural involvement/mission)

____ PS080 Provide a teaching ministry that is based on theological, educational and his-torical foundations. (education)

____ PS090 Seek to lead persons to make decisions for Christ encouraging their identification with and participation in the local church/community. (evangelism)

____ PS120 Cooperate with churches/leaders from Baptist and other denominations. (interchurch cooperation)

____ PS130 Communicate a comprehensive understanding of the Bible and Christian theology in terms relevant to persons’ lives. (interpreting the faith)

____ PS140 Seek to recognize and call forth the potential of persons as leaders, provid-ing opportunities for their training and growth. (leadership development)

____ PS150 Attempt to turn vision into reality and to sustain it in the church. (leadership)

____ PS160 Motivate and support persons in discovering and using their gifts for min-istry in their daily lives. (ministry of the laity development)

____ PS170 Encourage and provide opportuni-ties for the congregation/individual to be informed and involved in Christian witness at home and abroad. (mission promotion)

____ PS175 Demonstrate keen sensibilities to other language, ethnic, and/or cultural groups and settings. (multicultural sensitivity)

____ PS180 M a i n tain a choral and/or instru-m e n tal program/s of the ch u r ch. (music directing/performing)

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CHURCH REFLECTIONS 9

WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO ANDWHAT DO WE WANT OUR PASTOR TO DO

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____ PS19 0 Create an atmosphere in whichpersons feel accepted, included and caredfor and can identify with the group. (nurturing fellowship)

____ PS200 Develop and implement the goals and objectives of the church. (planning and management)

____ PS210 Provide by word and presence an empathetic understanding of and concern for persons in the routine and joys as well as the crises and transitions of life, giving assistance where appropriate and feasible. (pastoral care)

____ PS220 Enable the staff to accomplish their duties and responsibilities and encourage their personal and professional growth. (personnel supervision)

____ PS23 0 Support the preaching ministry with time for preparation/reflection on the Word, and commitment to listen for the Word’s power and its implications for individuals, the church, the community andthe world. (preaching)

____ PS24 0 Design, encourage and help to implement organizational, social, educational, religious and/or recreational programs of ministry. (program development)

____ PS260 Seek to be aware of justice issuesin the community and the world; then discover ways to act toward eliminating the cause of injustice. (social action enablement)

____ PS270 Provide opportunities for individu-als or groups to understand and enhance the spiritual dimensions of their personal lives. (spiritual life development)

____ PS280 Enable persons to develop and use individual and corporate resources – personal gifts, skills and finances – to the glory of God. (stewardship)

____ PS290 Enable persons to lead using methods and materials appropriate for the learners’ ages and situations. (teaching)

____ PS300 Make formal and informal connec-tions with church members or others in their homes, at work or in other settings. (visitation)

____ P S 3 1 0 Participate actively in worship, offering feedback and suggestions for greater participation and effectiveness in the expression of praise, thanksgiving and devotion to God. (worship preparationand leading)

____ PS320 Develop and lead a ministry with adolescents that nurtures youth toward Christian faith commitment and disciple-ship. (youth ministry)

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List the eight ministry activities (from C h u r chReflections 9 - What We Want to Do and What WeWant Our Pastor to Do), which you feel are the mostcritical areas in which your pastor should be compe-tent. Prioritize the list to assist your regional consult-ant in writing the computer search for ABPS Profilesand to assist your discussion with candidates/poten-tial pastors.

1st #

2nd #

3rd #

4th #

5th #

6th #

7th #

8th #

From C h u r ch Reflections 8 - Our Vision for Ministry,are there additional emphases of your vision that havenot been covered in the ministry activities above? Yo umay list as many as five additional ministry activities.These should not be selected from the 31 activities inC h u r ch Reflections 9. (Examples might include, butare not limited to, such things as Director of Christianp r e s chool, prefer military experience, emphasis on

urban ministry, bi-vocational pastor, ability to speak alanguage other than English, ministry experience witha particular group of people.)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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CHURCH REFLECTIONS 10

MINISTRY PRIORITIES

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A. PASTOR’S COMPENSATION

Note: Many Regions have guidelines for fair compensation. Check with your region office to learn the recom-mended fair salary for your size church and community. If your church is not able to afford this amount,your pastor should be considered part-time. Part-time salaries are based on a percentage of the aver-age compensation in your region.

1. Cash Salary: Indicate the maximum salary your congregation is able to offer. (Of course, you can negotiatethe salary; however, we do not want to send you Profiles that your congregation cannot reasonably consider. )

$__________________

2. Housing: (Tax laws suggest that an annual vote of the congregation before the beginning of each calen-dar/fiscal year be recorded officially, setting the amount of salary that is considered “housing.” The following isa sample resolution that may be used:

RESOLUTION:

Resolve that the _______________ Church of _______________ at this regularly called meeting on ___________recommends total pastoral compensation* in the amount of ____________ of which ___________ is designat-ed as Housing Allowance.

*(If a parsonage is provided, remember to include the rental value of the parsonage and utilities.)

See “Important Notes” resource from the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB).

Insert the appropriate cash amounts

a. Rental Value of Parsonage _________________Utilities _________________Allowance for yard care, furniture, etc._________________

OR

b. Housing Allowance (inclusive of utilities, furniture, etc.) _________________

3. Total cash salary and housing cannot exceed: $________________Other salary options can include:

Flexible Spending AccountThe Annuity SupplementOther

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CHURCH REFLECTIONS 11

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS ANDMINISTRY-RELATED EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT

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COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND MINISTRY-RELATED EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT (continued)

B. BENEFITS

Check the programs that you plan to offer and list the anticipated cost.

_____ MMBB Retirement/Death Benefit Plans(16% of Total Compensation) $_____________

_____ Other retirement plan $__________________ Medical/Dental Insurance $__________________ Social Security Offset (taxable income) $__________________ Other __________ $_____________

C. REIMBURSEMENT FOR MINISTRY-RELATED EXPENSES

Insert the amounts you plan to offer for the following:

Books/Periodicals $_____________Auto @ $______ per mile $_____________Continuing education $_____________Conventions (area/regional/national) $_____________Hospitality $_____________Professional dues $_____________Other expenses _____________ $_____________

Indicate the time you will offer for the following:

Continuing education _____________Conventions (area/regional/national) _____________Days off _____________Family Leave (e.g., maternity, paternity,

elder parental, etc.) _____________Retreats _____________Sabbatical Leave (see ABC Ministers

Council recommendations) _____________Vacation _____________Sick Leave _____________Holidays _____________

D. MOVING INFORMATION

It is expected that the church will pay the full moving expenses.

Check what your church will provide.

_____ will pay all costs (normative)_____ will negotiate costs (exceptional)

Estimated cost for move $_____________

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The following guidelines are offered to congregationsfor advice and consideration in determining just andequitable compensation and benefits for their minis-terial leadership:

A. Compensation, Benefits, Ministry-related ExpensesA congregation will follow the recommendation of the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB) that Benefits and Reimbursement for Ministry-related Expenses are separated from Compensation, as below:

1. Compensation – includes salary, housing and utilities. When a parsonage is provid-ed, the fair rental value of the parsonage and utilities are included as part of the compensation.

2. Benefits.3. Ministry-related Expense Reimbursement.

Benefits and Ministry-related Expense Reimbursement are not Compensation.

(See Worksheet and Checklist in this Resource I–3-4 on pages 73-74.)

B. Comparable ProfessionA congregation employing a full-time minister withseminary education (M. Div.) should consider matching compensation to what is paid to an ele-mentary school principal who has a master’s degree with comparable years of experience.

C. Effective Buyers’ IncomeA congregation will examine the current effectivebuyers’ income for the county in which the church is located and evaluate the compensationlevel for their minister(s) in light of this information.

D. Relationship of Compensation to GrowthA congregation could establish a policy in whichcompensation is related to the growth (spiritual and numerical) of the congregation.

E. Procedure for Compensation ReviewA procedure should be established whereby there is an open process for the annual review ofthe minister’s compensation, benefits and ministry-

related expenses. It is recommended that the Pastoral Relations Committee make a recommen-dation to the appropriate budget committee after c o n s u l tation with the minister(s). Such consulta -tion should reflect the above guidelines as well asthe financial needs of the minister’s family.

F. Multiple Staff ChurchesCongregations that have a multiple staff will fol-low the same procedures for annual compensa-tion review with all staff persons; that congrega-tions will use whole dollar figures instead of per-centages when considering staff compensation annually; that compensation for each staff mem-ber is salary, housing, and utilities. Note: You maywish to consult the Compensation Handbook forChurch Staff, listed in the bibliography.

The American Baptist Churches USA—on behalf ofthe ministers who serve in our churches—encouragesand urges each congregation to examine its clergycompensation in light of these guidelines. If a con-gregation discovers the compensation it is paying itsminister is significantly below the levels suggested, itis recommended that a long-range plan be estab-lished to raise the compensation by steps from yearto year until it reaches the suggested levels.

Clergy HousingAn important part of clergy compensation is housing.Section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code allowsordained ministers to exclude from income reportedfor Federal Income tax whichever is less: the rentalvalue of a furnished home plus utilities, or the expens-es used to provide a home, or the housing amountdeclared by the church (officers and/or board).

ParsonageThe minister living in a parsonage does not report forFederal income tax purposes the rental value or anyutilities paid for or reimbursed by the church.

The rental value of the parsonage is reported to theMinisters and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB),along with cash salaries and utilities, for ABCRetirement/Death Benefit Plans premium purposes.When your church reports a rental value in an amountless than the actual value of the parsonage, your min-ister’s death, disability and retirement benefits are

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Resource I - 1

COMPENSATION GUIDELINES

lower. For example, if the parsonage’s annual rentalvalue is under-reported by $5,000, the lump-sumdeath benefit to the beneficiary is $20,000 less for aPlan member age 45.

A larger death benefit can be particularly important ifa member’s surviving family is required to find alter-native housing.

The parsonage rental value should be based on whatthe parsonage could be rented for in the community.This should be reviewed annually for possible adjust-ment. A local real estate agent can help determinethe fair rental value. Another way to determine themonthly fair rental value is to use the figure of onepercent of the market value of the parsonage. Forexample, if the parsonage market value is $100,000,the monthly rental value would be $1,000.

A portion of the minister’s salary can be designed as aparsonage allowance for any items paid by the ministerrelated to the parsonage. The allowance is excludedfrom ta xable income. The minister reports any amountnot spent for housing expenses as ta xable income.

The parsonage rental value and parsonage allowanceare reported as income for Social Security/Medicaretax purposes.

Unlike homeowners, ministers who live in parsonagesdo not acquire equity in a home. Those who live inparsonages for most, or all, of their careers are at adisadvantage when they approach retirement. Theymust seek housing but have not had the homeowneradvantage of building up equity. Churches can helpministers who live in parsonages with an equityallowance. The allowance would be in addition to theminister’s compensation.

Plans for equity allowances vary. One suggestion isto start contributions to the Tax Deferred Annuity(TDA) on behalf of the minister. TDA is a good sav-ings program for churches that wish to give their pas-tor a housing equity allowance. The minister also canmake contributions to The Annuity Supplement (TAS)through salary diversion. Both plans are availablefrom MMBB. Contributions to either plan are not tax-able to the minister until withdrawn.

Housing AllowanceWhen there is no parsonage, a housing allowancedesignation should include the cost of maintaining ahome, including mortgage payments, taxes, repairs,insurance, furnishings, utilities, etc. For Fe d e r a lincome tax purposes, the excludable amount is limit-

ed to the least of: (1) the amount designated by thechurch, (2) the amount actually spent, or (3) the fairrental value of the house, furnished, plus utilities.Utilities include items such as gas, electricity, oil,telephone, water, etc.

It is important that the housing allowance be ade-quate to cover the cost of all of these items. Your min-ister cannot exclude more than the church desig-nates. Of course, any unspent housing allowancemust be reported as taxable income by the minister.If audited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), it isthe responsibility of the minister to document theactual housing expenses. Your pastor must paySocial Security/Medicare taxes on this allowance, ifhe or she has not opted out of Social Security.

Flexible Spending AccountsFlexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) can help minis-ters save Federal income tax, SocialSecurity/Medicare taxes, and state income taxes inmost states. FSAs are set up by employers soemployees can pay for unreimbursed medical carecosts and dependent care expenses out of pre-taxincome. This is possible as a result of Section 125 ofthe Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Through anFSA, the minister arranges with the church to have aportion of salary withheld each pay period and placedinto an FSA to provide non-taxable funds to pay forun-reimbursed medical and dependent care expens-es. The amount contributed to an FSA is not report-ed as taxable income.

When expenses are incurred, documentation is sub-mitted to the church for reimbursement. It is impor-tant to note that one cannot discontinue contribu-tions to an FSA during the year and elect to receivethe remaining amounts as salary. Also, any money ina minister’s account not spent by the end of the yearis forfeited and remains with the church. The unspentamount cannot be carried over for expenses incurredin the following calendar year. An FSA must be inwriting. Contact MMBB for a kit of instructions forsetting up an FSA. (See contact information underCompensation Resources on page 111.)

Determining BenefitsThe ABC Retirement/Death Benefit Plans have beenestablished by the denomination for the protection ofAmerican Baptist ministers, lay employees, and theirfamilies. The Plans provide retirement benefits. Theyalso protect the minister and family in the event ofdisability or death prior to retirement. The premiumfor the Plans is 16 percent of total compensation.This protection is as important to the church as it is

70

to the minister. Without it, churches would find it dif-ficult to meet the responsibility for the minister’s fam-ily should disability or death occur.

Benefits1. Retirement/Death Benefit Plans provide

retirement benefits. They also protect the minister and family in the event of disability or death prior to retirement.

2. Medical and dental benefits should be pro-vided by the church. Inquire about coverage through the Region, MMBB, or local insur-ance agents.

3. Social Security/Medicare tax offset providesassistance in meeting the minister’s Social Security/Medicare tax. Most ABC churches provide a Social Security/Medicare tax offset for their pastors. The offset is reported astaxable income for Federal Income tax and Social Security/Medicare tax purposes. It is recommended that the offset be at least 50percent of the total Social Security/Medi-care tax. This amount would be comparable to the Social Security/Medicare tax that employers pay for non-ordained employees.

The inclusion of a Social Security/Medicare tax offsetas a part of compensation is optional for determiningABC Retirement/Death Benefit Plans premiums.

Guidelines for Reimbursement for Ministry-Related Expenses

1. Automobile reimbursement is for miles driv-en each year by the minister in performance of church business. A guideline should be the standard amount allowed for deduction by the Internal Revenue Service. Miles drivenas part of a commute to work are not included.

2. Convention expenses include the cost of attending area, regional and national meet -ings; i.e., transportation, meals, housing, andregistration.

3. Continuing education should include at leastthe suggested ABC minimum of $300 per year for a course of study or educational conference to further develop professional skills. Also, the equivalent of 10 days should be set aside each year for this purpose. Bothfunds and time may be cumulative up to three years.

4. Books, periodicals, and other resources are essential tools for the minister. A reasonable amount should be included in the budget for these items.

5. Hospitality funds should provide for the cost to the minister of hospitality extended to indi-viduals and groups on behalf of the church.

6. Other expenses unique to a particular min-istry also should be reimbursed, including Ministers Council dues.

(Note: These guidelines are subject to change, aslaws and other conditions change. Consult yourMember Services Representative of MMBB forupdated guidelines.)

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This information is intended for those churches seeking a bi-vocational minister. As you are determining com-pensation, the following salary guidelines are recommended.

We suggest that you consider ministry needs in terms of units of time. A unit would equal a three-to-four-hourspan of time (morning, afternoon, evening). Sunday morning would be considered two units using one unit forpreparation. We suggest that you contact your area minister or MMBB member service representative to deter-mine the appropriate amount per unit. (See Chart on next page)

The details of negotiating a compensation and benefits package for a bi-vocational position may be complex,depending on the variables of housing and other factors. Consideration should be given for ministry-relatedexpenses and benefits, such as travel, continuing education, insurance and pension.

Here is an example of bi-vocational ministerial compensation: If the recommended compensation for each unitis $75, and if your ministry needs are Sunday AM + Sunday PM + Wednesday PM, suggested compensationwould be:

Sunday AM - 2 units = $ 150.00Sunday PM - 1 unit = 75.00Wednesday PM - 1 unit = 75.00Visitation and Meetings = 150.00

- 2 units

Total Weekly Compensation = $ 450.00

Resource I - 2

COMPENSATION CONSIDERATIONS FORBI-VOCATIONAL MINISTERS

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Th u r s d a y Friday Saturday

Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning

Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon

Evening Evening Evening Evening Evening Evening Evening

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BENEFITS

This Year Next Year

ABC Retirement/Death Benefit Plans (16% of minister’s total compensation)

Medical and Dental Benefits

Social Security/Medicare Tax Offset**

Total Benefits $ $

* This amount is used to determine ABC Retirement/Death Benefit Plans premiums.** The inclusion of the Social Security/Medicare tax offset is optional for determining ABC

Retirement/Death Benefit Plans premiums.

Resource I - 3

COMPENSATION WORKSHEET

REIMBURSEMENT FOR MINISTRY-RELATED EXPENSES

This Year Next Year

Automobile ______ miles at ______ per mile

Convention Expenses

Continuing Education

Books, Periodicals, Resources

Hospitality Fund

Other Expenses

Total Reimbursement for Ministry-Related Expenses $ $

MINISTER’S COMPENSATION

This Year Next Year

Cash Salary

Housing (either a. or b.):

a. Parsonage Rental Value

Parsonage Allowance

Utilities Allowance

b. Housing Allowance

Total Compensation* $ $

Available in Word

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Yes No

O O Is your pastoral staff’s compensation (cash salary, housing, and utilities) comparable to other professionals in your community with similar education and responsibilities?

O O Have your church and pastoral staff agreed on days off and vacation time?

O O If your church provides a parsonage, is a realistic rental value reported to MMBB for ABC Retirement/Death Benefit Plans purposes?

O O Does your church provide an equity allowance if your minister lives in the church’s parsonage?

O O Does your church pay for all utilities if your minister lives in a parsonage?

O O Has your church budgeted for the following ministry-related expenses for all pastoral staff?

Yes No

O O Automobile Reimbursement

O O Convention and Other Denominational Events

O O Books, Periodicals and Other Resources

O O Continuing Education

O O Hospitality

O O Other ____________________________________________________________

Yes No

O O Are all agreements regarding compensation, ministry-related expenses, benefits and other items regarding your pastoral staff in writing?

O O Does your church provide a Social Security/Medicare tax offset of a minimum of 50percent of your minister’s tax liability?

O O Does your church provide the ABC Retirement/Death Benefit Plans for all members of the pastoral staff?

O O Does your church provide medical and dental benefits for all members of the pastoral staff?

Resource I - 4

COMPENSATION CHECKLIST

Available in Word

The interview should be an affirming experience forboth the Search Committee and the candidate.Confidentiality is of utmost importance at this time;therefore, it is best to make this as private a meetingas possible so other members of the church will notmake incorrect assumptions. Before the interview,the chairperson should work out the time schedulewith the candidate so that adequate time is allottedfor both parties.

An Agenda for the Interview

Open with prayer.

Express appreciation for the candidate's willingnessto be present.

Introduce the Search Committee members, giv-ing time for the candidate to take notes of namesand ch u r ch relationships that will be helpful inc o n v e r sa t i o n .

Begin with a brief (no more than five minutes)overview of your church, its ministries and your visionfor the future. State a few of the things that interest-ed your Committee in the candidate. Then ask thecandidate to "tell us something of your background,conversion and call to the ministry."

A period of questions and sharing related to profes-sional specialties should follow.

1. Questions should relate to the church’s Vision for Ministry and the criteria estab-lished from Church Reflections 8 on page 61. Questions should be asked that allow the candidate to reveal his or her ideas and attitudes in the response. Avoid asking lead-ing questions that suggest the answers wanted or expected. Questions should be asked that relate to the chosen top eight ministry specialties from Church Reflections 9. (See Resource J-2 on page 77 for suggested questions.)

2. All Committee members should feel free to ask questions that will be helpful in deciding whether to extend a call to the person to serve the church. The Committee is entitled

to sufficient facts about the candidate to make a responsible decision.

3. Committee members should not argue with a person who says something with whichthey disagree. The object of the interview is to understand the candidate’s convictions, skills and vision for ministry. Any clarifying questions can be asked, but precious time should not be wasted in argument or discus-sion among members of the Committee. Misunderstandings within the Committee should be cleared up at another time. Duringthe interview, full attention should be given tothe discussion with the candidate.

All matters of sa l a r y, parsonage or housingallowance, vacation and fringe benefits must be dealtwith openly, clearly and honestly. If there are differ-ences of opinion, all parties need to know exactlywhat they are and where negotiation is possible. Donot wait until a pastoral candidate arrives to iron outdetails of compensation and benefits. Remember,Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB)benefits, including disability, are not in effect untilyour pastor has enrolled in MMBB’s plans.

Be certain to allow specific time for the candidate’squestions. It is just as important for the candidate toget to know you as a congregation as it is for you toget to know him or her.

Subsequent steps in the process should be dis-cussed. Let the candidate know what the nextsteps will be. Are there other candidates to beinterviewed? The Committee should agree to writeor phone the candidate within an appropriate timeperiod advising of the Committee's decision to thispoint. If the Committee is still interested, it shouldfind out if the candidate is willing to pursue thematter further. Always verify a phone call in writing.It is important that ongoing communication happenbetween the Committee and the candidate until adecision is reached so that he/she knows whereyou are in the process.

Express appreciation to the candidate again, andclose the interview with prayer.

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Resource J - 1

CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW

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Interview Observations

• Did the minister answer the committee’s questions directly or talk around them?

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• Did the minister express his or her views clearly and succinctly? Or were you still unsure of them after

questions were answered?

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• Did you ask for clarification, if anything was not clear?

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• In general how would you rate the interview?

_____ highly favorable

_____ moderately favorable

_____ neutral

_____ somewhat unfavorable

_____ very unfavorable

Other Comments:

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An interview should consist of 10-15 good questions.Remember less is sometimes more. Choose yourquestions carefully and purposefully. The followingare possible questions that might be used as aCommittee looks at the criteria for ministry that werediscovered through Church Reflections 9.

Budget/Financial ManagementHow have you been involved in preparing and managing a budget?Describe the size budget you have worked with in recent years.

Church GrowthTell us about a program you implemented that resulted in growth. Define your views on church growth. How has that definition been lived out in your present congregation?How do you work within the church structure tofacilitate growth?Membership in churches are in decline. What needs to change to reverse this decline?

Church PlantingDiscuss your experience as a new churchplanter.How is church planting different from pastoring an established congregation?

CommunicationDescribe your communication skills.Share some of the ways in which you have improved communication in your church, between groups?

Community Assessment/InvolvementHow have you helped the church evaluate the needs of the community and become involved inthat process?

Conflict ManagementDiscuss your conflict management style, using specific circumstances. Describe a recent conflict situation in the congregation you serve. How did you workthrough it?

CounselingWhat specific training have you had in counseling?What percentage of time in a typical week do you normally spend in counseling?In what areas are you most comfortable in your counseling?

Cross Cultural Involvement/MissionWhat are some cultural groups with which you have worked?What do you value about cross cultural ministry?

EducationShare with us a teaching idea that you have designed and implemented in your present ministry?How have you worked with teachers and leadersto improve the educational program of your church?How would you go about developing a programif you were to identify a concern? Give examples.What process would you use in determining resources for a congregation? How have you shaped the teaching ministry of the church to enhance discipleship?

EvangelismDefine evangelism. In what way do you feel mostcomfortable sharing your faith?How have persons been assimilated into the lifeand ministry of your church setting? How have you trained Christians to share their faith with nonbelievers? How effective wasthis in actually directing others to Christ and intothe church?In your present ministry, what percentage of yourtime is spent with non-church folk?

Interchurch CooperationTell us your philosophy of working with other churches of different beliefs in your community.Specifically, how have you been involved in the ecumenical community?How would you describe your participation levelwith the wider American Baptist family?What do you see as the role of the denomination?What is the church’s role in the denomination?

Interpreting the FaithHow have you helped your congregation find anunderstanding of the Bible and faith that madesense to their lives?

Leadership DevelopmentHow have you gone about identifying, selecting and supporting and training leaders? Describe the way that you work in your congre-gation to seek a corporate vision for ministry.How do you work with the leaders in your church?

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Resource J - 2

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR MINISTRY SPECIALTIES

LeadershipDefine the qualities of a leader. What is your leadership style?How has your leadership style impacted your present position? What gifts do you bring as a leader?Tell us about what you would consider your greatest leadership success. What did you do and what were the results?Have you ever led a group to discuss a new vision from God? What did you do and what were the results?

Ministry of the Laity DevelopmentHow have you identified gifts of laity and helpedthem to grow in those areas?How have you involved laity in your leadership?

Mission PromotionHow do you go about interpreting and promotingABC mission?Tell us some of the things you have done to makethe congregation aware of mission.

Multicultural SensitivityWhat is your experience in working in a multicul-tural ministry situation?What are some of the challenges and rewards you have experienced working inmulticultural settings?

Music Directing/PerformingWhat kind of music ministry would you like to develop?What types of music have you found helpful in attracting people to church?What styles of music would you be comfortable with?

Nurturing FellowshipWhat does the phrase “nurturing fellowship” mean to you and how do you go about doing it?

Planning and ManagementTell us about your management style and your administrative skills.What is your personal decision-making style?What is the process you use when working withministry groups in your church to make decisions that affect the whole congregation?

Pastoral CareHow do you express your interest and concern for your people? In what areas do you find it difficult to express care?Describe your ministry to persons in crisis?

Personnel SupervisionHave you supervised other persons?Tell us about your supervision style.

PreachingHow do you go about developing a sermon? How would you describe your preaching style?How have your adapted your preaching to fit theneeds of a congregation?

Program DevelopmentWhat are some of the programs that you have developed?What were needs you were trying to address?

Social Action EnablementWhich areas of social action concern you most as a minister?How have you communicated those concerns with your people?Share the social action ministry of your current position.

Spiritual Life DevelopmentTell us about the components of your personal spiritual life. What do you do to feed and nurturethat life?How have you helped others to be intentional intheir spiritual lives?

StewardshipHow have you brought a stewardship emphasis to your congregation?How has that made a difference financially?Describe your views on giving and tithing.As a pastor, how have you encouraged mission giving in your congregation?

TeachingHow would you describe your teaching style?Share with us some of your teaching experiences.

VisitationWhat are your visitation gifts or strengths? Do you like to visit?How do you organize yourself and the congrega-tion to do visitation?What kind of training have you provided for lay visitors?Do you plan a regular pastoral visiting program ordo you respond on the basis of need?

Worship Preparation and LeadingWhat excites you about worship? In what style ofworship are you most comfortable?In what ways have you equipped persons to planfor or to lead in worship?What changes in the worship service have you implemented in your current congregationand why? How did you lead the congregation through these changes?Describe a recent worship service that you designed and led.

Youth MinistryShare your philosophy and experiences in youth ministry.Describe the ministries to children and youth in your present ch u r ch? Who is in ch a r g e ?How do you see children and young people participate in church life?

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1. Describe your current ministry (or if a student – your vision for ministry).

2. How would you describe your core theology? 3. What is the most exciting aspect of ministry

for you?4. Describe the way in which you work in your con-

gregation to seek a corporate vision for ministry.5. Describe a situation in which you got persons excit-

ed about a ministry project. What were the results?How did you keep the enthusiasm going?

6. From what little you know about our church, whatexcites you most about coming here? What con-cerns you the most?

7. What are the most important character traits thata pastor should possess and what are the key traits that you would like to see in churchmembers?

8. What do you do to maintain continued learning?What do you do to relax?

9. What are some things you would do to help us clarify our vision?

10. What do you do to make first time guests feel welcome in your church?

11. How do you train and encourage church mem-bers toward Christian maturity?

12. Are there any issues not touched upon in our conversations that, if disclosed later, may compromise the effectiveness of our ministry together?

What Questions Might the Minister Ask theCommittee?

There are six main areas within which most ques-tions will fall. If the minister asks some questions ine a ch of these areas, he or she should get a broadpicture of the ch u r ch .

The relationship between pastor and people andwithin the congregation itself

Expectations by the church of the pastor and bythe pastor of the church

The ministry and mission of the church past,present, and future

Internal functioning of the church

Spiritual life and theological awareness of thecongregation

Other issues of concern

As a committee you will want to think about the ques-tions a minister might ask you about the churchahead of time and be prepared to answer them.

79

Resource J - 3

ADDITIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

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What are some of the things youappreciated that you would like to seein every Search Committee?

Honesty and Openness

Providing purpose statement and mission state-ment of the church to the candidates

Providing candidates with the church bylaws

Sharing Complete annual reports (including budg-et and financial statements) for the last ten years

Timely delivery of materials

Used guidelines in Calling an American BaptistMinister

Well-done church profile which included detailsof community, educational resources, etc.

Professionally done video of the congregationand community

Description of community based expenses(taxes, utilities, etc.)

Keeping us informed

Prompt response in communication

Letting the candidate know where the committeewas in their search process

Being able to share information about formerpastors in the last ten years (length of stay, rea-son for leaving, etc.)

S e a r ch Committee call back when they say they willConfidentiality in the proper places (phone con-tacts and mailings)

Resource K

MAKING A GOOD IMPRESSION ONTHE MINISTERIAL CANDIDATE

During a meeting of ministerial leaders in the summer of 2001, the ministers were asked two questions, “Whatare some of the things you appreciated that you would like to see in every Search Committee?” and “What aresome of the things you have not seen that you would like to see in every search committee.” Read over this listand as a Committee, ask yourselves if you will be making a good impression on the ministerial candidates thatyou will meet. (Note: you will find some items on both lists indicating that one or more ministers experiencedsomething that other ministers did not but wished they had.)

What are some of the things that youhave not seen that you would like to seein every Search Committee

Demographic information about the church andcommunity

Take the family group into consideration

A video of the church and community

Search committee truly represent the church

In-depth church assessment (possibly with thehelp of the region) so they really know who theyare and what they are looking for

Graph of average attendance for the last ten years

Some members of the Pastoral Relations Committeeshould be included on the search committee

Search committees that have a gender balancein its make–up and in the Profiles it receives

There might be pre-interview practice sessions for both the search committee and the candidate

Prayer

Engaged in a season of fasting and prayer

Committee to have a sense of flexibility

Confidentiality

Honesty and truthfulness

Knowing who the real leaders are (Patriarchsand Matriarchs)

Integrity when offering a salary package

82

What are some of the things you appre-ciated that you would like to see inevery Search Committee? ( c o n t i n u e d )

If phone interview, identify each person on the call

When the Committee did not make assumptionsabout what our response was going to be

When the Committee was able to share theirstruggles and joys with the candidate

Face-to-Face events

Worked best when the area minister played anactive presence in the process

Cross-generational Search Committee repre-senting all aspects of congregation

Hospitality

Family activity during the candidate process

D i e tary considerations of candidate when hosting

Seriously consider women candidates

Good preparation for candidate interviews

Openness regarding recent conflicts

Asking, “Do you have any questions of us?”

Pay expenses in a timely manner

Know when a Committee is coming

Actually checked references given by candidate

Patience…the candidate should be allowed timeto check the church’s references

Flowers/other tokens of welcome and appreciation

Statement of projected time line

Church code of ethics used during installation

A timely process

An appropriate social, reception for spouse andfamily

Minister/church agreement

What are some of the things that youhave not seen that you would like to seein every Search Committee ( c o n t i n u e d )

Generally candidates do not prefer phonei n t e r v i e w s

All members of the search committee involvedand prepared during the process, especiallythe interview

Honest consideration of female candidates

Candidate given opportunities to ask questions

Committee not afraid to discuss compensation

Willingness to put candidate up in a decent hotel

Do not contact the minister’s present church

More prompt response

Regular reference ch e cks (The Committeeshould at least contact or call on the referenceslisted on the Profile.)

Prior to the call being finalized, the minister andthe Search Committee should be clear on thespecifics of the package, the expectations of thechurch and the expectations of the candidate

The best candidate should be called regardlessof gender, age, ethnicity, etc.

Discover or discuss boundaries for SearchCommittee interviews—what is relevant andapplies to calling a minister

Search Committee should have the authority toagree to the terms of the call

Better follow up; not leaving us hanging

Letting us know when they have completed theprocess, especially when we are not the candi-date of choice

Timely response to all candidates

The orientation should include tours of the townor knowledge of the area

A weekend should be spent with the prospectivecandidate

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Criteria andMinistrySpecialty

Resource L

EVALUATION OF MINISTERY SPECIALTIES

As the Search Committee reviews the ABPS Profiles and conducts interviews, it will be helpful to list the min-istry specialty skills sought and note their presence on the minister’s profile and during the interview. Also, listany other criteria the Committee is using to determine the persons who will be your final candidates. Rate thosecharacteristics on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being low and 5 being high. The person or persons receiving the high-est rating should receive your most serious attention.

Names of Candidates

84

Totals It is important to ch e ck the references of the poten-tial candidate when the Search Committee hasdetermined specific interest in interviewing.References are listed on the ABPS Profile.Reference #1 is the executive minister or area minis-ter of the region where the candidate resides orwhere the candidate last updated the Profile. Th efirst reference will be able to provide you verificationof a minister’s American Baptist membership andministerial standing. Often, but not always, they willalso have personal knowledge of the minister. In theevent that they do not, you may wish to ask the can-didate for one or more additional references. If youhave any difficulty reaching a reference, please con-tact your area minister for assistance. Or you can askthe minister to verify the correct contact informationfor his or her references.

Telephone references should be brief and specific innature. Ambivalence in the question will not get theinformation you desire. Begin by identifying yourselfand the purpose of your call. Be sure the referenceknows exactly whom the reference is for and the pur-pose of the reference ch e ck. Ask if this is a good time,or if you could make an appointment for a later time.

Some important questions include:

In what capacity do you know the candidate?

How long have you known the candidate?What do you consider the candidate’s three bestgifts in ministry?

What are the candidate’s weaknesses?How would you rate the candidate’s effectivenessin the current position? (High, Medium, Low)

Does the candidate support ABC, offerings, andthe mission of the region?

Do you know of anything that would preventthe candidate from being considered in a newp o s i t i o n ?

Be sure to express your appreciation for the informa-tion and the time of the reference. Take good notes toshare with the rest of the Search Committee. If addi-tional references or information is needed, contactyour area minister for help.

Resource M

CONDUCTING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW

85

1. Describe how the minister conducted the worship service in general.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2. Does the minister read the scripture in a manner that interests listeners? _____Yes _____ No

3. What effect did the minister’s prayers have upon you as you worshiped?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4. Did the minister make you feel welcome in the service? _____Yes _____ No Explain

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

5. How did the minister handle announcements and special features?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

6. How did the minister involve the congregation and lay people in the service other than with hymn singing,

responsive reading?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

7. How did the minister’s style of preaching affect you?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

8. How do you think your congregation might accept this style?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Resource N

EVALUATING THE PULPIT PRESENTATION

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9. What was the subject of the sermon?______________________________________________________

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

10. On what scripture was it based? __________________________________________________________

11. Can you state any of the major points of the sermon?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

12. What do you think was the purpose of the sermon?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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13. Were you moved to any decision within yourself because of the sermon? The worship service?____ Yes _____ No

14. Did you feel that the subject of the sermon applied to you or your situation in any way?_____ Yes _____ No

15. How did the minister handle the closing invitation (if any)?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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16. Did the minister greet the people before the service? __________ during the service? ________ after the service?_________ not at all? ______ in some unique way?

Other Personal Observations and Notes:

87

American Baptist Churches seeks to maintain the highest moral and ethical standards in the practice of min-istry. This reflects our commitment to “preserve the dignity, maintain the discipline, and promote the integrity ofthe vocation to which our ministers have been called” (Ministers’ Covenant and Code of Ethics.) When any min-isterial leader engages in misconduct, the name of Christ is dishonored and the church is brought into disre-pute and all involved suffer. We are committed to taking any reasonable precaution to avoid such pain and suf-fering. Therefore we are asking you as a candidate for ministry in this church to complete this self-disclosureand release form.

1. I have never been the subject of official disciplinary proceedings in this denomination or in any other denomination or independent group that resulted in any of the following:

A) Censure ____true ____ not trueB) Suspension of recognition of ordination ____true ____ not trueC) Withdrawal of recognition of ordination ____true ____ not true

2. No official disciplinary proceeding within ABC/USA or any other denomination or independent group arepending against me at this present time.

____true ____not true

3. No civil lawsuit alleging actual or attempted sexual harassment, exploitation, or abuse; discrimination; physical abuse; child abuse; spousal abuse; or financial misconduct has ever been successfully prosecuted against me, settled out of court, or dropped because the statute of limitations had expired.

____true ____not true

4. My driver’s license has never been suspended or revoked due to reckless driving, driving while intox i c a t e d,or driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

____true ____not true

5. I have never been found guilty or pleaded guilty or no contest to felony charges or had felony criminal charges dropped because the statute of limitations had expired.

____true ____ not true

6. My employment has never been terminated for actual or attempted sexual harassment, exploitation, or abuse; discrimination; physical abuse; or financial misconduct by me; nor have I terminated my employmentprimarily to avoid facing such charges or to avoid being terminated because of such charges.

____true ____ not true

7. I know of no facts or circumstances regarding my background that would warrant further review of my fitness for ministry before my being entrusted with the responsibilities of pastoral ministry.

____ true ____ not true

8. I have completed specific training in clergy ethics (including a review of procedures for handling allegations of pastoral misconduct.)

____ true ____ not true

9. If I have not completed specific training in clergy ethics, or it is determined that the training I did receive was not sufficient, I am willing to commit myself to seeking such training within six months but no later thanone year after accepting a position within this congregation.

____ true ____ not true

Resource O

SELF DISCLOSURE AND RELEASE FORM

88

On a separate sheet provide an explanation for each item that caused you to answer “not true.” Give enoughinformation for follow-up, including the date, nature, and place of each incident leading to a complaint, pro-ceeding, or action; where and when each was adjudicated; and the disposition of the complaint(s). Indicatesteps taken toward rehabilitation, if any. Use additional pages as needed.

In addition to the names used on this form, as an adult, I have been known by the following name(s) during thetime(s) indicated.

_______________________________ _____________________________

_______________________________ _____________________________

The information I have provided on this application form is accurate to the best of my knowledge and may beverified by the Search Committee or by the appropriate ABC region staff. I hereby authorize the SearchCommittee or appropriate region staff to make any and all contacts necessary to verify my prior employmenthistory, medical information and to inquire concerning any prior arrest or criminal records or any professional,religious, or judicial proceedings involving me as a defendant. By means of this release I also authorize any pre-vious employer, any physician who has treated me (specifically including any psychiatrist, mental health pro-fessional or psychologist processing information as to prior mental or emotional illnesses or drug or alcoholabuse) and professional pastoral care organization, and religious judicatory, and any law enforcement agenciesor judicial authorities to release any and all requested information to the chair or clerk of the Search Committeeor appropriate region staff.

I have read this release and understand fully that the information obtained may be used to deny me employ-ment at this church. I also agree that I will hold the congregation and members of this Search Committee harm-less, as well as any prior employer, psychologist, psychiatrist, mental health professional, physician, profes-sional pastoral care organization, religious judicatory, law enforcement authority or judicial authority from anyand all claims, liabilities, and cause of action for the release of and use of any information obtained as a resultof information verified on this document.

_______________________________ _____________________________Signature Date

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Address _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

89

All congregations have expectations of their pas-tors, as well they should. These expectations usual-ly fall within two categories. Some are explicit. Th e yhave been thoroughly discussed by ch u r ch and pas-tor prior to his or her call, agreed to by both parties,and are often included in the written pastor/ch u r chcontract. Changes, when they occur, are negotiatedand clearly communicated to all concerned.E xamples include compensation, specific responsi-bilities such as officiating at weddings and funerals,and the minimum number of hours to be workede a ch week. These are usually fairly clear and there-fore unlikely to cause misunderstandings or conflictbetween ch u r ch and pastor or between members ofthe congregation.

Less clear and with greater potential for being thesource of misunderstanding and conflict are implic-it expectations. These are unwritten and oftenunspoken assumptions the congregation makesabout the pastor and what she/he does or does notdo, which may or may be a match between theaffected parties. These can cover the full range ofpossibilities - from what the pastor wears whenleading worship to how much time the pastorspends in preparing for worship, and even whetheror not the pastor's family attends worship. Does heor she keep regular office hours? Or call on new vis-itors? Or attend the monthly meeting of thewomen's circle? Or fix the furnace?

The difficulty with implicit expectations is not in theexpectations themselves. It's not a matter of right orwrong, but a matter of agreement and communica-tion. Problems arise from a failure to address and fullyexplore an area of concern and come to consensusand then share the information with all concerned.How can the pastor know what is expected if it hasnever been discussed? Sometimes it's assumed thepastor will be or act in a certain way simply becausethat's the way the previous pastor did it. But not allpastors are alike!

In an attempt to assist congregations in talking withtheir pastors about this important subject, and toencourage them to be clear as possible about theirown expectations, we have compiled a list of sug-

gested expectations. In our view they are representa-tive and reasonable for a local church pastor, thoughnot exhaustive. You may want to add others. And youwill need to tailor them to your own situation. Not allcongregations are alike!

• We expect our pastor to exhibit commitment toAmerican Baptist Churches USA and its mission.

• We expect our pastor to have read and signed the Ministers Council Covenant and Code of Ethics for American Baptist Churches.

• We expect our pastor to attend Area and Regional meetings and to provide leadership for Area, Regional and Biennial events, and to support Region camping.

• We expect our pastor to support United Mission and the four denominational offerings.

• We expect our pastor to participate in ecu-menical efforts and to inform our congregation of opportunities for mutual ministry and service.

• We expect our pastor to keep regular office hours and to be available to the congregation.

• We expect our pastor to be involved in regular study and sermon preparation, and also to be involved in times of reflection, prayer, and quietdiscernment.

• We expect our pastor will participate regularly in his/her own continuing education.

• We expect our pastor to be responsible for planning, coordinating and leading worship, and to involve others.

• We expect our pastor be an administrator, to oversee and be a resource for the church's boards and committees, and to teach and provide leadership for stewardship.

• We expect our pastor to provide pastoral care and to visit members who are seriously ill, in

Resource P

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT OF YOUR PASTOR?Prepared by the Staff

Mid-American Baptist Churches

the hospital or in crisis, and to make calls on shut-ins.

• We expect our pastor to be involved in spiritu-al, grief, and other forms of counseling, and to make referrals to other community resources as needed.

• We expect our pastor to reach out and to lead the congregation in reaching out to others in the community needing Christ, to call on new visitors and to teach new member classes.

• We expect our pastor to be responsible for theteaching ministry of the church and to lead Bible study.

• We expect our pastor to meet regularly with the Pastoral Relations Committee, to engage in mutual evaluation of ministry, to discuss opportunities for continuing education and issues of self-care, and to review compensa-tion annually.

In a similar way you can expect that your pastor willhave some expectations of you as a congregation. Asyou interview and get acquainted with prospectivepastors try to determine what some of their expecta-tions of you, as a congregation, might be. They mightwell include such things as supportive lay leadership,stewardship, open communication, regular participa-tion in church activities, direct expression of con-cerns, honesty, a willingness to try new things, andsupport of the mission of the wider church. Be sureto listen carefully to the candidate’s expectations ofthe congregation and honestly share your congrega-tion’s ability to meet these expectations.

90

Introduction: The senior minister (or ministers)gives direction and supervision to the total programof the church and to do this, should keep in closetouch with all other staff members and with all organ-izations and leaders of the church.

The senior minister is pastor, preacher, challenger,t r a i n e r, teach e r, enabler, initiator, counselor andguide. However, he or she works with many other“members of the Body” who also “minister” to oneanother and the world.

Since each ch u r ch and each minister is unique everych u r ch’s position description would show variance insome areas of leadership and expectations. The edu-cational qualifications for those who are professionalch u r ch leaders include a college degree and a Masterof Divinity degree or its equivalent. Salaries, benefitss u ch as retirement, health insurance, and profession-al expenses such as conference expense, continuingeducation and time off will vary in ch u r ches of varyingsize and ability to pay. Such items should be negotiat-ed and agreed upon with the minister at the time ofemployment, and reviewed at least annually.

Responsibilities, accountabilities and opportunitiesfor service need to be clarified with position descrip-tions for all professional staff persons, as well as withexpectations and responsibilities of laity and theirmutual responsibilities.

THEOLOGY OF MINISTRY

The theme of ministering is found throughout thescriptures. There are functional differencesbetween apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, andthe general body of disciples, but the concept ofthe one body was and is the important image of thech u r ch. There is the call of God to the individual tobe “set apart” as God’s servant in ministry, andthere is the validating corporate call of a specificch u r ch to the individual to serve in a designatedposition as a minister to and with a congregation.S u ch ministry is founded in the ministry that Jesusprovided: prophet, priest, and wise rule. Th e r e f o r e ,ministers are preachers, teachers, leaders, and ser-vants for our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Senior Minister is:

Accountable to: The church, corporately, who callshim or her, and possibly with special accountability tothe board or committee which determines the policyand personnel for the local congregation, such as theBoard of Deacons, official board or staff relationscommittee.

Accountable with: Fellow staff members as a teamand the congregation as a family for the total ministryof the local church life and the mission to the com-munity and world.

Accountable with: The denomination, region andnational leaders and ecumenical groups, for mean-ingful participation in programs and events and thesupport of same.

Accountable with: The pastoral or staff relationscommittee for cooperative and effective ministriesand relationships.

Accountable for:

Worship Services1. Preaching2. Worship Leadership3. Administration of Ordinances 4. Officiate at Weddings and Funerals of

church members

Teaching Role1. Teaching (Bible Study, Membership

Classes)2. Training Leaders 3. Evangelistic, Ethical or Discipleship

Concerns and Issues4. Premarital Counseling of church members

Pastoral Care1. Counseling of church members2. Visitation (Evangelism, Homes, Hospital,

Nursing Homes)3. Minister to Bereaved church members

AdministrationThe minister is responsible for administration

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Resource Q

SAMPLE POSITION DESCRIPTIONMINISTER OR SENIOR MINISTER

of the total church program though many of the duties of administration will be delegatedto staff and/or volunteer leadership.

The minister shall:

1. Assist officers, boards and committees with long range and short-term planning and exe-cution of their tasks by consulting, advising, coordinating and evaluating.

2. In cases where there are part-time or full-time paid staff a team ministry is desired. Thesenior minister functions as leader of the staff and will be held accountable for build-ing effective staff relationships and for dele-gated ministries performed by staff. All are colleagues in ministry and the senior ministeris only the first among equals, not above the others. The senior minister should enable each staff member to utilize their gifts in the ministry of the church.

3. Provide for office administration through staff or volunteers for assignments such as central record keeping of minutes, member-ship records, etc. for all boards, committees and church business meetings as well as reports of church officers.

Denominational and Inter-DenominationalActivities

1. Participate in ABC Ministers Council, pledge to its Code of Ethics, and actively pursue those ideals.

2. Participate in, cooperate with clusters or associations, regional and national programs, events and activities.

3. Cooperate with other local churches in appropriate ecumenical efforts and witness. Be involved in other community agencies and programs.

4. Support denominational programming and institutions.

Personal Growth and RecreationAppropriate time for personal reading, research, andmeditation. Plan for the completion of two ContinuingEducation Units or equivalence annually. Take one-month vacation each year. Have one to two days offeach week. Attend denominational and interdenomi-national conferences, conventions regularly andencourage other staff persons and members of thecongregation to do likewise.

EvaluationThere will be periodic review (annually) with staff per-sons and the staff relations committee. Such apprais-al on the part of the minister as well as the churchleadership group can increase effectiveness as wellas improve communications. Positions are likely to berewritten when there are changes in staff. Evaluationcan be a positive and growing experience withemphasis on the positive qualities of leadership, theachieving of objectives and the determining of newobjectives. Unreached objectives or weaknesses inleadership can be discussed in love and with plansfor improvement.

ABC/USA Ministers Council

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“Together In Ministry" reflects the New Testamentconcept of the Christian Church as a partnershipamong its members. Our Church heritage has setapart certain of these partners for particular roles inshepherding the People of God, as ordained Clergy.

"Together In Ministry" encourages the partnershipof clergy and congregation, pastor and people, to bethe Body of Christ in carrying out Christ's purposeand ministry for us, together.

Partnership is relationship; relationship is enlightened,e n r i ched, and enforced by covenanting together in localch u r ch ministry. " Together In Ministry" presents com-mitments for the pastor and for the congregation, andmutual standards for their life and ministry together.

We commend this statement to your prayerful reflec-tion and adoption.

There are three sections to the document: thePastor’s Commitment, the Congregation’sCommitment, and Together in Ministry (whichexpresses mutual commitment).

The Pastor’s CommitmentTaken from Ministerial Leaders Covenant and Codeof Ethics

Having accepted God's call to leadership inChrist's Church …

❏ I will hold in trust the traditions and practices ofour American Baptist Churches; I will not accept aposition in the American Baptist family unless I am inaccord with those traditions and practices; nor will Iuse my influence to alienate my congregation/ con-stituents or any part thereof from its relationship andsupport of the denomination. If my convictionschange, I will resign my position.

❏ I will respect and recognize the variety of calls toministry among my American Baptist colleagues, andother Christians.

❏ I will seek to support all colleagues in ministry bybuilding constructive relationships wherever I serve,both with the staff where I work and with colleaguesin neighboring churches.

❏ I will advocate adequate compensation for myprofession. I will help lay persons and colleagues tounderstand that ministerial church leaders should not

expect or require fees for pastoral services from con-stituents they serve, when these constituents arehelping pay their salaries.

❏ will not seek personal favors or discounts on thebasis of my professional status.

❏ I will maintain a disciplined ministry in such ways askeeping hours of prayer and devotion, endeavoring tom a i n tain wholesome family relationships, sexual integrity,financial responsibility, regularly engaging in educationaland recreational activities for professional and personaldevelopment. I will seek to maintain good health habits.

❏ I will recognize my primary obligation to the ch u r chor employing group to which I have been called, andwill accept added responsibilities only if they do notinterfere with the overall effectiveness of my ministry.

❏ I will personally and publicly support my col-leagues who experience discrimination on the basisof gender, race, age, marital status, national origin,physical impairment or disability.

❏ I will, upon my resignation or retirement, sever myprofessional church leadership relations with my for-mer constituents, and will not make professional con-tacts in the field of another ministerial leader withouthis/her request and/or consent.

❏ I will hold in confidence any privileged communi-cation received by me during the conduct of my min-istry. I will not disclose confidential communicationsin private or public except when in my practice of min-istry. I am convinced that the sanctity of confidential-ity is outweighed by my well-founded belief that theparishioner/client will cause imminent, life-threaten-ing or substantial harm to self or others, or unless theprivilege is waived by those giving the information.

❏ I will not proselytize from other Christian ch u r ch e s .

❏ I will show my personal love for God as revealedin Jesus Christ in my life and ministry, as I strivetogether with my colleagues to preserve the dignity,maintain the discipline and promote the integrity ofthe vocation to which we have been called.

The Congregation’s CommitmentCongregational Covenant and Code of Ethics

Affirming our commitment to Jesus Christ and the

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Church, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit...

❏ We will, when seeking pastoral leadership for ourchurch, work with our American Baptist Region,include resources recommended by the Region, andconduct all negotiations with integrity and opennessto God's leading.

❏ We will not discriminate in the selection of quali-fied leadership with regard to age, race, gender, mar-ital status, national origin, and physical impairment ordisability.

❏ We will recognize and assume the responsibilityof providing adequate and appropriate financial sup-port for our pastor.

❏ We will provide our pastor with the necessaryfacilities and time for work and study.

❏ We recognize our pastor's need for physical andspiritual renewal and will provide adequate periods oftime for vacation and spiritual renewal.

❏ We will provide financial assistance for our pas-tor’s participation in appropriate continuing educa-tion events.

❏ We respect the privacy of the pastor's familyand/or residence and will not make unreasonabledemands on them, nor require different standards ofconduct of them.

❏ We will recognize the freedom and obligation ofthe pastor to proclaim the truth, as he or she under-stands it.

❏ We will seek to support our pastor without com-parison to previous leadership.

❏ We will call on our pastor for all pastoral services.At the initiative of our pastor, other pastoral leadersmay be invited to share in such services. We willpromptly inform our pastor of illnesses and other spe-cial needs requiring pastoral care.

❏ We will affirm the call, preparation, and commit-ment of our pastor, and will give support throughprayer and encouragement; we will support our pas-tor's leadership in our church, our community, and thelarger mission of Christ.

❏ We will observe these principles in relationship toother members of our church staff, consistent withtheir responsibilities.

❏ We will covenant together to pray regularly forour pastor.

Together in Ministry

Recognizing that we, as pastor and people, arecalled together in the ministry of Christ...

❏ We will work together to create an effective min-istry that will renew, strengthen, and enable the wholepeople of God to minister within our congregation, inour community, and to the whole of God's world.

❏ We will accept our responsibility for the moral andspiritual development of our community and will striveto live up to the standards of Christian citizenshipconsistent with Biblical teaching.

❏ We will be sensitive to the moral and ethicalsoundness of every program or project we are askedto support.

❏ We will meet all of our financial obligations andendeavor to maintain an honorable credit reputationin our community. We will deal with integrity in all ourtransactions.

❏ We will welcome all who seek membership in ourchurch without regard to their economic, cultural, eth-nic, or marital status.

❏ We will seek to minister in the name and spirit ofJesus Christ to all people, in our community andworld.

❏ We will encourage understanding and harmonyamong the whole body of Christ and will show evi-dence of our sincerity through involvement in cooper-ative endeavors.

❏ We will provide for periodic constructive evalua-tion of the life and ministry of our whole congregation.

❏ We will, in the event of any tensions or problemsarising between us, promptly seek to resolve them ina spirit of mutual respect and Christian understand-ing with help from our American Baptist Region.

❏ We will conduct pastoral and staff relationships ina spirit of Christian love and understanding.

❏ We will recognize our relationship and responsi-bility to our denomination, and through time, talent,and money will seek to give support to our mission.

❏ We will honor, respect and esteem the high call ofGod on our pastor recognizing that the pastor is gift-ed to preach, teach, lead, and equip us for ministry.(Eph 4:12)

Prepared by the Ministers Council, 2001

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The Candidating Weekend will enable the congre-gational leaders and members to meet the candi-date on a formal and informal basis prior to a con-gregational vote.

1. Friday afternoon or evening: Arrange to have the candidate arrive in the community.Provide housing in a nearby motel. Have a small gift or flowers in the room along with a note of welcome from the chairperson of the Search Committee. Include the phone num-ber of the church and the chairperson. If the candidate has a family, they will be included in these plans.

2. Friday evening: The chairperson of the committee should meet with the candidate for dinner or coffee in order to review the activities of the weekend.

3. Saturday morning: Arrange a coffee meet-ing at the church for the candidate, congre-gational leaders and the Search Committee.The chairperson will introduce the candidate,share the process used by the committee to select the candidate, describe the activities planned for the rest of the day and the rec-ommendation and vote on Sunday.

Ask everyone to briefly introduce them-selves, commenting on their role(s) in thechurch and some other piece of informationthat will help the minister remember them.

The chairperson, acting as an interviewer,will ask the candidate to share the following:

Conversion experience and call to m i n i s t r yBasic theological beliefsExperiences in ministry (Where? How long? Various kinds?)Share copies of the minister’s biographical summary

The chairperson will ask the group for ques-tions and comments. The chairperson shouldencourage as many people as possible to askquestions. One person should not dominate

the questioning.

The chairperson will give the candidate anopportunity to ask the church leaders abouttheir expectations for pastoral leadershipand their hopes and dreams for the church.

The chairperson will ask the candidate tolead a brief (10 minute) devotion for thegroup.

The chairperson or selected church leaderwill close by leading the group in prayer.

The chairperson will invite those present tobring their families to a dinner on Saturdayevening.

In closing the chairperson will thank the lead-ers for coming and indicate that the candi-date will stay for a time to meet and visitinformally with those who wish to do so.

4. Saturday afternoon: Allow time for the candidate to rest, visit the parsonage, churchoffice and community.

5. Saturday evening: Arrange for a dinner at the church. Invite the congregation to attend. Provide nursery care for small children, if possible. Here is a suggested agenda:

Have everyone gather for dinner. The chair-person will get everyone’s attention and askthe blessing. Then the dinner will proceed.

After dinner, the chairperson will preside atthe meeting.

He or she will introduce the SearchCommittee and ask each to share somelearning (serious or humorous) gained duringthe work and meeting of the committee. Eachshould give their enthusiastic endorsement ofthe candidate.

The chairperson will introduce the cand i d a t eand family (if married) and interview the candi-date about early family life, conversion and call

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MODEL CANDIDATING WEEKEND

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to ministry, present family, and experiences inm i n i s t r y. (Have copies of BiographicalSummary F on the tables.) He or she then willopen the meeting for questions and com-m e n t s .

The chairperson will explain the process thatwill be used on Sunday morning to extend acall to the candidate.

Everyone will stand to sing a devotionalh y m n .

The candidate will close the meeting with a10-15 minute message and prayer.

Close in ample time for the candidate to pre-pare for Sunday morning.

6. Sunday morning: The chairperson should meet the candidate. He or she should plan to accompany the candidate on visits to Sunday school classes for a brief instruction and greeting. (Or consider having a “pot luck” breakfast at the church during the Sunday school hour.)

Arrange for a member of the committee to

introduce the family to as many people aspossible before Sunday school and the wor-ship service. This person should sit with thefamily during the worship service.

Have lay leaders conduct the worship serv-ice. Introduce the candidate and family dur-ing the service. Ask the candidate to extendgreetings, have the pastor pray and preachthe sermon.

7. Be sure to coordinate the congregational voting with the church moderator in accor -dance with the church bylaws. Some con-gregations may choose to take action at this time; others may determine a later time for the vote. After the vote the chairperson will contact the candidate to report the action of the church.

8. After church: The Search Committee should arrange hospitality for the candidate and the family. If an advance has not already been provided for the candidate, be sure to reimburse the candidate for all expenses incurred for this weekend in the community as well as for travel as soon as possible.

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THE CHURCH AND MINISTER AGREE

Spiritual SupportIn awareness of the support needed for ministry together, the congregation and minister mutually agree to sup-port one another in private and public prayer.

Building the RelationshipsTo develop the relationships and trust necessary to a long-term minister-church partnership, the church andminister agree to involve the region staff in the process of reviewing and building the relationship.

THE CHURCH AGREES

CompensationIn awareness of regional minimums, and the experience and education of the person we are calling, we a g r e eto provide total annual compensation of $ _____ in the form of cash salary and suitable housing.

The annual cash salary shall be $ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

The housing arrangement shall be:

An annual housing allowance of $ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ which shall be used as determined by the minister, to buyor rent a home including utilities, furnishings, and appurtenances to the home.

Reimbursement of Professional ExpensesTo provide reimbursement for professional expenses incurred by the minister in the exercise of the ch u r ch ’ sministry as follows:

Automobile expense will be reimbursed at the current IRS mileage rate of _________ cents per mile, up to amaximum of $_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

The expenses incurred by the minister as a delegate to the area/regional annual meeting and/or continuing edu-cation up to $_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ weeks for study annually.

Fringe BenefitsRetirement: to provide the full Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB) benefits and protections forthe minister and family.

The church will cooperate with the minister in any salary withholding arrangements as may be desired, e.g., theminister’s membership in the Annuity Supplement Plan (TAS) and Flexible Spending Accounts.

DisabilityIn the event that the minister is disabled from illness and/or accident and unable to continue the responsibili-ties required, the church agrees to coordinate benefits with those available through Social Security and theMMBB in order to safeguard the well-being of the minister and the minister’s family.

If the period of disability is for a period of three (3) months or less, the ch u r ch agrees to continue full sa l a r yand benefits.

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SAMPLE MINISTER-CHURCH AGREEMENTBaptist Church Pastor

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If the period of disability extends beyond three (3) months, the church agrees to work with MMBB to makeapplication for disability benefits and reach an agreement for service and remuneration, which would safeguardboth the interests of the minister and the church.

Note: This benefit is only in effect after the minister enrolls in the Retirement/Death Benefit Plans.

VacationTo provide an annual paid vacation of _ _ _ _ _weeks. The minister shall coordinate the use of vacation time withthe appropriate church body. A reasonable amount of time devoted to sharing in state and national work, con-tinuing education experiences, giving leadership at camps and conferences, and similar activities shall not beconsidered as part of the vacation period.

ReviewTo review, at least annually, the matters contained in this agreement with a view toward making such changesas may be mutually desirable and acceptable, and in conformity with inflationary pressures.

In case of disagreement over conduct or interpretation of this agreement or the Covenant and Code of Ethics,the church and/or the minister will seek the services of region staff.

THE MINISTER AGREES

To provide ministerial leadership for the Baptist Church, beginning date.

To work a minimum of _ _ _ _ _ hours/week in the ministry of this congregation and regularly report the use of theminister’s time.

To seek to maintain a cooperative relationship with Association, Area, the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Region, and the AmericanBaptist Churches, U.S.A.

To endeavor to fulfill the Covenant and Code of Ethics for Professional Church Leaders of the ABC/USA.

To serve in the ministerial relationship with the church until such time as it is terminated in accordance with theconstitution and/or bylaws of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Baptist Church, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Region. It is understood that thetermination by either minister or ch u r ch requires _____ days notice, unless a shorter notice is mutually agreeable.

Signed/Dated _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(Minister)

Signed/Dated _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(Steering Committee)

Signed/Dated _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(Steering Committee)

Signed/Dated _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(Steering Committee)

Signed/Dated _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(Steering Committee)

Signed/Dated _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(Steering Committee)

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The Search Committee is responsible, in mostchurches, for arranging for the service of installationof the new minister. The committee may appoint afew members to handle this responsibility in consul-tation with the pastor. He or she will want to partici-pate in the design of the service and make sugges-tions of participants. It is expected that regional staffwill be invited to participate in a meaningful way.

The service should be scheduled within the first twoor three months of the arrival of the new minister. Theinstallation service is not only a time of commitmentbetween pastor and people, but also a time to intro-duce you new pastor and family to sister churchesand the community. For this reason many installationservices are held on Sunday afternoon or evening.This gives opportunity for neighboring clergy, con-gregations and community leaders to attend. In sometraditions the installation service is the climax to aseries of events that lift up the ministry of the churchand include the wider community.

Let the service be a significant event in the life of yourcongregation, a celebration marked by dignity withthe worship of God as its focus. Follow the servicewith a joyful reception at which time there can be fur-ther introductions and welcoming words from churchand community leaders.

A. Elements of worship that are usually included:

PreludeWelcome and greetings from different groups

in the congregationCall to worship and invocationHymnsReadings from Scripture, both Old and

New TestamentsSpecial music by the choir or soloistsSermon or message (this may be in the form

of a charge to the new minister)Charge to the minister and responseWords of installationPrayers of installationDeclaration of installation and right hand

of fellowshipResponse by the new pastorBenedictionPostlude

B. Possible Scripture Passages:

Numbers 27:15-23Isaiah 6:1-8, 43:14-21Jeremiah 1:4-10Matthew 23:1-12, 28:16-20Luke 5:11-11John 13:1-17Romans 10:14-17I Corinthians 12:12-311 Timothy 6:11-162 Timothy 3:1-4-4:81 Peter 5:1-11

C. Appropriate Hymns:

O Master, Let Me Walk With TheeGuide Me, O Thou Great JehovahThe Church’s One FoundationLead On, O King EternalBlest Be the Tie That BindsO Jesus, I Have PromisedBreathe On Me Breath of GodGo Tell It on the MountainI heard the Voice of Jesus SayJesus Call UsO Zion Haste

D. Suggested Words of Installation:

OPTION 1

Leader:(Name), having been ordained as a minister ofJesus Christ, and having accepted the invitationof the (church) to become its minister, do yousolemnly pledge that you will serve this congre-gation to the best of your ability, according to theaffirmations you have given in your ordination?

Response: I do.

Leader: I charge you to be a good minister of JesusChrist, remembering that, like our Lord, you havecome “not to be served but to serve” and tokeep yourself at all times in true devotion to your

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SUGGESTED RESOURCES FOR A SERVICE OF INSTALLATION

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high calling. Will you seek to practice daily thedaily faith you profess, administer the ordinancesin purity, proclaim the truth with love, andendeavor to lead this people in the ways ofChrist the Lord?

Response:I will, God being my helper.

Leader:Members of (church) are you persuaded as achurch of Jesus Christ that you are ready to beinstructed, led, and strengthened in the ways ofthe Spirit by the one who stands before you inanswer to the call of God?

Response of congregation:We are.

Leader: In recognition of the Christian partnership thatmust exist between minister and people, doyou now affirm your loyalty to this ch u r ch andto this ministerial relationship? Do you promiseto give your utmost in devoted service and loyalc o o p e r a t i o n ?

Response of Congregation: We do, God being our helper.

OPTION 2

Leader:When a minister answers God’s call and entersm i n i s t r y, he/she makes vows of faithfulness.The (ch u r ch) hereby acknowledges the ordina-tion of (name), recognizing him/her as a spiritu-al leader of experience, training and worth, andjoins with him/her in the renewal of his/herordination vows.

Having formerly responded to the high calling ofGod to dedicate your life to the Gospel ministry,and having now accepted the call of (church) tobecome its minister, do you reaffirm your ordina-tion vows as a minister of Jesus Christ, and doyou solemnly pledge to serve this congregationto the best of your ability, and in fulfillment of yoursacred vows?

Response:I will, God being my helper.

Leader: I charge you to be a good minister of JesusChrist, remembering his example that you havecome, not be ministered unto, but to minister,and to present yourself in true devotion to yourhigh calling. Will you diligently pursue the deep-ening of your devotional life and study, and seekto practice daily the faith you profess? Will yousincerely endeavor to administer the ordinanceswith caring, proclaim the truth of God asrevealed in the Scriptures, and to lead this con-gregation in the ways of Christ and in the serviceof God?

Response: I do.

Leader:Do you, members of (ch u r ch), an AmericanBaptist Church, receive (name) as your pastor,promising both to labor with him/her in the min-istry of the Gospel and to give him/her due honorand support?

Response:We do. We, the members of this congregationdo gladly receive (name) as our pastor. Wecovenant to hear the Word of God as preachedwith humility and love, to pray for him/her at alltimes, to encourage him/her and supporthim/her, to provide for his/her needs (and thoseof the family) as they require and to work withhim/her as a faithful people of God in this placeas Christ shall be our helper.

E. Declaration of Installation

Leader:In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and onbehalf of this church, I declare you (name) to beduly installed as the pastor of this church andcongregation. We shall uphold you in prayer andin the performance of your duties as a minister ofthe Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the name of ourLord Jesus Christ, we welcome you as pastor ofthe (church). The love of God and the presenceof Christ be with you and your family. Amen.

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We are called to be a people of God. Being the people of God, individually and corporately called to obedi-ence to Christ, we come together as communities of faith, as individuals in those communities, and as regionssupporting those communities.

In recognition of this calling, we will seek to be obedient to Christ as we relate to one another. Accordingly, wewill refrain from practices detrimental to our relationships. We will live, in the midst of this world, a transformedlife consistent with biblical principles.

In recognition of our calling to be a family of believers,

We celebrate our heritage by working with and through the American Baptist Churches USA, the American

Baptist Churches of _____________________________ (Region), _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Area, the

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Association, and this local community of faith.

In recognition of our calling to model Christ in this world,

We will demonstrate the spirit of Christ as we unite minister, community of faith, and the larger American Ba p t i s tfamily in a working relationship. Our relationship will be, from beginning to end, open, honest, and caring.

In recognition of our calling to be people who are growing in Christ,

We will encourage and uphold one another in all areas of life: spiritually, physically, emotionally, intellectually,and socially.

In recognition of our calling to model reconciliation,

For the sake of our community of faith and for the sake of our community's and the larger American Baptistfamily's witness for Christ, we will deal redemptively and constructively with conflict.

In recognition of our calling as forgiven people,

We will exercise forgiveness and be forbearing in all of our dealings.

In recognition of our calling to commit our lives and destinies to Christ,

When we believe God to be moving us to change this relationship, we will effect that change in such a way asto carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's word.

Minister: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Moderator: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Region Staff: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Date: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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A COVENANT FOR MINISTRY

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Preparing For Appraisal

From the very beginning of a ministry vacancy thereshould be an understanding on the part of the churchthat an appraisal process will be utilized after the newminister arrives. The Search Committee, or thePastoral Relations Committee (where one exists) maybe commissioned by the ch u r ch to handle theappraisal process.

The purpose of such an appraisal is to answer thequestion (put to both ch u r ch and minister): Howare we doing with our ministerial/ch u r ch relation-ship? Ideally the appraisal process begins at sixmonths then annually after the minister arrives. Th eregion staff person will participate with the six-month appraisal. Th e r e a f t e r, the Staff RelationsCommittee should plan and conduct the ongoingevaluations. Of course, the new minister must benotified by the ch u r ch that the appraisal is a part ofits usual procedures.

The basic content of the appraisal process may bedrawn from the Church Reflections which highlightthe goals, visions, and expectations of the congrega-tion. The focus, however, needs to be kept on therelationship of the minister to the congregation andthe congregation to the minister.

The Appraisal Process

The following is a suggested procedure:

A. Preparation for the meeting:

1. Inform the Search Committee in the last stages of the placement process of the six-month tenure review.

2. Meet with the minister soon after he/she arrives, explain the process and set a date for the review.

3. See that this is properly coordinated with thechairperson of the Search Committee and that all committee members are notified. A minimum of two hours should be allowed for this session.

B. The review meeting:

1. Explain the purpose of the meeting and describe the procedure to be followed.

2. Interview the minister, utilizing questions taken from the prepared list.

3. Next, interview the members of the commit-tee, utilizing appropriate questions from the prepared list. See that each person has the opportunity to share verbally in this process.

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APPRAISAL WITH THE CHURCH

A. Questions for the minister:

1. What have your first six months been like?

2. How are you adjusting to the change in church and community?

3. What are some of the things you are discov-ering about the uniqueness of this congre-gation? What surprises have you experi-enced?

4. How have the congregational needs outlinedby the Search Committee been consistent with or different from your perceptions?

5. How do you feel the people are responding to your leadership?

6. Are there areas in your ministry where you feel the need of more help?

7. Are you satisfied with the terms of your written agreement?

B. Questions for the committee:

1. What are some of the things you are discov-ering about your minister?

2. What are some of the important realitiesabout this congregation that you would like toemphasize to the minister?

3. How do you see the congregation respond-ing to the minister's leadership?

4. How valid do you now see your choice of theeight congregational needs? What modification,if any, would you like to make?

5. Identify your minister's strengths and weak-nesses in fulfilling these priorities. Be specific inyour comments.

Careful notes of the appraisal should be madeand agreed upon by the minister and the PastoralRelations Committee. There is an expectation thatan agreed upon report will be made to the con-gregation. The Pastoral Relations Committee inc o n s u l tation with the region staff person willdesign the form of that report. A similar set ofquestions may be prepared for the next appraisa l .

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THE APPRAISAL INSTRUMENT

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(On church letterhead if possible)

(Date)

Dear (Name):

We are from the (Name of Church) in (Name of City). On (date) our pastor (retired, accepteda call to another church) and we are now seeking new pastoral leadership. We received your(Profile, name) from (American Baptist Personnel Services, or name other source) and there-fore we are contacting you about your interest in considering a new ministry situation at thistime. Many of your Ministry Specialties match those that we are seeking in new leadership.

Our church (include a paragraph about key elements of your congregation, such as: size loca-tion, age of membership, ministry goals, and your openness to women in ministry, a clergycouple, or other unique aspects about your congregation.)

If you would like to receive a copy of our church Profile, please return the enclosed postcard,or call us at _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (Phone), and we will be delighted to send you our Profile.We also recognize that many times Search Committees receive Profiles of ministers, who, forwhatever reason, are not able to consider a new position at this time. If you do not wish toconsider a new position at this time, we would also appreciate hearing that information fromyou as well. It would be very helpful to us to have your response by _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(2 or 3 weeks from date of letter). We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

(Either Chair, or secretary of the Search Committee)

Resource Letter A

MODEL INITIAL CONTACT LETTER

Available in Word

106

(on church letterhead if appropriate and possible)

(Date)

Dear (Name):

We are delighted that you have expressed interest in receiving our Church Profile. In additionto our Profile, we are also sending you (select any that are appropriate: two church bulletins,last year’s annual report, our church directory, our congregation’s purpose statement, our fiveyear goals, community demographics and other community information.)

We hope that you will take the next several weeks to look through the enclosed information.If, after reading it, you would like to be considered as a pastoral candidate we ask you torespond by (date) in the following way. (Pick one or more.)

1. Send a cover letter expressing your interest, explaining what in particular attracts you to this ministry opportunity.

2. Send a recent sermon, either in writing, on audiotape or videotape.

3. Send a copy of your present congregation’s last annual report, a recent church bulletin and a church newsletter, if there is one, and any other supportive materials you think we should have.

Our Search Committee will be meeting shortly after (the date above), at which time we willreview your information and any others that we receive. At that time we will make a determi-nation of our next steps. It is our desire to set up interviews with prospective candidates by(date, about one month to six weeks after the above date) and to make a final decision aboutour next pastor by (date, about three months after the above date.) Our ability to do this willdepend upon the responses that we receive.

If after considering our Profile, you find you are no longer interested in considering this min-istry opportunity, we would ask you to return our Profile to us with a brief note indicating yourdecision. If you have any questions, you can reach me by phone at (number), or by email:

Thank you for considering our congregation as your next ministry opportunity.

Sincerely,

(Chair, or secretary of the Search Committee)

Resource Letter B

MODEL FOLLOW-UP LETTER TO INITIAL CONTACT

Available in Word

107

(on church letterhead if appropriate and possible)

(Date)

Dear (name),

The Search Committee of (name of church) wants to thank you for your interest and time dur-ing the selection process for our new pastor. As you know, that task is a challenge requiringdiscerning prayer and careful decision-making.

We are pleased to report that the work of the committee is now complete. Our congregationhas extended a call to (name). The call has been accepted, and (he/she) will begin ministry inour church and community on (date).

We want you to know how much we appreciated your investment with us in this process. Wevalued getting acquainted with your many gifts and experiences as you shared your spiritualjourney with us. Although we believe that God has led us elsewhere, your call and ministry arecertainly leading you as well. We will pray for your discernment of the place where God is call-ing you.

May God continue to bless you and your ministry.

Yours in Christ’s service,

(name)Chair, Search Committee(name of church)

Resource Letter C

MODEL LETTER TO CANDIDATES NOT SELECTED

Available in Word

108

(on church letterhead if appropriate and possible)

(Date)

Dear (name),

God has answered our prayers and responded to the diligent work of our Search Committee.Thus, we are delighted to inform you that, by vote of our congregation on (month, day, year)(the name of church, city, state) extends to you a unanimous call to become our (title of posi-tion). The enthusiastic spirit of our people in accepting the Search Committee’s recommen-dation was a joy to us as we hope it will be to you.

The terms of the call, as agreed upon in your conference with the Search Committee, are asfollows:

[Here put in writing the Minister/Church Agreement that has been reached based on the out-line in Resource I, page 69. This may be a multi-page document.]

We have endeavored to outline as carefully and completely as possible, for your assuranceand that of the church, the arrangements implicit in this call, and we shall look forward to youwritten response within the next two weeks.

Yours in service to Christ by vote of the congregation,

(name)Chair, Search Committeeor Church Clerk

Resource Letter D

MODEL LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH CANDIDATE

Available in Word

109

(on church letterhead if possible)

Dear Members of (name of church):

Paragraph 1

Indicate that at last you have good news for the church. After a long and careful search, youare ready to present a name to the congregation as a candidate for ministry. Note thatenclosed in the letter is a biographical summary of the Reverend (name) of (city, state) who isbeing recommended by the Search Committee.

Paragraph 2

Report that the candidate (and spouse) has (have) visited your community, seen the churchbuilding (and parsonage) and if the congregation is led to extend a call, will give the invitationfull consideration.

Paragraph 3

Say what arrangements have been made for the candidate to be presented to the church. Ifthe presentation is to be at a Sunday worship service or midweek service, indicate the dateand time. Note whatever compliance with the bylaws is appropriate. State clearly when andunder what circumstances the vote to extend the call will be taken. Indicate that a copy of thecall agreement is also enclosed.

Paragraph 4

Announce any additional opportunities that have been planned for the congregation to meetthe candidate (and family,) stating clearly the date, time, place, and nature of the occasions.Close the letter with a statement of the hope the committee has for the future of your con-gregation. Invite the prayerful support of the members of the church as they come to this timeof decision.

Sincerely,(Name)Chairperson

Enclosures

Resource Letter E

MODEL LETTER TO CONGREGATIONINTRODUCING MINISTERIAL CANDIDATE

Available in Word

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This biographical sketch is to be created for the purpose of introducing the candidate to the congregation.

The Reverend (name)

Paragraph 1

State the name of the candidate and present position. Also provide information about family,name of spouse (if married), names and ages of children living at home, and names of childrenwho are grown.

Paragraph 2

Cite the candidate’s educational background, degrees held, names of schools attended. Listpastorates held and/or previous work experience.

Paragraph 3

Enthusiastically present the candidate to the congregation. Describe the Search Committee’simpressions of the candidate’s abilities and skills in ministry. Cite some of the candidate’s pre-vious accomplishments, which demonstrate abilities and skills in ministry.

Paragraph 4

State any personal things about the candidate that might be of interest to the congregation.Note any personal items of interest about the family if the candidate is married.

Resource Biographical Summary F

MODEL BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

Available in Word

A ch t e m e i e r, Elizabeth, So You're Looking for a NewP r e a cher: A Guide for Pulpit Nominating Co m m i t t e e s(Order from Amazon.com, paperback - October 199 1 )

Av e r y, William O., Revitalizing Co n g r e g a t i o n s :Refocusing and Healing Through PastoralTransitions. The Alban Institute (To order call 1-800-486-1318 or visit www.Alban.org.)

Ministers Council American Baptist Churches USA,Compensation Wo r k b o o k, April 2001. (Av a i l a b l efrom the Ministers Council of American Ba p t i s tC h u r ches USA, Resources for Local ChurchMinisters)

Cobble, James F. and Hammar, Richard R., The[2004] Compensation Handbook for Church Staff,(published annually). (Available from Matthews N.C.:Christian Ministry Resources)

Mead, Loren B., Critical Moment of Ministry: aChange of Pastors. The Alban Institute, 1993. (Toorder call 1-800-486-1318 or visit www.Alban.org.)

Oswald, Roy M. and Heath James M. and Heath AnnW., Beginning Ministry To g e t h e r, the AlbanHandbook for Clergy Transitions, The Alban Institute,November 2003. (To order call 1-800-486-1318 orvisit www.Alban.org.)

N i cholson, Roger S. Temporary Shepherds: ACongregational Handbook for Interim Ministry. TheAlban Institute, 1998. (To order call 1-800-486-1318or visit www.Alban.org.)

Olsen, Chuck and Morseth Ellen, Selecting ChurchLeaders: A Practice in Spiritual Discernment. TheAlban Institute (To order call 1-800-486-1318 or visitwww.Alban.org.)

A video, "A Productive Partnership" is a 25-minutevideo for pastoral relations committees. It is availablefrom the Ministers Council, PO Box 851, ValleyForge, PA 19482-0851. 610/768-2334. Cost: $10.

S ch a l l e r, Lyle E., The Pastor and People, Abington, 1973

Umidi, Joseph L., Confirming the Pastoral Call: AGuide to Matching Candidates and Congregations.(Order from Amazon.com, Paperback - April 2000)

Vonhof, John, The Alban Guide to Managing thePastoral Search Process, 1999. The Alban Institute.( To order call 1-80 0 - 486-1318 or visit w w w. A l b a n . o r g. )

White, Edward A., Saying Goodbye, A Time ofG r owth for Congregations and Pastors. AlbanInstitute. (To order call 1-800-486-1318)

Following the Call – Search Process Guidelines forWomen in Ministry, Women in Ministry Office,ABC/USA. June 1986

A Biblical Basis for Equal Partnership: Women andMen in the Ministry of the Church. A brief Biblestudy in this 17-page booklet explores the issue ofwomen and men in the ministry of the church.Women in Ministry Office, ABC/USA.

COMPENSATION RESOURCES

Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB)Member Service Representatives are located acrossthe country working from home offices and inMMBB’s offices:

The Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board ofAmerican Baptist Churches475 Riverside Drive, Room 1700 New York, NY 10115-0049Telephone: 1-800-986-6222; FAX: 1-800-986-6782

Salary information is sent out periodically by MMBBto members of the Retirement/Death Benefit Plansand key lay leaders of churches.

Available without charge from MMBB:

Flexible Spending Accounts, a kit

“The Laborer Deserves to Be Paid,” a booklet avail-able in English and Spanish

Social Security Information

Tax Guide for Ministers, a manual

Federal Reporting Requirements for ch u r ches, amanual

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

2 0 04* Compensation Handbook for Church Staff,c. 2004* by “Church Law & Tax Report.” - providescompensation statistics for church staff positions.Available from Christian Ministry Resources, P.O. Box1 098, Matthews, N.C. 28106. 80 0 - 2 2 2 - 1 840(*Updated annually)

“ I m p o r tant Notes for Treasurers and BusinessAdministrators of Churches and RelatedOrganizations,” a booklet

Web resources:

www.mmbb.orgwww.irs.govwww.ss.gov

Other resources:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,Washington, DC 20212, or your State Department ofLabor: average salaries of selected white-collaroccupations in private establishments, especiallyschool teachers. Also, Consumer Price Index infor-mation is available. Check with your public library.

Sales Marketing Management/Survey of Bu y i n gPower: a publication that provides statistics eachyear of effective buying power, which is income afterFederal, state, and local taxes are paid. Statistics arelisted by state, metropolitan areas, and counties.Available at most public libraries, or contact MMBBfor statistics in your area.

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