My son recently taught my wife and me a new card game. It’s called Mao, reportedly named after the infamous communist dictator of China. Mao is a shedding-type game, like Uno, where players try to get rid of all their cards.
I have never played a more frustrating game!
The reason? While the game has rules, new players are not told what they are. You must figure them out as you go. You’re told you’ve been skipped, penalized, or must draw a card—and you have no idea why. Just when you think you understand what’s happening, a new rule appears. To make matters worse, the winner of each round can secretly create an additional rule for the next round. Of course, our son won every round.
My wife and I eventually had enough and quit!
Unfortunately, some pastor search processes feel like a game of Mao.
A new pastor is called to a church full of hope and anticipation. Soon, however, he realizes he doesn’t have the information he needs to succeed. Or worse, that some of the information he received was incomplete or inaccurate. Unintentionally, the search committee has placed him into a game where the rules are hidden. And in Mao, only the people who know the rules – or figure them out quickly – win. Too often, the new pastor loses.
A pastor search committee should aim to set their new pastor up for success, not failure. To help him win, you must tell him the rules of the game.
1. Practice Honesty and Transparency
From the beginning, honesty is paramount. Be clear about the condition of your church. If there are factions, unresolved conflict, or financial challenges, say so. Present your church as it is, not as you wish it were. Committees sometimes oversell their church or gloss over problems out of fear that challenges will scare away a candidate. But if the challenges scare him, then perhaps he is not the man God is calling to lead your church into its next chapter.
At our first meeting with our search committee, I asked about the church’s debt. A member quickly responded, “The debt is no problem.” I was suspicious of his answer, since the church had gone through a split eighteen months earlier, and the debt was twice the church’s annual receipts. When I got to the church, I learned two things: the debt was indeed a burden, but the church was resolved to pay it off. Our committee member could have more accurately responded, “The debt is a challenge, but you will find that our church is ready to eliminate it.”
2. Communicate Frequently
Pastor candidates should not have to wonder about next steps. Let them know where they stand in the process and what is coming next.
When the chair of our search committee first called me, he said, “We have another meeting this week. I will call you next week.” And he did. That steady communication continued throughout the process. It built trust long before I arrived.
3. Share Key Documents
As soon as appropriate, provide as much information as possible about the church, including:
- Current budget and recent financial statements
- Bylaws and constitution
- Committee descriptions and leadership lists
- Staff organization chart
- Personnel handbook
- Policy and procedural manuals
- Church history documents
- Membership directory (even if slightly outdated)
These materials help the candidate understand how your church functions and allow him to ask informed questions. I was grateful to receive these materials from our current church because they were so different from my previous church. I moved from a simple organizational structure to a more elaborate organizational structure and from no deacons to thirty deacons!
4. Reveal the “Nitty-Gritty”
Every church has “sacred cows” — ministries, traditions, or personalities that cannot be quickly changed without triggering conflict. Identify them and share them with your candidate.
Explain the power dynamics. Who are the real influencers, even without official titles? Where are the potential landmines?
You will ask him for references, so offer him references as well: former pastors or staff, or associational or denominational leaders. Let those individuals know you are sharing their contact information.
The conversations I had with the interim staff of my church were invaluable. They helped me see both the church’s potential and challenges. They saved me from early mistakes and helped set me up for success.
5. Clarify Expectations
Every church’s expectations differ depending on size, culture, and community. Yes, a pastor understands his basic job, but what does your church expect?
- Attendance at community events?
- Regular visits to certain individuals or groups?
- Specific leadership responsibilities?
Let him know how his performance will be measured and by whom.
Likewise, clarify expectations for his wife. Some churches assume she will lead ministries or be highly visible. Others do not. Be honest and specific.
When we arrived at our current church, I did not know what expectations awaited me. I was the youngest pastor in sixty years, and my wife was expecting our first child. The church was used to empty-nester pastors and a larger staff, which we did not have for almost a decade, so I struggled to meet our church’s expectations in the first few years. In my fourth month, while my wife and newborn son were in the hospital after his birth, I was expected to make hospital visits (I was already there, after all) and to preach the Sunday my wife and son were to be discharged from the hospital. As you can imagine, the unshared and unrealistic expectations created frustration and conflict for me and my wife in the early years.
6. Address Compensation Openly
Once you are confident in the candidate, be upfront about salary, housing, insurance, retirement contributions, vacation, and other benefits. The candidate should not have to initiate this conversation. He may not be moving for the money, but he must know whether he can provide faithfully for his family. Be willing to negotiate. His circumstances, especially regarding health insurance, may differ significantly from your previous pastor.
A larger church recently called a friend of mine as pastor. After serving bivocationally as a teacher and a small church pastor, my friend was excited about having only one job. He also expected the compensation to be a little better at the larger church than it had been at his two smaller jobs. He was disappointed to discover that the compensation not only was less, but the cost of living in the new area was significantly higher. Thankfully, when he shared this predicament with the new church, they happily increased their package.
7. Make Interviews Mutual Conversations
Interviews should feel like conversations, not interrogations. Since both sides are discerning God’s will, create space for honest dialogue and thoughtful questions.
I am proud to say that every search committee with whom my wife and I have met has conducted their meetings as warm conversations. Even though we were all strangers, and they knew far more about us initially than we did them, the conversations felt like we were talking with friends.
8. Protect Confidentiality
Candidate information is sensitive, especially if he is currently serving another church. Do not share names or details prematurely with anyone. Agree among yourselves when information will be shared. Always seek permission before contacting someone connected to his present ministry. Gossip spreads quickly and can hurt your candidate’s current ministry, should you or he eventually decide a move is not in God’s will.
Several years ago, my wife and I met with a search committee from a church in another state. We decided it was not God’s will for us to move, however, I commend that committee for the way they conducted themselves. They all visited our church over a period of weeks, and no one knew it — not even me! Everything was done with complete confidentiality. That allowed me to never miss a beat in our current ministry once we decided not to move to their church.
9. Pray for Him and His Family
This is not merely a staffing decision. It is a spiritual one. You must pray for your candidate and his family regularly. Prayer cultivates love, patience, and wisdom as you walk through the process together.
Recently, I served on a search committee for a denominational position. The role of one of our members was to keep us focused on praying for our process and eventual candidate. We all came to look forward to our times of prayer together as well as his texts reminding us to pray.
10. Provide a Clear Schedule
When you invite a candidate to visit, give him a detailed written schedule well in advance. Include:
- Meeting times and locations
- Travel arrangements
- Dress expectations
- Meal plans
- Who will be present at each gathering
Your clarity will reduce anxiety and communicate care.
A pastor search process does not have to feel like a secret-rule card game. When committees operate with honesty, clarity, communication, and prayer, they do more than fill a position. They lay the groundwork for a healthy and lasting ministry partnership.
Please don’t play Mao with your next pastor. Tell him the rules and set him up to win!
