In a business, hiring is a straightforward procedure. Find the best talent, with the right education, a powerful skill set, relevant experience, and a good work ethic. Give them a salary, and bring them on board. Even though it’s easier said than done, the process is relatively simple. When it comes to bringing on someone for a ministry team, whether a media director, worship leader, or youth pastor, the dynamic totally changes. How do you assemble the right ministry team?
Everything Starts with Prayer
Prayer is crucial. To make decisions without praying is dangerous. No decision is to small to bring before God. You need His guidance in every situation–whether your ministry is bringing on a senior pastor or a new secretary. Pray. Pray. Pray.
Before You Hire
The hiring process begins long before you read a resume or invite someone to candidate. It begins with your personal understanding of the ministry need. Ask yourself a series of questions in order to regulate your thinking on the issue
- What are the tasks that a new team member would perform?
- What resources does the ministry have available to bring on a new team member?
- What skills or experience does the potential new team member need to have in order to fulfill the tasks.
- What consequences will we experience if we do not hire the new team member?
As you consider these issues, it is important to put together a job description for the new position. This will guide you as you move forward.
Considering Candidates
Often, the biggest problems in ministry are problems with the leaders themselves. Disunity on the team. Unresolved differences. Grudges. Jealousy. Dishonesty. Lack of accountability. Temptation. These vices rear their ugly head in any kind of relationship. When these kinds of attitudes and actions show up on a ministry team, disaster may be a few steps behind. Your ministry is far too valuable to let these kinds of things persist. To avoid these types of problems in the hiring of a new team member, you must be especially careful when considering potential hires. Here are some suggestions.
- Remember, bathe the process in prayer.
- Consider the candidate’s personal relationship with God. The ministry, regardless of the task, is a spiritual ministry. Does the person have a relationship with God that qualifies them for this ministry? Do they exhibit a love for God, a likeness to Jesus, and a loving relationship with Him? This is the first and biggest consideration.
- Understand his spiritual gifts. God has given gifts to the church in the form of people. What spiritual gifts does the candidate have? Does he himself know? Do others recognize these gifts? How has he been practicing his gifts? Spiritual giftedness is an essential consideration for any new hire. He will have a spiritual ministry, and therefore he must have the gifts necessary for this ministry.
- Determine his character strengths. Since you are in ministry, you are probably aware of some of the most important character traits to have. Understand the candidate’s character. Does he have the integrity necessary for handling funds? Does he manifest marital faithfulness? Is he hard-working and industrious? Does he have the ability to easily interact with others–a personable nature? Character is essential.
Making the Decision
When it’s finally time to make the decision, do so as a ministry team. Continue to pray earnestly during the entire process. The success of the ministry depends upon the unity of the team. God desires unity. A unanimous assent by the team as a whole is the best way to proceed. If one person has misgivings about the potential hire, don’t ride roughshod over those feelings. Explore them. Find out why. Obviously, you will not find a perfect candidate, but you must find someone whom the rest of the team can work with.
After You Hire
The process of hiring is grueling enough, but the days and weeks afterward are also very important. Clarify expectations from the start. The new hire needs to understand what is expected of him and should have a benchmark for making progress (or not making progress) in his new role. Office protocol, reading the handbook, acquaintance with the facilities, etc., are all part of the process. Most importantly, he should get to know the rest of the ministry team. Immediate integration with the personalities, characters, giftedness, and quirks of the other team members is an important first step.
Prayer never leaves the process. All throughout, God is your counselor. He is your Guide. He will direct.
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