Im looking into a new church home & so I have to call a Pastor this afternoon. I know this exercise has been done before but what really serious questions would you ask if you were interviewing a pastor? Ive already asked him if he could
focus on teaching & mentoring....Im getting sick of Pastors that dont delve into the meat & just feed you milk. Thanks in advance for the help.
Ask him for a copy of the church constitution and/or bylaws.
Ask any doctrinal questions that are important to you.
A word of advice.
The kinds of questions you ask this pastor will reveal the kind of person you are.
Very rarely have we ever been asked what one can do to HELP in the body of Christ in the church.
To the contrary, it seems most people who "church shop" want to find one that caters to THEM.
They want to know what we can do for them, their kids, their teens, their music preference, their version preference, their petty or not-so-petty details that really don't matter a hill of beans when it comes to serving Christ.
We've had people want to know dh's views on C/A, divorce, baptism, etc. but they never even bothered to ask for his personal testimony!
That tells us they care more about little details than whether or not the pastor is born again and trying to live for God!
Just something to keep in mind.
abcgrad,
Thanks for the perspective. Your comment about asking for the pastor's salvation testimony is an excellent suggestion.
I suggest that question be followed with a request for the pastor to relate his call to preach.
And, to follow up on your complaint, I would ask the pastor how long it would be before I can get involved in the church's ministry.
I would tell him where I'm interested in serving, the gifts and talents the Holy Spirit has given me.
Then be prepared, because that pastor will want to hug you.
I would also ask the pastor if he has any questions for me.
He deserves to know my soteriology, and yes, whether I'm Cal or Non-Cal, and if my views on a number of things are scriptural.
Your answers will tell him and you if you'll be a good fit in that congregation.
Typically when I was asked the questions from the person or persons making an inquiry, it turned into whether or not Sibboleth was Shibboleth. One asked what was most important to me, and I answered for my brothers salvation (which I still hope for). Of course, I was blasted for it. Yes, blasted, by these potential members. Thankfully they went elsewhere and caused a rift in other churches. They had the only true answer, and my answer was plain wrong. From what I recall, this was the only incident I have ever had of a person wanting to see what I believe.
I would give any potential members a members packet, which includes the by-laws and constitution, and ask them to attend for awhile and see if this church would be one they could join, and that no one joins this church to sit. We all have a part in doing something.
As far as non-essentials there is no need to "delve" into these, in my opinion. Generally this turns into prideful arguing, and a touche can be heard. The pastor may wisely refrain from engaging in this. I know I would not engage in this. If the person can't join until he knows many many details of beliefs about non essentials, the church is much better off to be without the person joining.
If a person came to ask me questions, like EWF is doing, I would ask why he/they left their other church. Also, I called the other pastor when I had visitors to let them know their sheep were looking around. This generally gave me a lot of information about this candidate. It became rather enlightening. Some pastors thanked me and kept their sheep from wandering around. Others prayed and hoped they'd never come back.
:saint:
What questions are you going to ask EWF? I'm certain you have a list or an idea.
Interesting.... Well as Ive indicated, Im not being fed & maybe because its not a Reformed Pastor & I want to know more Reformed doctrine. The guy Im calling today is. Should I ask his educational credentials ...like seminary etc.?
I just placed that call, simply amazing. Guy told me only 2-3% of the towns protestant population goes to church so he is catering to mostly baby christians & he then stated if I taught doctrine & theology from the pulput that Id loose the congregation. Wow! Has it gotten that bad in my neck of the woods?
This is the type of rubbish Im finding all over my area. You cant even find a church that teaches doctrine & theology. What there doing is poaching from the RC Churches who are clueless. since they are not interested in being fed strong theology & doctrine, they feed them pablum & entertain them with magic shows. They loose, if they ever had, any teaching capability & they become useless. God, I cant even find anyone that can bring me forward. Thats why I read on my own, go on boards like this, listen to online sermons etc. Theres nothing like that up here today.
Good gravy people, what are you expecting on Sunday? A five point oration on the finer points of Jesus' use of Hillel's Midrash in the Sermon on the Mount? Or on some arcane theological topic like resolving forensic justification in the Pauline hauptbriefen?
Listen I'm all for digging deeper and fully believe an equipped pastor can help draw his people into deeper studies. That said Sunday morning, if that's your primary front door, should be a place where all people are welcome to hear complete teaching that connects with them. The vast majority of believers don't know about, or know they need to know about, deeper theological stuff.
There should be a time and place for rigorous study, I'm all for it, but don't think Sunday morning is that place.
Maybe these pastors know their community better than we do. They know what is working to reach people. If we don't meet their primary needs in life how will they ever know they have other needs?
I know when pastors are faced by potential members with questions such as EWF had, they know just how to answer them. At least the pastors I know around here would have most likely said something similar, and gone about God's business of preaching the Word. There was nothing wrong with that pastors answer. I think I understand why he answered that way.
I wouldn't bother a pastor with questions, I'd just man up and go visit.
And you can bet no matter what the pastor did in the pulpit, somehow it would be all wrong and make its way to this board.
Crucified by Christians. What a great book.
Perhaps potential pastors for EWF, and others, should get a manuscript of threads and replies by said potential members off of BB and other forums to help them understand the real personalities of said potential member(s). And perhaps the PM's.
I’d ask him to meet you for a beer & see what he says---:smilewinkgrin: j/k-- I just saw your posts on alcohol & thought they were hilarious & spot on!
P4T ... what if I asked you not to call my Pastor? Also what if my previous pastor was not Baptist, would that matter? What if I was RC, would you call them?
While I understand the frustrations of not feeling "fed," our spiritual well-being does not rest on the sermons alone.
It's our job to search the scriptures and ask God for wisdom from his word.
Before you decide to leave your church, you might want to talk to the pastor about your feelings.
It may be that the church is full of baby Christians and he needs your help encouraging them to learn more doctrine.
We who are stronger in the faith have a responsibility to mentor those who are weaker in the faith.
There is a line in not being fed, and thinking we "already know" a subject and can't learn anything new there.
Not saying you have that attitude, but IF God wants you to stay in your current church and you desire to grow, he will reveal things to you even if you've read a certain passage or heard it preached 10 times.
If you asked me not to call your Pastor, I wouldn't be surprised. In addition, I wouldn't need to call your Pastor, I already know enough. Also, when you ask me that question, I'd just tell you I don't preach much on theology and doctrine.