Hiring is important in any organization and it’s just as important, if not more so, in a local church context.
I have a front-row seat to this reality in my role as the Multiplication Pastor supporting multiple congregations. And though I’m not a hiring savant by any means, I’ve found myself in a regular cadence of candidate interviews these last few years which have been a sharpening experience.
And in light of the interview reps, here’s one thing that’s been clarified for me: It’s all about asking the right questions.
This is why hiring frameworks such as the “3 C’s of Hiring” (Character, Competence, Chemistry) exist. The right candidate often emerges from the right questions asked. And while there are countless good questions that could be asked, here are three questions that have helped bring dramatic clarity for me in evaluating a candidate:
Question 1: “What is the future state I’m hiring for?”
In other words, what am I trying accomplish by hiring this individual? Is it growth? To make something bigger? Or is it so they can help maintain and provide relationships? Is it greater theological acumen? What is the preferred future state this person will help achieve?
Sometimes a hiring manager can get caught up in the charm or particular competence of a candidate. This is when we begin to dangerously ignore certain weaknesses about the candidate. But here’s the reality: It’s not about how much you like the candidate. It’s about whether this person fits your envisioned preferred future. To hire otherwise is unintended cruelty towards that person, your people, and yourself.
Let me give you an example. Larry Osborne (North Coast Church) once said that every ministry leader can be categorized as a builder or a shepherd. It’s not that builders can’t shepherd, they just have a bias for growing things. Shepherds on the other hand are amazing with people and therefore provide health to the growth. We can agree that churches need both kinds of leaders.
But do you see the danger in falling in love with a candidate that skews shepherd when the preferred future state is growth? Or to get swept in a leader who builds when what’s needed is caught-up health? The mismatch will be a headache for the church and the hired staff member.
It’s about being vision-oriented, not just candidate-centric. It’s not simply about picking the “cream of the crop” but whether that particular cream fits the desired outcomes.
Question 2: “How does the candidate’s past predict the future?”
Yes, every candidate is amazing because every candidate is made in the image of God. And no, God does not use every person in the same way. God made some to be builders and that’s who they are. He made others to be shepherds and that will not change. Therefore, how God uses someone in the past is often a lead indicator of how God will use that person in the future. Sure, there are always exceptions, and the exceptions will prove the rule.
This is why the resume is important. The resume tells the story of the past. The ministry experiences and fruitfulness of a leader (or lack thereof) serve as an indicator of what’s to come.
If a candidate’s resume says they’ve never grown a ministry in the past, they will potentially need a lot more support to grow one in the future. If a candidate's resume says they last about 2-3 years in a church, they may also last about 2-3 in yours. Again, there are always dark horses who buck the trend but hiring usually isn’t the time to place outrageous bets.
It’s the responsibility of the hiring manager to read the resume and be honest about the what it communicates.
3. “How did the references validate or invalidate the narrative?”
Reference checks are crucial because they help validate the story for or against the candidate.
If the resume indicates a builder who grows things, the reference check can affirm or not affirm this assertion through an eyewitness who experienced how God used that person. If the resume indicates someone who loves to start things but itches with boredom after take-off, the reference check can help validate the narrative or correct a false assumption.
Remember, every hire is a risk. Even strong candidates with great track records are a risk. The goal is to lower the risk factor as much as possible and the reference check is one of the key ways to do so.
Practically, this means call every listed reference. Don’t be shy about asking for more references. Get specific. Say “I want to talk to your former manager at [fill-in-the-blank-church].” Make some noise if the candidate doesn’t list any references. Do your due diligence.
Concluding Thoughts
There are two sides of the hiring coin. One side is great frustration when we hire the wrong person. The other side is great empowerment that comes from making the right hire.
Your hire(s) will have a ripple effect on you, your leadership team, and the people you serve for years to come.
Give it the proper energy and attention it deserves. Your people deserve it and they’ll thank you for it.
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By Steve Bang Lee, Multiplication Pastor at Mariners Church and co-author of the On the Table and The Image of God Bible studies.