The Wrong Questions

Recently a pastor friend was in the search process with a denominational church in the Midwest.  Typically after reviewing candidate resumes a search team that is not using a minister search firm will send the first group of screened candidates a questionnaire, request a statement of faith, and/or a written statement of their views on ministry and leadership.  Wise churches might include a personality profile and team assessment in the next step to see if they are a "fit" for their team and church.  References, criminal background and financial credit reports are usually in the last stage of the process.

My friend received the questionnaire and gave me permission to share some of them anonymously in this blog.  The “who” is not important and would serve no purpose except to bring harm to my friend, or the specific church.  The “what” is far more important and provides clear insight into how some search teams screen candidates and the criteria they use.

There were 20+ questions.  The first two dealt with denominational loyalty.  In other words it would appear that denominational fidelity is far more important to them than fidelity to Christ and the historic Christian doctrines.  I promise this is real.  You can't make this stuff up.  So here is a sampling of some of the most revealing questions unedited in their order on the form:
3.  What are your views on abortion?
4.  Please share your views and beliefs about homosexuality.
5.  Do you pledge allegiance to our national flag? _____yes  _____no
6.  What are your views concerning gambling?  The lottery?  Have you ever played a       
      lottery?
7.  What are your views on Genesis 1-11?
13. Who can become a deacon?  Only married men?  What about single men?
14. Describe your view of women’s role in church.
15. What are your views on couples living together but not married?  Can they become 
      members?  Can they have roles in the church?
20. Are there any felonies or misdemeanors in you or your wife’s life?

Now to be fair, questions 8-12 dealt with theological issues (infallibility of Scripture, views on the resurrection, the Parousia, tithing, Virgin Birth, etc.  The remainder dealt with preaching style, approach to missions and conflict resolution.

At least this search team is transparent about what they want and don’t want.  That’s about as positive a spin I can put on it.  It’s not that these questions are necessarily bad, it’s what they communicate about the church and less about a candidate.  This has fundamental- legalism written all over it!  To use a gambling analogy (how’s that for some fun?) it’s a “tell”.  In poker, players look for mannerisms and facial expressions of their fellow players to see if they can “tell” when they are bluffing, or have a loaded hand.  This search team has a loaded hand.  They are more interested in compliance, rules and legalistic issues than they are the heart, personality and spiritual gifts of the candidate and their relationship with Christ. 

Seriously, they are actually asking:  “Do you pledge allegiance to our national flag?”  I am as red, white and blue as anyone (two flags are flying right now outside my house!), but you are asking this question when our Savior was a Palestinian-born, dark-skinned, Aramaic-speaking Jew?  Forgive me, but I can’t recall the last time a member of the Taliban, PLO, or, a member of a group hostile to the United States applied for a senior pastor position within a Protestant church in America.  Translation: we worship the flag and the government as much as we do Jesus.  It’s called “civil religion,” and it’s dangerous.  It's nationalism gone idolatrous.  Remember when ancient Israel practiced it?  The Scriptural outcome of elevating any country’s government/citizenship above faithful obedient righteousness to God is well documented.  Let me state it again for those who read Scripture through the lens of the red, white and blue:  I love my country.  I am a proud citizen.  I vote.  I pray for and support our troops.  I respect the elected authorities God has placed over us.  But I do not worship my country.  There’s a huge and important difference.  Okay, enough said on that point. 

Wouldn’t you love to ask this search team how the homosexuals in their church feel about question #4?  Statistically it would be rather naïve to assume there are no gay members, but for the sake of this argument let’s say there aren’t any.  What about the gay children, relatives, neighbors and co-workers of the members?  Ouch!  Translation: We are anti-gay.  I don’t dispute the Scriptures they would cite on covenant marriage and God’s intentions for marriage, or sexual purity, but wouldn’t you rather hear how a pastoral candidate ministers and witnesses to persons hostile or indifferent to the gospel?  How do they build intentional relationships like Jesus did with known sinners (many caught in sexual sin) and model grace? 

I could go on and on, but search teams need to know that pastors read between the lines.  For example, if there are several questions related to church conflict, etc., you can bet this congregation has a history of it and it’s most likely unresolved.  Or, when someone asks about office hours and being available in the office it tells you they do not want their pastor living in the culture, building relationships and networking to find ways to minister and reach the culture.  Instead, it’s about their access and ability to grab the pastor whenever they want.  It’s about control.  By the way, not only did Jesus have no place to lay His head, but His office was totally mobile. 

Wonder how many of their members bet a dollar on the NCAA March Madness bracketology, or play a slot machine on a cruise, buy lottery tickets, or play in the local golf course’s weekly “money game”?  Or better yet gamble and risk every time they buy stock, or mutual funds?  How many on the search team have been charged with a moving traffic violation, or something far more serious?  Do you see the insane and contradictory nature of this stuff?  It’s like saying:  “We are totally against homosexuality and will not stand for it, but oh yeah we use software and computers by companies that provide benefits for domestic partners!” 

As a PK I’ve always been partial to the question on tithing.  So many times I’ve wanted to say:  “I will be happy to provide a copy of my annual charitable giving on my tax returns for the last 10 years if every person on the search team/elders will provide theirs.“  Shouldn't a candidate have the right to know if they are going to be serving leaders who tithe too?

Let me suggest just a few great beginning questions for any search team to ask candidates:

1. Tell us your faith story and what God is doing in your life and ministry right now. 
2. How do you feed your soul?  Provide examples of how you are growing, being challenged, corrected and nurtured in your relationship with Jesus.
3. How are you modeling the grace of God in a sometimes, hostile culture?  Give an example of a current relationship you are building in this area.
4. What is God teaching you about reaching, ministering and relating to people who are hurting, broken and are not Christ-followers? Be specific.
5. What would you consider one of your most joyful and rewarding experiences in pastoral ministry?  Be specific.  And what would you consider your most humbling experience in pastoral ministry? 
6. In the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke’s gospel who do you most identify with as you reflect on your pastoral journey:  the younger son, or the elder brother?
7. How do you affirm, nurture and express your love to your spouse and children?  Please be specific.   Would your spouse, or children’s answers to this question be different than yours?  If so, please explain.
8. When is the last time you emptied trash, cleaned a toilet, mopped a floor, set up chairs, or vacuumed at your church facility?  (hint: gets to servant attitude)
9. You can only pick one:  Is a pastor predominately a:  counselor; teacher/preacher; servant; shepherd; overseer; or CEO; Explain your top choice.  

I guarantee candidates would salivate to receive such questions.  It shows intentionality and a hunger for the most important things.  Trust me, the criminal background check, credit report and their references (also the secondary one’s cultivated from the one’s they provide) will provide more than you need to know on the legalistic stuff.  We are the church and we better make soul care, tending, growth, nurture, missions, ministry and reaching the culture a top priority of our conversations about leadership and direction, not loyalty to a denomination, flag, or abortion.  Single-minded people and search teams have tunnel vision and wise is the candidate who runs away and runs fast!  Our calling is too important and time too urgent to play these games when there are so many authentic faith communities seeking authentic, servant-leaders.   

   

By the way, my friend’s response was humorous, pointed and oozed grace.  I guarantee they totally missed it, tossed his name out and moved on to the most compliant of candidates!  That’s a shame because they missed one of the best leaders I know.