|
|
|
Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/15/2008 7:34:39 PM
Posts: 5,
Visits: 29
|
|
I am in the search for a full-time youth minister position. I am contact with churches about filling the positions available.
I am trying to brainstorm on question that I need to ask Pastors, Churches, and Search Committees through this process to get the best information I need.
I and others have said "I wish i would have known "this" before" can you think of questions that might help with this?
thanks
map@boxpost.net
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/15/2008 7:34:39 PM
Posts: 5,
Visits: 29
|
|
Any Ideas!!! Anyone?!?!
thanks
map@boxpost.net
|
|
|
|
|
Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/14/2009 11:07:37 PM
Posts: 14,
Visits: 70
|
|
| anytime you interview with a church, you interview them as much as they interview you. big things to remember, is know your philosophy of ministry upfront. I took a job at a church once simply because i was so excited to be a youth pastor... i didnt know then that the church didn't look at ministry the same way i did. Ultimately, the head leadership (whether it be a pastor or a board) will determine the vision of the church as they see God has deemed it. When i took that position, I was clearly in the wrong even though to this day i disagree with that church's philosophies. But for me to try to take the youth a different direction from the rest of the church would have been catastrophic (and it really was). Make sure you know the way things work. Is it a top down leadership style? team style? Is the church looking to grow numbers? grow disciples? both? Look at how many pastors have been at the church before you... if there have been a lot in a short amount of time... try to determine why. If you are married... how involved is your spouse supposed to be. this is just a starting place.
Level 5 Student Ministrywww.stcharlesassembly.org
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 6:51:03 PM
Posts: 1,060,
Visits: 9,845
|
|
| I think you can learn a tremendous amount by asking the following questions and then listening carefully to the answers: What do you value most about your current youth ministry? What is the one thing that you would never change about your church? What is the one thing that most needs to change about your church? If they can't answer what they value about youth ministry, then you'll have a pretty good idea whether you want to work there or not! LOL The other two can give you tremendous insight into what the sacred cows are and whether it sounds like the kind of place you would fit in or not.
Pictures taken on vacation at Lake Junaluska, NC.
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/15/2008 7:34:39 PM
Posts: 5,
Visits: 29
|
|
This is the compilation of questions that I have thus far: (give me your thought and additions)
Questions for a search committee:
1)Describe the church to us; if you were describing the church to an out of town visitor, what would be the key elements that you
would include in your description?
2)What is this church's purpose?
Have they defined its mission? Does it have a well-thought-out strategy?
3)How does this church propose to carry out the Great Commission? What is your plan? What are you doing to try and reach this community?
4)How would you describe the atmosphere of
•worship
•small group Bible studies
•Deacon / trustee meetings
•business meetings
•special events
5)Why did the last staff leave? Pastor? Youth Pastor? Music/Worship?
Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the previous pastor and his ministry. How can I reach the previous Youth Pastor?
6)What worries you the church or committee the most? or the least?
7)How much change can you stand?
What are the areas you feel must be changed in this church? What the areas that definitely should not be changed?
In churches there will be some vocal champions who want to freeze the status quo and some who want to change everything.
Which aspects of the church (and its culture) do you want to preserve, and which aspects do you know should be amended? How
big, really, is your appetite for change?
8)Are there any current unresolved problems or issues going on in the church?
What issues have regularly caused friction in this church?
9)How many deacons and staff does this church currently have? What is their general mindset or worldview?
10)Describe about the current leadership of the youth ministries?
11)Describe the church’s attitude and level of support for the youth ministry?
12)If there were no obstacles, what would your dreams be for this church and its youth ministry?
13)Are there any current inchurch candidates, church members seeking this position or former youth ministers still in the Church?
14)What does the youth ministry budget look like?
15)What’s the churches involvement in international missions?
16)How often does the church have a business meeting? what are they like?
17)What role do you see the my wife having in the life of the church?
thanks
map@boxpost.net
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Expert
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/31/2009 1:01:29 PM
Posts: 76,
Visits: 63
|
|
you may have addressed these but just in case:
1. Can I have a copy of the youth pastor job description?
2. What are your expectations of the youth pastor?
3. What is the pay? Benefits? Retirement? Insurance? (ask this because you have no right about to gripe about being overworked and underpaid if you don't find this out first. I'm blown away by how many youth ministers take a position before finding out if they can support themselves and family on the income then whine about it)
4. I bring my vacation with me. Are you cool with that? (If you have been in ministry for a while and you are getting 3 weeks vacation then you get three weeks vacation at your new church. You aren't changing employers, you still work for God  ) This worked for me. If I had not brought this up I would have gone from 2 weeks back to 1 week and would have had to wait a year before getting another week off.
5. Does your church have a sabbatical policy in place?
6. How many adult volunteers are their in the youth ministry? Can I meet with them?
Andy
Reaching Students to Discover Life in Christ
www.theaddyouthpastor.com
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/25/2008 2:16:01 PM
Posts: 8,
Visits: 10
|
|
Listen here you dont need a degree to be a youth leader, do you not have a young dynamic out of school person in your minstry who you can raise up with your heart for your church, use your own people, each person can be a part of your youth ministy.
Robert
www.difc.org.za
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/15/2008 7:34:39 PM
Posts: 5,
Visits: 29
|
|
holeinthehat (9/15/2008)
Listen here you dont need a degree to be a youth leader, do you not have a young dynamic out of school person in your minstry who you can raise up with your heart for your church, use your own people, each person can be a part of your youth ministy.
Robert
www.difc.org.za
Although i do agree about some of the best people to connect with, disciple and teach youth can be the people that they already know within their church and people who are lay leaders. But I also know that some churches need people who can give all of their time and attention specifically to the projects, teaching, and direction of a youth ministry due to its level of involvement, I am wondering about how churches can raise up and use their own people is relevant to THIS post about questions for a search committee?
thanks for you comments!
thanks
map@boxpost.net
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/25/2008 2:16:01 PM
Posts: 8,
Visits: 10
|
|
Let me explain-
Churches are not following the father son pattern, they are not raising up interns and people who they have equiped to take on FULL TIME MINSTRY POSITIONS, I really believe that when you search for pastors and interview them you make minstry a career that pastor will only care for his/her career and have not real heat for that ministry as they are hired into that vision and it is not birthed in them. Jesus tells a parable how when shepherds were looking after sheep, a wolf came and they ran because they where only hirelings. Sons and daughters will follow the fathers vision (father meaing the head of your church).
This is kingdom people, STOP PLAYING CHURCH ITS NOT A JOB ITA A MINISTRY.
Interview questions are not needed, when you take some one out of your own minstry and train them, take them forward go the extra mile, be transparent with them, test them with responsibility, give them responsibiliy, they can be come full time pastors.
With love
Robert
www.difc.org.za
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 6:51:03 PM
Posts: 1,060,
Visits: 9,845
|
|
holeinthehat (9/15/2008)
Let me explain-
Churches are not following the father son pattern, they are not raising up interns and people who they have equiped to take on FULL TIME MINSTRY POSITIONS, I really believe that when you search for pastors and interview them you make minstry a career that pastor will only care for his/her career and have not real heat for that ministry as they are hired into that vision and it is not birthed in them. Jesus tells a parable how when shepherds were looking after sheep, a wolf came and they ran because they where only hirelings. Sons and daughters will follow the fathers vision (father meaing the head of your church).
This is kingdom people, STOP PLAYING CHURCH ITS NOT A JOB ITA A MINISTRY.
Interview questions are not needed, when you take some one out of your own minstry and train them, take them forward go the extra mile, be transparent with them, test them with responsibility, give them responsibiliy, they can be come full time pastors.
With love
RobertRobert, as the wife of a "hireling" I find your post pretty offensive. We ARE in ministry and we are also on staff. I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. This is not our home church, which we did serve in and were run out of because of a nasty and jealous senior pastor. We would never run when things get tough. We've been here over five years and we're just getting started. Things HAVE been tough and we have been attacked, but we've learned the Christian way to deal with conflict and enforced it in our church.
Pictures taken on vacation at Lake Junaluska, NC.
|
|
|
|