Author: Alex Purtell

What’s the Word Wednesday

“If Jesus was to sit down with you as you navigate social media, would he see you as a person making peace? Are you a peacemaker? Are you a bridge builder for God’s kingdom?” 

– Dr. Derwin L. Gray, Lead Pastor of Transformation Church. 

The literal definition for a peacemaker is “one who makes peace”. I guess there’s no surprise there. The question is, do you consider yourself one who makes peace? When you’re on social media and you see a comment, do your fingers start typing? As you’re scrolling, you see a picture that just doesn’t sit well with you and you get that twitch in your chest. It’s a hard road, but the world is crying out for an answer that satisfies the desire for justice and truth. We know that is only found in Jesus. Now more than ever is the time to boldly proclaim our king, the one who reigns forever and is coming to bring peace to the earth. 

Question: How can you be a peacemaker?

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

12 Interview Tips for Youth Pastors

This is it! You’ve been working with a youth-ministry goal in mind, and you’re about ready to go in for your first interview—but how do you prepare?!

Don’t freak out. We’ve got you covered with 12 tips that will help you nail that interview.

1. Do your research

The church is not just looking for a rock star youth pastor. They’re looking for someone that can be an asset to their team. Their main concerns are finding a candidate who will fit with their culture and fulfill their mission and vision.

If you’re able to convince them that you’re that person, the job’s yours. Adversely, if you go in knowing nothing about them and simply talk about yourself, you’re likely going to miss out on this opportunity.

So make sure you:

  1. Scour the church website paying particular attention to their goals and mission.
  2. If possible, visit the church on a Sunday morning.
  3. Read up on the senior leadership. Check out their social media feeds.
  4. Discover what you can about the church’s history.
  5. Read this list of interview questions for youth pastor candidates, and prepare for each one.

2. Don’t overdo spiritual talk

While you definitely want to confirm your calling and show that you have a legitimate relationship with Christ, you don’t want to come in with your spiritual guns blazing.

They’re trying to get to know you, and stacking the conversation with too much spiritually charged language actually makes their job harder. It might feel like it helps you, but your interviewer will feel like they didn’t get to know you—and you might even come across as flaky.

3. Get your testimony under 2 minutes

It’s likely that the interviewer will want to hear how you came to know Jesus, so be prepared. If you’re not prepared, you’re probably going to ramble. You don’t want to do that. Practice your testimony until it’s a tight two minutes.

4. Turn your ringer off

Having your phone ring or alert you to notifications during an interview probably won’t ruin everything, but it’s definitely not going help. Nothing’s more awkward than that moment when you have to apologize and sheepishly remove your phone from your pocket in order to mute it.

It’s best to do it ahead of time.

5. Communicate your understanding of youth issues

You know that youth work isn’t all about pizza parties and shut ins. It’s about helping kids negotiate their way through the cultural minefield. Be prepared to communicate the major issues facing teens today.

The key here is not to simply focus on the obvious national issues that anyone could come up with off the top of their head, but to be able to also articulate local needs and concerns.

6. Have a plan to grow the youth group

Remember, you’re not simply selling your experiences and successes. You’re working to convince your interviewer that you’re the best candidate for the job. By coming in prepared with a plan to grow their youth group, you’re:

  • Communicating your preparedness and attention to detail
  • Addressing a specific concern for the church
  • Demonstrating that you understand how to grow your group

7. Be honest about your goals

There’s a strong pull to share the things you think your interviewer wants to hear. That means that you might be tempted to hedge on certain questions. For instance, if they ask you what your five-year goals are, you might be worried about telling them that you plan to be pastoring your own church by then.

It’s in everybody’s best interest to be honest. If you’re thinking about taking a youth working job as a stop-gap measure, the church deserves to factor that into their decision. And your honesty might even open up job opportunities in this church that you weren’t aware of.

8. Demonstrate that you understand the big picture

I know that you’re interviewing for a youth worker position, but you can’t allow yourself to be that myopic. The church is a community and by ministering to individuals, you serve the church. Be able to show that you can see the bigger picture.

You may be working closely with the youth, but you’re actually ministering to families—and, ultimately, the church. Your ministry isn’t happening in a vacuum, and they’re going to breathe a sigh of relief when they discover that you get it.

9. Be prepared to share your successes

This one can be really difficult. If this is your first interview for a youth position, you might not feel like you have enough wins to really sell yourself. Prepare by thinking about all of your accomplishments and academic, church, or work acknowledgements.

Try and come up with five successes that you can share, and make sure that you can communicate how they apply to this position or demonstrate that you’re the right candidate for the job. Make sure to prioritize those those accomplishments from most important to least. If the conversation veers away from this topic, you don’t want to have started with your weakest material.

10. Have a list of influencers

You can almost count on being asked about theologians, authors, and bloggers that have influenced you. If you’re not prepared for this question, your brain will go into panic mode and just give you white noise. Then, no matter how well read you are, you’ll end up giving the most obvious names.

Think through this question so that you can answer well. You don’t want to simply pull from the first A-list Christian celebrities that come to mind. They want to know that you’re thoughtful, and pulling out obvious choices is going to convince them otherwise.

11. Be able to articulate your call to ministry

Ministry isn’t just a job—it’s a calling. Be prepared to cogently (and briefly) explain when and how you knew that God had called you into ministry, and who helped to confirm that calling.

12. When asked about your weaknesses, be honest

If I ask a candidate what their weaknesses are, I’m not looking for a reason to disqualify them. I want to know how honest they are and, more importantly, how introspective and self-aware. It’s a huge strike against them when they give me answers like:

  • I love too much
  • I work too hard
  • I’m too focused on my spiritual life

Be honest about your struggles. If it helps, be able to communicate the strengths that those weaknesses represent—and the steps you take to mitigate those problems.

Nailing an interview is a skill

When you’re prepared, you feel confident. When you feel confident, you help create an environment where everyone is comfortable and affable. Remember the most important element of any interview is the prep that goes into it. If you’re adequately prepared, the interview should be a breeze.

Good luck!

Written by Jayson Bradley – to find out more about Jayson and read more of his writings, check out his blog!

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

What’s the Word Wednesday

“In the wake of COVID-19, we have a tremendous opportunity to build an army of volunteers and leaders in our church, not just an audience of spectators.”

– Todd Adkins, Director of LifeWay Leadership. 

Some may see this time as a stumbling block to their resolutions. Others might see it as an opportunity. This is a very valuable time. Whether you think so or not. COVID-19 has given us a gift. A gift to build on what we didn’t have already. An opportunity to fine tune our skills and abilities. You have volunteers that serve from week to week but did you know that you actually have an untapped army? Use this time to build your army of volunteers. Pour into them and really seek out their passions and what they’re good at. Originally, one of your volunteers might have just been a 3’s teacher but now, in this time of virtual church, that same person might be a key piece to your ministry. Leaders are arising that normally would have remained in the shadows of the back of the church. Have you found them yet? Have you looked and poured thru your church to reveal these leaders who are among you? Pull out the people that have been spectators – train and invest in them. Today is the day to build an army!

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

Why the Grass Isn’t Greener at that Other Church

If you haven’t noticed, church staffing has become a competitive market in recent years. So much so that a quick Google search of “Church Staff Search Firms” will provide you with a list of companies whose entire purpose is to help staff local churches, and whom didn’t exist 20 years ago. By the way, some of these search firms are very good at their jobs.

It’s easier than ever for church staff members to change churches…and they are. Unfortunately, staff longevity is becoming a rare thing in churches. I frequently have conversations with churches that are looking to hire a new team member or a team member who is looking to make a move to a new church.

And while moving to a new church may be what God wants you to do, it’s important to remember that the grass isn’t always greener at that new church.

Your Expectations may not be Reasonable

Often times I hear sad stories from church staff members about how the church or their Pastor hasn’t met their expectations. Expectations that go unmet can create all kinds of hurt and disillusionment. However, your expectations may not be reasonable. It’s not your pastor’s job to disciple you, working at a church isn’t always rainbows and unicorns, and I know you got into ministry to be a part of life-change and people meeting Jesus but this is your job, you don’t get to get paid to do a hobby (and you shouldn’t get paid to have coffee with people all day long). So, temper your expectations (by the way, the secret to happiness in life is low expectations).

The Problem isn’t “out there”

Typically, when I hear church staff members talk about leaving their church the conversation focuses on a problem or series of problems at the church they’re currently serving in. The first bit of input I consistently find myself providing is this: “If God has given you the insight through His Spirt to see something in the church you serve at that needs to change, instead of criticizing it why don’t you try and help it be what you see God wants it to be?” Maybe the problem isn’t with the church, maybe the problem is you’re not being solution oriented and you’re focusing on what’s wrong instead of trying to help it get better.

Planting a New Church may not Fix it

When things get tough, many young leaders are opting to leave and plant a new church. And while I’m all for planting new churches to reach new people, too often these new churches are planted for all the wrong reasons by all the wrong people.

Sometimes you have to Create the kind of place you want to be

I firmly believe, that if at all possible (it isn’t always), the best option for you and the best option for your church is for you to stay and figure it out. You will grow through the process and the church will experience the benefit and fruit of you staying and figuring it out. Sometimes it’s worth staying and creating the kind of place you want to be.

Work at a church? Trying to figure out if it’s time for you to leave your church? Check out this post about “Why Church Staff Change Churches.”

Written by Paul Alexander – to find out more about Paul and read more of his writings, check out his blog!

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

What’s the Word Wednesday

“Save your energy. Guard your time. You’re not supposed to be willing to die on every hill. Just the ones that God has called you to. Those are the ones we need to climb to the pinnacle so that you can plant the stake of truth in the ground. Be wise. Be prayerful. We need you.”

– Get to know Priscilla Shirer by heading to her site and finding out more about her ministry. 

In this day and age, it feels like everyone has a voice about something. Politics, COVID-19, racial injustice, the weather…the list goes on. By scrolling through social media, you can see that people have some pretty strong convictions on just about everything. It’s good to have convictions but when those convictions cause you to not think of others or for you to act unkind, maybe you need to take a step back. Some people get so worked up and I have to ask – is it worth it? Is it worth the damage that your words may cause? Is it worth losing a friend because of their political stance. Is it worth you not being right just this one time? Evaluate the things you’re saying on social media. Think about the words you’re saying to those around you. Be prayerful about the convictions that you have. Ask God to point out the times and situations that He needs you to be vocal and to stand up. Pray that God would help you speak when you need to speak and listen when you need to listen. Be kind and be respectful!

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

Three Thoughts About Your Next Hire

If you’ve been involved in ministry for very long, you know that people come and go. And not just church members, I’m talking about pastors and staff as well. In the church I serve, we’ve had five youth pastors in the past 10 years. Let me just tell you, that’s not ideal for the church or youth ministry. But that’s reality sometimes.

Sometimes you’re going to need to replace people, and sometimes, as your church grows, you’re going to need to hire for positions you’ve never had before. Hiring staff can be tricky. You make the right hire, and your church continues to get healthy and grow. If you make the wrong hire, your church can quickly be headed in the wrong direction. This is especially true when hiring a new senior pastor.

So, with that in mind, I want to share with you three thoughts about your next hire.

  • Clearly define the role and expectations beforehand.

Before you begin looking for someone to fill the position, make sure the role and expectations are clearly defined, written down, and agreed upon by all the decision makers.

Here’s why, in many churches, different people have different ideas about what they want. Someone may want a pastor who is a great teacher, while another would prefer a pastor who may be more relational. When every decision maker is not on the same page, it creates confusion and chaos, not just for the church but for the potential hire as well.

  • Do your research.

You know what the best indicator of future performance is? You guessed it, past performance. So, make sure to ask for references, and actually check them. I’m amazed at the number of churches that don’t check references.

Also, check their social media accounts. Do some Facebook stalking. What are they posting? What are they commenting on? What are they sharing? This will tell you a lot about a person.

Ask good questions. What’s been your greatest success? What’s been your greatest failure? How are you currently investing in yourself?

  • Check for spiritual health.

Don’t assume because someone is applying for a job at a church that they have everything together. There are plenty of people who are working in ministry who shouldn’t be. Some have huge character flaws, while others burned out a long time ago.

Ask them, what does your prayer life look like? Who was the last person you invited to church? What fruit of the spirit do you struggle with the most?

I believe if you will take these tips and use them, it will save you a lot of potential headaches. Hiring new people to work in the ministry should be one of the most rewarding things you get to do. Make sure you do it right.

What was the biggest hiring mistake you ever made? What did you learn from it? Take a moment, and share in the comments below. While you’re here, make sure to subscribe to the blog to get tips on church growth, leadership, and more delivered to your inbox each week.

Written by Travis Stephens – to find out more about Travis and read more of his writings, check out his blog!

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

What’s the Word Wednesday

Power, approval, comfort, and control are meta-idols that hold sway over our daily lives

– Timothy Keller, Founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church and City to City. To find out more about Tim Keller, head to his site. 

Pull a part each of those words above. Power. Approval. Comfort. Control.  Each of us, or at least most of us, have struggled with these things throughout the duration of our lives. Power held through a position at work. Approval sought out by a family member that doesn’t see us. Comfort from not doing something that makes us a little uneasy. Control over our time and finances so we refuse to give. The truth is that God sees this. He knows this. He knows that we’re putting these things above Him. He knows that these thing hold weight in our lives and when the going gets tough, we turn to power, approval, comfort and control before we turn to Him. Get away, even for just a brief moment and reflect what you’re putting above Christ. Is it power? Maybe you are seeking out approval. Needing help getting out of your comfort zone? Does control have a tight grip? In Exodus it says that we shouldn’t have any gods before Christ. Nothing should take the place of Him in your daily walk. Figure out what you are replacing with God and get rid of it. He wants you to have peace and the only way to do that is to put Him first.

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

5 Signs You May Be Growing Weary as a Leader and What To Do About It

Ministry is full of amazing moments where we get to participate in God’s kingdom work. As leaders, we experience many great things as we proclaim and live out the Gospel. Is it always easy? Nope. However, we have been called into a life of opportunity. 2020 has been an opportunity like no other to lead and minister to people in new and exciting ways.  

As I talk with other ministry leaders, I hear some of the same themes and patterns. Many of us are tired and weary as this season continues. There is no book on leading ministry through a pandemic. We have never done this before. Added to the uncertainty of the pandemic is a growing list of political rhetoric, racial tension and growing division in our world.   

If you find yourself growing weary, lean in hard to the Lord and ask for energy and strength that only He can give. Here are five signs you may be growing weary as a leader and what to do about it.   

1. You are not sleeping well.  

One of the first psychological signs of stress is an impact on sleep. There is a reason many counselors and doctors often first ask, “How are you sleeping?” If you continue the routine of poor sleep, it affects everything. This is a huge sign of weariness.  

What to do about it? I don’t have to tell you to go to bed early, but I’m going to anyways. Get off the devices, count sheep, do what you need to do to get some sleep.  

2. You are starting to feel isolated. 

Offices are closed, teams are meeting virtually, and you miss people. Alone is dangerous, and even if you have the best staff in the world, it is vital to do life and ministry together. Feeling lonely not only affects you mentally and spiritually but medical experts say that it is harmful to your health. Isolation will drain you and leave you unmotivated and weary. When you are lonely, your mind will start to create storylines and scenarios leaving you with increased anxieties. You become skeptical or passive to everyday events. Remember: alone is dangerous.  

What to do about it? If you feel isolated, reach out to your staff and leadership to set up a lunch or some type of gathering.  Confide in someone you trust about the way you are feeling. Sometimes all you need to do is vocalize what’s going on inside. If you let loneliness fester, it will only get worse. Be proactive.  

3. Every negative email, text or phone call hits you hard personally.  

Chances are that your emails are full of people sharing love and support for you, your church and everything you are doing. That same inbox is probably full of people sharing conspiracy theories, frustration and blatant disregard for decency. If you are like me, you do not receive the love but take the negativity personally. A phrase that I got from Carey Nieuwhof’s book, Didn’t See It Coming, is that “loud is not large.”  What this means to me is that often when I get those texts that cut deep, the volume I hear in those words may be loud, but they do not speak for the majority. This is a lesson I’ve had to learn even before the pandemic.  

What to do about it? When you get encouragement, embrace it and accept the fact that someone really does care about you and wants to encourage you. Do not blow that off. When you receive negativity, read it all and look for truth. Address the truth and throw out the rest. Never respond back via email or text. Always pick up the phone or ask for a meeting to address it. Lastly, bring in other staff or leaders to the conversation. You do not have to carry the load by yourself.  

4. You are struggling to do the small things. 

You get the major things done each week, but those little extra tasks have gone by the wayside. Those follow-up texts encouraging leaders. The thank you notes. Don’t forget about those small things that make you a great leader. When you are fatigued you can easily talk yourself out of doing those tasks. They matter and your people need them.  

What to do about it? Think back to before the pandemic. What were the small ministry details you did that you are no longer doing? These small things may not work in the current context, but you could probably think of a creative way to do them differently. Do them and do them well. 

5. Your family can see it.  

Someone recently asked my wife how I was doing. She has been a pastor’s wife for almost fourteen years and is good at protecting me. However, she told the truth in her own frustration with everything going on. The reality: she is weary, too. I have had to work extra hard not to neglect my wife and kids even though I recognize being tired. At the end of the day, all we have is those under our roof and nothing else matters. What are they going to remember about 2020?  

What to do about it? For some, you may need to ask for forgiveness. For others, you may need to reassess how you have been treating your family. Dig deep and evaluate how you have been at home throughout this. You may need to add or subtract some habits in the days ahead. Huddle up with your family this week and plan something special. May this pandemic draw you even closer together and not apart.  

Written by Bobby Cooley, a Discipleship Pastor in Katy, TX. Check out his DYM resources here! 

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

What’s the Word Wednesday

Use your ‘power’ to bless and serve, not manipulate and control.

– JD Greear, Lead Pastor at The Summit Church

How many times have you used your skills and abilities to help someone out? I’m sure, if you’re an average joe, probably more times than you can count. How many times have you used your giftings for bad  – to manipulate or to control a situation? I’m sure if we were all honest, we’ve probably done it more times than once. It’s not something that we’re proud of but because we’re good at something or someone has told us that we’ve excelled at something, we’ve used it for bad rather than for good. When you have a particular gift that God has given you, check your heart and ensure that you’re using what He’s given you is for His glory…not yours. Make sure that you’re using it to bless and serve others instead of shining a light on you to help you get further in a situation. 

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!

10 Questions to Ask a Search Team

Through my years of working with churches and candidates, I have gone over the do’s and don’ts of interviewing more than I can count. There are some pretty common sense questions to ask but candidates always seem to blank during the interview. I get it – you have several pairs of eyes staring back at you, the room is warm, and you’re afraid that the search committee or the pastor won’t get your humor. Here’s my advice: write down your questions! Everyone thinks that they’ll remember their questions but more times than not, they don’t. Interviewing for a ministry position? Here are a few to get you started:

  1. Why do you think I may be a good fit for the position? Some churches have a wide variety of reasons why they bring people in to an interview. Find out what it is that they like about you.

  2. What’s something difficult that I’ll have to address if I end up getting hired? Want to learn a lot about your team or even the church? This may be the time that the church becomes transparent – this is what you want!

  3. Is your church passionate about making heaven full and how do they do that? I don’t know about you but I want to be part of a church that wants to grow not only the church, but the Kingdom. 

  4. What’s the financial condition of the church? This is NOT a question that’s off limits. You want to make sure that the church can afford you and how much money you’d have in your budget if you decide to move forward. 

  5. Are there any people on the team or in the church that I would have immediate issues with? I would want to know who has the most influence in the church and if there are any people that may be a roadblock for me. 

  6. What is something that you would like to tell me but are a little unsure about? A lot of churches have something that they’re not revealing. The reason why they’re not sharing is because they haven’t been pushed enough to share.

  7. Why did the last person that had my job end up leaving? This could reveal a lot about staff chemistry, the pastors personality or leadership dynamics. Whatever it is, get to the bottom of it. 

  8. What is the vision and mission of the church? If they can’t tell you, you might want to run. You want to be part of a church where everyone is in the know with the direction that the church is going in.

  9. What is the staff culture like? How do they work together? Is it a collaborative environment or is everyone on their own? Do they get together outside of work? It would be nice to know how much of a team the staff really is.

  10. How long do you see yourself in your current position? If the pastor is interviewing you, it would be nice to know how long he/she is planning on sticking around. That will tell you a little about the church culture as well. 

These are just some of many really great questions to ask if you’re interviewing for your next position.  Transparency is the key to making a great placement. It’s also the key to ensuring that you end up in a healthy environment. Do your work and ask good questions!

Written by Meggan Jacobus, Staffing Manager at Froot Group Staffing. 

Looking for a new position? Stop by MinistryJobs.com and have a look at the jobs that are available! Ministry jobs are hard to come by and job hunting is no fun. We help ministry job seekers find their ideal role in their next ministry – for free! More than 6 million search for a job every day. Be found! Looking to list a job or an open position? We help churches and organizations get job openings in front of potential candidates. We have several plans and packages available. Today is the day!