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One of the most significant roles in a local church is that of search committee member. That group is charged with a task of greater significance than the hiring of an employee. It is their responsibility to find the person who will serve the congregation as an undershepherd who is accountable to the chief shepherd, Jesus Christ. The people that are a part of this group need to be spiritually mature individuals who will wholeheartedly pursue God’s will.

In some churches, a leadership group undertakes this task. It may be the pastoral staff, the vocational elders as some would identify them, that would lead the search. That is rare. More often it is the elders which be may a combination of vocational and lay elders, or deacons, or a combination of all three. It is very common to enlist individuals from the congregation as well.

There is no hard and fast rule for this but there is one suggestion that stands at the top of my list. The search committee must have representatives from the elders, or in churches without elders, from the deacons. There needs to be representation from whatever group is the recognized leadership group in the church. To have a committee without people from the elders or deacons is not wise.

If a search committee is comprised only of people from the congregation, there can be a disconnect with the leadership. It may be assumed that the committee would naturally be in line with the thinking of the elders but that cannot be assumed. By placing on the committee elders or deacons, then the group has a direct connection with the leadership group and their perspective. In churches where purpose is clear and where there is a strategic plan in place, those representing the leadership group can help keep the process on track. The outcome should be a pastor or staff member who is compatible with the ministry and committed to the mission of that church.

In churches where neither purpose or mission are clearly stated, those who are a part of the leadership group may have at least a general idea of the direction of the church. What the church does not want is a new pastor who is headed in a different direction or who comes with an incorrect understanding of the church leadership’s vision.

Varying the group members is beneficial. Representation of the major groups within the church is good. It should be a mixture of men and women, married and single, older and younger. If all are active participants in church life, they will be able to bring diverse perspectives and also answer questions that may be asked by the person being interview.

Once the group is formed, they should be publicly identified. The congregation should be regularly encouraged to pray for those serving on the committee.

There is also one suggestion that I have. Typically the person being interviewed, whether in person, on the phone or via internet linkage ala Skype, is the stranger in the conversation. Everyone else knows each other. Verbal introductions are helpful for sure. In our search process we were thankful for the church that gave us printed information sheets on the search committee members and the staff. Those sheets were much more than a list of names. They included a recent picture and information such as how long they had been at the church, in what capacities they had served as well as personal information about family and hobbies. They gave us a preview and helped us get to know the people with whom we would be interacting.

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