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3 Things Churches Should Look For When Hiring New Staff In A Post-COVID-19 World (and 5 new openings you should know about)

on May 11, 2020 in Church Leadership

As I often mention, COVID-19 has separated the trusted voices in the church leadership space from those with not as much credibility.  The people we trust are consistently being returned to for information, advice, and suggested best practices during these uncertain times.  One of my trusted voices and dear friends is Matt Steen, co-founder of Chemistry Staffing.  In addition to being an incredible resource for hiring talented pastors, this organization is also helpful in overall church strategy.

Matt and the team at Chemistry Staffing are incredibly insightful and producing some of the most helpful resources church leaders can have right now.  The following are just a few examples:

  • Coronavirus COVID-19 Resource Page –  This should be book-marked by every church leader.  Simply a goldmine of information.
  • Preparing For The Summer – The title obviously addresses what this resource is for.  One of the things I like about this is the number of additional resources contained within for pastors and church leaders.  Check it out!
Matt recently addressed the subject of what to look for when hiring new church staff in a post-COVID-19 world.  I want to share his following thoughts with you.
Also, Matt has been kind enough to share five new job openings after the post.  Check them out!  And if you are looking for a new staff position, make sure you schedule a FREE 30-minute consultation with Matt.  He will give you GREAT advice and serve you well.  Now onto Matt’s thoughts…

What should we be looking for in our next hires?

I’m going to say it…if I hear the phrase “unprecedented times” one more time, I might just take a hostage. It seems that every time I turn around, someone else is saying that phrase. But as much as I hate it, there is truth to it: American church leaders have not navigated a leadership challenge like this.

Ever.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been spending a ton of time with church leaders listening to what they are learning and how it will impact their ministry in the coming season. When it comes to staff hires, there are three themes that I am noticing… and to be honest, I am encouraged:

  • Return to the pastoral: Over the last several years, as church staffs have become more specialized, there has been a tendency to focus more on “getting it done” on Sunday morning over a more pastoral skillset (this is a generalization, please don’t send me hate email). While there is still a need for technical proficiency and the ability to execute on vision, there is a greater need for people to pastor their teams, shepherd their congregations, and walk with people through crisis. The churches that are thriving in this season have successfully seen their specialists pivot to pastoral care in this season. What I am hearing from churches that I talk to is that when they make their next hire, pastoral care is going to be just as important as technical proficiency.
  • Resilient and Adaptive: The pastors that I have been talking to have recognized the need for resiliency and the ability to adapt on the fly. Over the last eight weeks, job descriptions have been thrown out the window and the most valuable team members are the ones who can pivot and pick up new skills quickly. There is also a demand for people who have the ability to innovate with what they have and create something where there was nothing weeks ago. One of the key questions we will be asking in our interviews going forward is “How did you shift your ministry during the pandemic?” By the way, tomorrow’s Now What? webinar will be discussing how to approach family ministries this summer. You can register here.
  • Remote Working Ability: This season has proven the importance of being able to work remotely. While churches have generally been reluctant to embrace remote work, this season has shown that churches CAN do it, and in some cases, it can help them do better work (learn how here). Churches are needing teammates with the self-discipline and motivation needed to successfully work from home and will be seeking these traits out in the days to come. We’ll be asking our candidates “What are the disciplines you embraced to successfully work from home during the pandemic?”
As states begin to relax restrictions and churches slowly begin to discuss reopening their buildings, many churches are beginning to have the conversation about adding to their team before schools reopen in the fall.
As you begin to plan for your staff openings, we’d love to share more of what we are learning about what makes a great teammate in these unprecedented times.

Current Positions Available

NextGen Pastor – Central Baptist Church – Sioux City, IA

Central Baptist Church is looking for a NextGen Pastor. This person will be responsible for furthering the mission of Central Baptist Church by overseeing all age-based ministries from birth through high school with direct ministry involvement in Student Ministries. The NextGen Pastor also provides leadership, support, and training for volunteers who serve in the Nursery through Student Ministries. Find out more here.

Student Community Minister – Eastern Hills Bible Church – Manlius, NY

Eastern Hills Bible Church is excited to begin the process of welcoming their next Student Community Minister to the team. They dream of being a church known for living out the love of Christ in communities throughout Central New York in a way that is clear and compelling for those disconnected from God. They are looking for a high energy, strong communicator who will work with and develop volunteer leaders to help students become fully engaged followers of Christ. Find out more here.

Pastor of Ministry Environments – Grace Church – Medina, OH

Grace Church is a vibrant, growing church that is pursuing a vision of planting 30 campuses in 30 years. Doing something this audacious requires great people who have a desire to launch a new work while remaining connected to a larger church. Grace is seeking their next Pastor of Ministry Environments for their Medina East Campus to work under the Campus Pastor and plant their own campus after three years in this role. Find out more here.

Campus Music Director – Parker Hill Church – Scranton, PA

Parker Hill Church in Scranton, PA is a multisite church looking for a Campus Music Director for one of their campuses. The Music Director is responsible for overseeing and leading the worship experience at the campus while also being a part of a multi-faceted, mobile, flexible, and challenging multi-site music team. The ideal candidate must be musically qualified; creative; experienced in current worship; capable of providing musical direction to a band; capable of being the front person; of leading others in worship vocally; and be a skilled public communicator. Find out more here.

Kids Ministry Director – Calvary Community Church – Manteca, CA

Calvary Community Church in Manteca, CA, is in search of their next Kids Ministry Director to oversee first through six-grade ministries. The Kids Ministry consists of the Sunday morning experience for kids during our morning services, AWANA, and Wednesday night activities. Find out more here.

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