This is the most stressful time to be a pastor or church staff member in my lifetime. In a COVID world, everyone in your church has strong opinions about the validity of the virus, its political nature, when you should open, mask policies, and the value of online services. Here’s the worst part – regardless of their opinion, they believe they are 100% right!
Add to this the racial unrest we are facing and it is simply very difficult for pastors to win. It feels as if 50% of the congregation is upset with you with every single decision you make.
But there is one pressure which plagues many leaders and it hounded them long before COVID. That pressure is to answer the questions, are they in the right church or ministry position? Are they where God wants them to be? And if not, what do they do about it?
When it comes to today’s church staffing issues, Todd Rhoades and Matt Steen, founders of Chemistry Staffing, are the two voices I most rely on. Todd recently addressed these important questions. I felt his thoughts were so insighful that I wanted to share them with my audience.
For a list of current job openings at Chemistry Staffing click HERE.
Now onto Todd’s thoughts:
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Labor Day is traditionally the start of a new ministry season.
This year feels different.
Because it is.
New seasons in ministry always have church leaders thinking about their future. At least they do for me.
Just about every church leader I know says he/she feels called to ministry.
But each person describes that call differently.
Some people had a very dramatic time, moment, even second when they knew that God had called them to ministry. Others had a strong feeling or leaning or prompting that this was what they were supposed to do with their lives.
I’ve heard some people that feel they are called to a specific type of ministry (maybe missions or student ministry). While others feel called to a specific location or geographical area (overseas or a certain city). Some feel their calling is very specific to a particular denomination or even local church.
Regardless, just about everyone that I know, at one time or another, doubts their calling.
Is this really what God has called me to do? Should I really be doing what I’m doing? Is God’s hand still on me?
A good amount of ministry transition happens when trying to figure out their personal calling. Should I go here or there? (Or should I stay put?) Should I do this or that? Where should I be? How long should I stay? Why am I doing what I’m doing?
Sometimes God moves us out of bad circumstances. Other times life if good, ministry is thriving, and you still feel God’s leading that He has something different in mind for you.
It seems to me that things would be much easier if things were cut and dry: “Todd, I want you to be here, and stay there for your entire career.”
That wasn’t the reality in my ministry career. And to be honest, it’s probably not been yours either.
Deciphering what that calling looks like for us and our families is one of the more stressful parts of ministry at times. Even the Apostle Paul struggled with 
where he should go… being pulled in one direction personally while actually being led somewhere else by God.
We know your struggle because we’ve been there. We think this is the key: being content where God has sent; and being open to what might be.
Matt Steen and I are working hard to change the way that church leaders find new ways (and places) to live out their calling. We want to help people find great ministry fits using technology, networking, and foremost, the guiding of the Holy Spirit.
We’re also developing new ways for churches to find someone that God may be calling to their church for a specific ministry need. The reality is (and we’ve all heard this before), if God creates a need at your church, he’s already been preparing someone to fill that need. That person just doesn’t know it yet. 🙂
With that in mind, the actual best time to be searching for where God would
have you in the future may actually be when you’re not searching.
In the past, it’s been a phone call from a friend saying… ‘hey, would you be interested in going here?’ We’ve all gotten that call that we thought was kind of funny at the time… and then God started to change our heart and warm us up to an opportunity the He knew we would initially resist.
At Chemistry Staffing, we’re utilizing technology and common sense to help find great fits for churches and individuals. Our upfront assessment process helps find areas of compatibility, shared passions, and synergies in personalities and personal fit.
So… while you might not be actively searching for a new ministry opportunity right now, you may want to fill out your free, confidential profile. If we find a church that matches your theology, skills, and abilities, personality and philosophy of ministry, we’ll reach out to you and let you know.
And if you’re a church looking for a new person to help complete your team, we can help you find someone that will stay longer than 3 years because they share your church’s DNA and heart for ministry.
So be encouraged. This thing that God has called you to is something that he’ll also see you through.
