Introduction
Discerning God's will ought to be a constant pursuit in our lives, and it requires the development of skillful living through wisdom. In Scripture we are told that God’s will for us is our sanctification; becoming more like Jesus. But what does it look like to discern the will of God when it comes to choosing the pastorate between one God-honoring church and another? In part two we will consider crucial theological principles that must undergird our decisions, but there are some more practical matters that need to be addressed upfront. Think of these as "first date" questions. If alarm bells go off when discussing these topics with a potential church, it is rather likely we are being exposed to symptoms of even greater disease beneath the surface. Remember, you are potentially entering into a covenant relationship with this church, and you deserve to know the good, the bad, and the ugly on their end, as much as they deserve to know the same on yours.
When interviewing with a church (or continuing with a current one), there are many criteria that would fit properly into the practical category; ministry methodology, structure, budgeting, and much more. Please note that by practical, we must not think "non-theological." These matters are the fruit of wisdom and obedience to God, which are at heart theological. But, before we discuss polity, elder/deacon roles, expository preaching, etc, these need to be discussed and understood. Paul writes to Timothy and tells him that if a man doesn't provide for his own family, he is worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim. 5:8). Therefore, if the church is bankrupt, it is likely unwise for us to take our family into such a situation.
Financial
Perhaps the first step in discerning if a specific church is the one God is calling you to is the financial aspect. This is not because it is the most important, but if your family needs you to make $45K annually with benefits, a church that offers $10K without benefits may not be for you. Notice how I said, “may”?
A pastor should not be driven by money (1 Tim. 3:3), but we are told pastors who teach are to receive double honor financially (1 Tim. 5:17-18). Churches and Pastors are best served when churches provide for the financial needs of their pastors, and when pastors faithfully serve the sheep not out of greed or selfish gain (Gal. 6:6-10).
The financial aspect is important, and one that you as a responsible husband and father obeying the pastoral qualification(s) of 1 Timothy 3: 2 & 4 need to weigh with the utmost care. But this does not mean God isn’t calling you to the church that can only provide $10K. He very well maybe. But, supplemental means of income will be a topic of necessary conversation between you, your wife, and the potential church.
Family
Many times in the work of Church Revitalization, churches that need help and are declining are those which cannot keep nor cultivate thriving ministries for young adults or young families. With that in mind, how will you encourage your wife when she is the only young mother in the congregation? Add on top of that, how will you encourage her when she is the only one who can and should be watching your child due to lack of volunteers or children’s policies to both protect workers and children? Should you go to a church like that?
Those scenarios are exactly what my wife and I walked into, and though this factor was not a top priority for us, it did play a contributing role in our conversations and has certainly been an area of emphasis for our church going forward. We have begun putting in place policies to keep our children safe as they learn and grow under the fear and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4).
Future
As we walked through the process at the church I now pastor, I was regularly asking the question: what are the principal parts at play for this specific local church? When I say principle parts, I mean, what resources does this church have, where is it located, who are its members, and are they able to faithfully minister in and to the surrounding community? This may come across as rather strong, but it needs to be said; if a church is content to make its way into the annals of history by not impacting their surrounding community with the good news of Jesus, it may be time to see that church out. They may need a local pulpit supply minister who will preach, pray, love, and stay there until the finances run out and they cease to exist. Sometimes it is more advantageous for the sake of the gospel and the reputation of Christ for a local church to close its doors. We should not have a Savior-complex and go to a church where it is the true Savior’s will to remove that church’s lampstand.
Conclusion
While these three considerations are not comprehensive by any means, these questions open (or close) the door for future conversations. As one of my faithful mentors shared, these conversations are similar to that of the transition from dating to engagement. You are committed, but there are important questions to ask (and answer) before becoming their pastor, and them, your congregation. To be sure, considering a pastorate is not merely practical, as the church is not merely practical. There are other theological and spiritual considerations when seeking or staying in a pastorate. Those considerations will be discussed in part 2 of this series.
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Sean W. Corser is an alumnus of SBTS (’18) where he was a member of the inaugural Mathena Center for Church Revitalization internship (2015-2016). He is a husband to Annie, and dad to Catherine and William. He resides in Louisville, Kentucky where he pastors First Baptist Church of Eastwood. Sean also serves as director of operations for Practical Shepherding a ministry that seeks to help pastors in the trenches of pastoral ministry.