The Right One for the Job
Un-confusing the process of hiring a worship leader.
Talk with any senior pastor or search committee in America who hires support staff, and one of their most challenging positions to fill is in the area of worship leadership. The unfolding reformation of worship in our nation is creating unprecedented opportunities in worship ministry for qualified leaders, yet frustration over finding them is at an all-time high. One such pastor, responding to the analogy that hiring staff was like getting married after a blind date confessed, "I'm so worn out from making the wrong music decision (again) that I'm tempted to just stay single." Can you relate to that comment? I can, yet hiring a quality worship staff can be one the most tangible blessings any of us in leadership can give to our ministries. With this in mind, here are some suggestions for taking the mystery and confusion out of the process. Put the Throne Before the PhoneWhen our music director announced that he was leaving to pursue the Lord's calling elsewhere, I did what any spiritually empowered leader would do … I panicked! Rather than stopping and asking the Lord for clear direction through an extended season of fasting and prayer, I picked up the phone and started working my network. During that time I never would have admitted to leaving God out of such a strategic decision, but in looking back, that's exactly what I was doing by trying to make something happen rather than allowing God to lead. Don't get me wrong: networking is essential. Dynamic leadership is always developing peer relationships from which to share ideas and insights, but not at the expense of first going to the Lord. We need to slow down and communicate with the Lord. Realize that He longs to offer assistance if your spirit is quiet enough to hear it. As a sign near my phone now reminds me, "Prayer is the work and ministry is the prize." It helps me always remember who to reach for first. ACTION STEPS
I talk to a lot of numb pastors and worship leaders across the country who don't feel anything anymore. Worship renewal has, in their minds and hearts, exacted a heavy price for which they begrudgingly pay. Gone is their joy and sense of wonder toward the ministry of worship. How tragic. When this happens, a cycle of fear and discouragement are often set in motion which results in an attitude of control. In this attitude every potential candidate or ministry opportunity is suspiciously viewed as another failure waiting to happen. If you or your church are faced with this situation, it is imperative that you stop your search immediately no matter how pressing a worship vacancy may appear. A conscientious leader prepares for the hiring process by dealing with past conflicts first. If your working relationship with a former staff member was challenging, understand that it takes tremendous integrity to admit areas where you might have failed and need work as a leader. Confess them! It is very important to work toward a sense of positive closure to avoid carrying unresolved pain into new working relationships. I know several large churches that regularly have staff come and go without any communication with their church body. This should be avoided at all cost as poor communication breeds tremendous insecurity for your congregation. If you are a worship pastor looking at a new position, one of your first questions should be about the transition and exit of the predecessor. Once you have determined closure, avoid the temptation to revisit old working relationships especially if former staff are still in conflict or unwilling to acknowledge their wrongdoing. Let them go! Allowing the Holy Spirit to aid in your healing before seeking His will in your hiring will be one of the greatest gifts you can give your future worship staff and ministry. ACTION STEPS
The next step forward in hiring the right worship staff is to evaluate where you have been as a church in the area of worship philosophy and practice. Do not begin the hiring process until you have prayerfully and objectively examined what has worked for your church and what has not. Be a student of your surrounding culture both locally and statewide, but your motivation for change should be determined by what the Holy Spirit has uniquely prepared for your congregation. Help your church think strategically about hiring for today as well as in light of future growth. Remember, trial balloons may work for the evaluating the weather but never for worship! ACTION STEPS
This principal is absolutely vital to your success in hiring the right worship staff, yet countless churches repeatedly hire staff without drafting a vision statement. Think about it. What candidate, worthy of your call, would not appreciate knowing your values for worship up front? What new staff member would not enjoy the freedom of starting a ministry with a solid vision track to run on? What church would not feel the security of having a clearly expressed worship vision statement that is championed by their new staff? When we were in the process of hiring both a music director and programming director in the same calendar year, our worship staff redrafted our vision statement to allow for these new positions to minister with security and clarity. The result was a "vision track" we all could take ownership in. Ownership is always more significant than authorship. Your hiring decisions concerning a candidate's heart, talent, calling, etc., are brought into tremendous clarity as potential staff are evaluated in light of your vision rather than your vacancy. ACTION STEPS
I was hired for my first full-time worship position when I was 22—I looked like I was 12. I wasn't hired for my experience; in fact, I probably should not have been hired that young, especially for a growing congregation of 2,500 people. But the pastor struggled with insecurity, which resulted in several seasoned staff members leaving. Rather than hiring qualified leaders, he hired young seminarians to serve as a controllable, cheap labor force. Hiring is not about control, but empowering the most gifted individual you can find to do the job better than you. There can be no better staff situation than where leadership is secure enough to celebrate successes and champion each team member to higher levels of achievement for the kingdom of Christ. ACTION STEPS
With the previous five principles in place, you can finish strong in the most important step of hiring. Throughout the interview process, remember that you are being interviewed by your staff prospect as well. Wise churches will make this experience as meaningful and memorable as time and resources allow. The following are essential goals that will aid in a successful interview for both you and your candidate of choice. • GATHER NAMES—Identify as many potential candidates as possible that fit your vision. For some churches, the first place you should look is right in your own ministries. The benefits should be obvious. Next, look in your community. Visit local services, universities, and parachurch organizations, and consider qualified volunteers from larger churches in your area. Always get permission before informally talking with candidates—even if they are volunteers. In addition to talking with music staff, don't forget many youth pastors can be effective worship leaders as well. When you have exhausted local contacts, look for out-of-state candidates that have some relationship with your present staff, church family, or towns in your area. While classified ads and other print exposure are helpful, be prepared for a lot of unqualified "tire kickers." Place your posts only where people who have an interest in worship will read them. Keep a file of other church posts that are similar to your needs. Call or write these churches and ask for resumes of candidates they have no interest in pursuing; those candidates may be just what you're looking for. The greatest opportunity to contact candidates is through the Internet, and it's cheap! Use your search engine to locate various worship sites. I found our current music director by posting our vision online. I was able to locate individuals who had experience in local church worship. I then sent them personal copies (sanctified spamming) of a letter based on values taken from our vision statement. We received names from around the country, as well as different parts of the world.
As you review your material and exhaust references, and references of references, you should begin to identify a few serious candidates. If a candidate has e-mail access, you will want to mix phone conversations with e-mail communications. Besides being efficient and cost effective, e-mail requires that one express himself in written form. Initial questions related to philosophy of ministry and worship should be communicated via e-mail to have a written record that can be discussed in person at a later date. Be sure to keep detailed notes of all phone conversations along with questions you wish to cover before you make your next call. Be prepared to send out a packet of materials as well. This information should be well thought out as candidates will initially evaluate your entire ministry based on whatever brief contact they have with you. Included in your packet: message tapes, bulletins, newsletters, church reports, worship vision statement, financial package (a candidate should never have to guess), and a detailed job description. Many churches also include a list of specific questions and personality profiles. Our church has 20 prepared questions that candidates are asked to fill out as well as three profile tests. These tests are invaluable resources for objectively evaluating the gifts and compatibility of potential staff.
Once you're at that stage in the process, you should have the freedom to visit with very little lead time in order to observe a service that has not been planned, unconsciously of course, for your benefit. While you are in town, remove as many hospitality burdens off your candidates as possible. Meals, overnight stays, transportation, etc, should be your responsibility. Spend time in a candidate's home, but keep it brief. By listening and observing, you will learn volumes about a possible candidate by seeing them in their own setting.
Our interviews typically begin Saturday with a casual agenda and conclude Monday after lunch. Prepare an itinerary, in advance, so they know exactly who they are meeting with or what they are doing before they arrive. Include unstructured time, transportation, and maps for prospects to explore your community on their own. A balance between meetings and process time will allow everyone involved opportunity to prayerfully evaluate input. I also recommend not housing candidates with church members. After a long day of interviewing, your candidate does not need to entertain. Keep your interview process short. After an informal visit, it is time to schedule a more formal trip, assuming God is directing both parties involved. I recommend doing this within two weeks of the first trip, as both you and your candidate will need closure. A candidate's spouse should not only be invited for this visit, but he or she should participate in many of the discussions that follow. It is very important to include a variety of people in a variety of settings—both musical and otherwise—to get objective input throughout the interview process. It is exhausting work best shared by a group rather than one person. Remember to keep your vision and hiring priorities before you at all times. As the Lord leads you in your staff-hiring discovery, remember God has uniquely created the ideal candidate for your church. Enjoy His blessing! "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Prov. 3:5-6) Dan Millheim serves as Worship Pastor at Harvest Church Watauga, TX and can be reach at dmillheim@theharvestchurch.org. Content provided by www.worshipleader.com. |
