Lead Pastor Search Team
The Lead Pastor Search Team will guide the congregation through a thoughtful and prayerful process to identify our next pastor. Over the coming months, the team will gather input, review candidates, conduct interviews, and seek God's direction before presenting a recommendation to the congregation.
Right Now: Discern
The team is currently in the DISCERN phase, seeking God's direction, gathering information, discerning priorities, and building a church profile for potential candidates.
Prepare
The Pastoral Search Team is formed and begins the important work of prayer, planning, and establishing a process for the search.
During this phase, the team:
- Commits to prayer.
- Organizes and establishes meeting schedules.
- Develops communication plans and timelines.
- Begins laying the groundwork for the search process.
Current Focus:
The team is organized and beginning its initial prayer and planning phase.
During this phase, the team:
- Commits to prayer.
- Organizes and establishes meeting schedules.
- Develops communication plans and timelines.
- Begins laying the groundwork for the search process.
Current Focus:
The team is organized and beginning its initial prayer and planning phase.
Discern
Before searching for a pastor, the team seek to better understand our church's mission, identity, strengths, needs, and vision for the future.
During this phase, the team:
- Seeks God's guidance and direction for Maiden Lane in prayer.
- Meets with church staff, elders, and key ministry leaders.
- Discerns the current and future needs of the church.
- Identifies the qualities, gifts, and leadership skills needed in our next Lead Pastor.
- Develops a church profile to share with potential candidates.
Current Focus:
The team is gathering information, discerning priorities, and building a church profile for potential candidates.
During this phase, the team:
- Seeks God's guidance and direction for Maiden Lane in prayer.
- Meets with church staff, elders, and key ministry leaders.
- Discerns the current and future needs of the church.
- Identifies the qualities, gifts, and leadership skills needed in our next Lead Pastor.
- Develops a church profile to share with potential candidates.
Current Focus:
The team is gathering information, discerning priorities, and building a church profile for potential candidates.
Search
The search team is actively seeking and evaluating candidates.
During this phase, the team:
- Prayerfully opens applications to create candidate pool.
- Posts and promotes the Lead Pastor position.
- Receives and reviews resumes and applications.
- Conducts initial screenings and conversations.
Current Focus:
The team is actively searching for and receiving applications while prayerfully reviewing candidates to narrow the field.
During this phase, the team:
- Prayerfully opens applications to create candidate pool.
- Posts and promotes the Lead Pastor position.
- Receives and reviews resumes and applications.
- Conducts initial screenings and conversations.
Current Focus:
The team is actively searching for and receiving applications while prayerfully reviewing candidates to narrow the field.
Select
The search team conducts a deeper evaluation of finalist candidates.
During this phase, the team:
- Seeks God's guidance in identifying the best candidate for Maiden Lane.
- Conducts interviews with finalists.
- Checks references and completes background screenings.
- Observes candidates in ministry settings when possible.
Current Focus:
The team is interviewing finalists and prayerfully discerning God's leading.
During this phase, the team:
- Seeks God's guidance in identifying the best candidate for Maiden Lane.
- Conducts interviews with finalists.
- Checks references and completes background screenings.
- Observes candidates in ministry settings when possible.
Current Focus:
The team is interviewing finalists and prayerfully discerning God's leading.
Welcome
Once a candidate has been selected by the search team, the congregation will have the opportunity to meet the candidate and participate in the final voting process.
During this phase, the team:
- Continues in prayer that God will bring the right candidate to Maiden Lane.
- Introduces the candidate and family to the congregation.
- Hosts a candidating weekend.
- Conducts a congregational vote.
- Assists with the transition into ministry at Maiden Lane.
Current Focus:
The search team hosts a candidating weekend and presents a candidate for congregational consideration and vote.
During this phase, the team:
- Continues in prayer that God will bring the right candidate to Maiden Lane.
- Introduces the candidate and family to the congregation.
- Hosts a candidating weekend.
- Conducts a congregational vote.
- Assists with the transition into ministry at Maiden Lane.
Current Focus:
The search team hosts a candidating weekend and presents a candidate for congregational consideration and vote.
