The search team was available to answer questions and hear comments or concerns on several occasions this past week. Search team members were available in the conference room after both services on Sunday, November 17. We were also available after the Seniors of Springbrook movie on Tuesday, November 19. Finally, we were available to talk with congregants during the first hour of our meeting at 7pm on Tuesday evening.
We sincerely thank those of you who have already reached out to us with your questions, concerns, and comments. It is our prayer and hope that each of you will have the opportunity to engage in this process and be heard, understood, and validated. While we know that individual opinions will differ and every person’s preferences will not be met, we have great confidence that God is leading us and will work in each of our hearts and minds so that our body can be unified in following His will and timing. From the stage on Sunday, we asked that you engage prayerfully, asking the Holy Spirit to help you set aside your own preferences in favor of submitting to God’s lead, just as the search team has been challenged to do. We can testify that those who have spoken with us are striving to do exactly that. Praise God!
A common request was for clarification on the meaning of “visitor friendly,” written under Preaching Style near the end of the profile. There has been no change in expectations for weekly teaching from the pulpit. The intent of this phrase is to convey that those unfamiliar with the Bible ought to be able to follow the primary point of the sermon, even though they may disagree with what is said if they don’t yet believe that the Bible is authoritative.
Please continue to seek out search team members to discuss your questions and concerns. We thank God for you!
A written copy of the lead pastor profile was again included as an insert in the worship bulletin on Sunday, November 17. Copies are now available at the ministry counter. If you haven’t already done so, please take the time to read it over carefully.
A verbal update was also provided to the congregation from the stage during both services on Sunday, November 17.
1. Dependence on the Lord through prayer and fasting
- We cannot emphasize enough that this whole process has been focused on seeking the Lord’s leadership and will.
- The search team begins each meeting with extensive prayer and pauses to pray over specific issues when consensus has not yet been reached.
- Team members use prayer and fasting individually to check our own agendas, release our own personal preferences, and embrace the process of aligning ourselves with God’s will and timing.
2. The importance of unity in this process
- 1 Corinthians 1:10 says, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
- As a search team, we have actively pursued this unity and continually asked God to provide it. So far, He has done that. All glory, honor, and praise is His alone!
- We are now praying for unity within our larger body as we continue to move through the process.
3. An overview of the search process
- With encouragement from Pastor Dan Harrison, an outside consultant was brought in to help Springbrook through this process. Our church does not have previous experience searching for a lead pastor, and members of the search team had limited to no experience with lead pastor searches in other contexts.
- Dick Loizeaux has a long history of working with Converge and has successfully helped over 30 churches hire lead pastors. Applying his body of experience, he provided analysis tools, foresight, and wisdom. However, he also gave compelling encouragement that our foremost task was to seek the Lord, even while also employing the necessary human measures used in this process (application documents, assessments, interviews, etc.).
- Training was given first to the elder board before they initiated the process of developing the lead pastor profile. Training was given later to the search team, who refined the lead pastor profile.
- Through much prayer, both individually and collectively, the lead pastor profile was finalized and agreed upon unanimously by both the search team and the elder board. This occurred during the summer, prior to accepting internal candidates’ documentation.
4. Clarification of the job description vs the profile
- The job description explains what the lead pastor does.
- The profile describes the lead pastor’s skills and characteristics.
The search team has continued to prayerfully seek the Lord. We are also working to invite you meaningfully into the process as we all move into greater alignment with God and His timing. Please continue to pray for the candidates, staff, elders, search team, and our congregation. Please come to speak directly with one or more of us if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.