Thank you for inviting me to submit a resume to be considered for the position of senior pastor at your church. I'd like to consider your church but I need some information first. Please have your board or search committee complete the following application and you will be given serious consideration in the process of submitting resumes. Please answer all questions thoroughly and with total frankness.

THE MANY QUESTIONS LISTED BELOW, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE MANY QUESTIONS I USUALLY HAVE TO ANSWER, CAN BE AVOIDED BY SIMPLY ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS UNDER RELATIONSHIP: LORD, CHURCH AND PREACHER/MINISTER.

RELATIONSHIP: LORD, CHURCH AND PREACHER/MINISTER

1. DO YOU EXPECT YOUR MINISTER TO BE WITHOUT SIN? DO YOU EXPECT HM TO PRETEND TO BE WITHOUT SIN? IN OTHER WORDS, WOULD YOU HIRE KING DAVID OR APOSTLE PAUL AS YOUR NEW PREACHER/MINISTER?  WHY NOT?!  GOD DID AND ALLOWED THEM TO SERVE HIM.  EVEN THOUGH DAVID WAS A MURDERER AND ADULTERER, GOD SAID BECAUSE OF DAVID'S SPIRITUAL ATTRIBUTES THAT " ‘I found David the son of Jesse, a man in-accordance-with My heart, who will do all My desires’. " (Acts 13:22)

2. DO YOU INTEND TO DIG INTO THE NEW MINISTER'S PAST TO HUNT FOR SIN? AND DO YOU ALL ALLOW THE MINITSTER TO DIG INTO YOUR (ELDERS, DEACONS, MEMBERS) PAST TO FIND SIN? OR DO YOU OBEY MY LORD AND KING WHEN HE COMMANDED US. Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and LOOKS BACK is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

3. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ALL SINS ARE COVERED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST OR DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PUNISH A CHRISTIAN OR NON-CHRISTIAN OR PASTER, PREACHER, DEACON, MEMBER?  DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE THAT EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU IN THE CHURCH IS A "SINNER" WHO SINS EVERY DAY AND NEEDS THE BLOOD OF CHRIST FOR THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD TO FORGIVE?  THE LORD MAKES IT CLEAR THAT EVEN THE SINS YOU CONSIDER LARGE AND UNFORGIVABLE TO BE COVERED WITH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST WHEN WE REPENT AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. WE NEED TO FORCUS MORE ON INDIVIDUAL'S SPIRITUAL GROWTH INSTEAD OF BEING A COLD CASE FILE DETECTIVE TRYING TO DIG UP DIRT.  THE LORD SAYS, "But if we are walking in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from ALL sin. " (I John 1:7)

4. LET'S PUT IT TOGETHER: ARE YOU A  DOWN TO EARTH GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HUMBLE AND DO NOT THINK THEY ARE BETTER THAN THOSE IN THE WORLDLY COMMUNITY AROUND YOU? ARE YOU A CHURCH THAT CONTINUALLY WALKS FORWARD WITH THEIR HANDS ON THE BLOW, NEVER LOOKING BACK ON ANYONE'S SINS BUT MOVE FORWARD TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND BRINGING OTHERS TO JESUS? ARE YOU A CHURCH THAT SHOWS THE LOVE OF THE LORD FOR THE LOST IN EACH PERSON?

5. ARE YOU A CHURCH THAT BELIEVES THEY DO NOT KNOW IT ALL IN SCRIPTURE? ARE YOU A CHURCH THAT HAS A OPEN MIND BECAUSE KNOWING GOD'S WILL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PERSONAL PRIDE IN WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN TAUGHT IN THE PAST? 

6. DO YOU BELIEVE IN ALL THE ELEMENTS OF GOD'S PLAN TO SAVE US: CROSS, BELIEVE, REPENT, CONFESS, BAPTISM, GRACE, BLOOD, ETC......?

7. IF YOU HAVE ANSWERED THESE TOP QUESTIONS THEN DO NOT BOTHER WITH THE LONG, TEDIOUS QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THOSE ABOVE.

PRAY THAT GOD WILL BRING US TOGETHER TO "MAKE DISCIPLES" FOR HIM AS OUR ONLY FOCUS.  GOD BLESS.

I. CHURCH 

A. What event has shaped your church most in the last ten years?

B. How would you estimate the potential for reaching the unchurched there in the future?

C. What is the seating capacity' of your sanctuary?

D. When was the last time your church completed a building project?

E. How fast did you pay off that debt? What is the total amount of your present indebtedness?

F. What is your average weekly income? How much is that over last year ?

G. What percentage of your church families would you estimate tithe their income locally? Board?

H. What is the percentage make-up of your Sunday morning attendance 
            ___Children ___Youth ___Young Adults ___Adults ___Middle-Aged ___Seniors 

I. What is the make-up of your membership 
            ___Children ___Youth ___Young Adults ___Adults ___Middle-Aged ___Seniors 

J. What are your attendance patterns at meeting other than morning worship?

K. What is the pastoral history of your church? 
Who were the pastors during the last 15-20 years? 
What single sentence would you give typifying the ministry of each, and reason for their leaving?

L. Where does your church stand on the tongues issue? (Place an x on the following continuum.)
Strongly opposed ______________________________________________ strongly favor 

M. What are some touchy issues with the people in your church... divorce, alcohol, tobacco, materialism, or others, which a pastor would need to use care in preaching about?

N. Describe how your pastoral selection process' works. Will you interview only one person at a time, taking that person all the way to a vote for acceptance or rejection before initiating another interview? Or, will you interview a variety of candidates, hearing several before you decide which one to recommend? Do you plan on a "trial sermon"? Are you thinking of multiple interviews? Describe your process:

O. What kind of programs beyond worship for all ages does your church presently have in place?

P. What style of leadership typifies the desire of your church? (Place an x on the following continuum.)
Board leads ______________________________________________________Pastor leads 

Q. How would you typify the worship style of your congregation? (Place an X on the continuum)
Formal & orderly ______________________________________________Free and informal. 

R. How many people are weekly involved in organized scheduled outreach to the poor or the unchurched?

S. How many converts would you say your church has seen in the last year?

T. How would you typify the way your church treats visitors ?
Extraordinarily warm_____________________friendly_______________________________________reserved.

II. COMMUNITY 

A. Describe your community in a short paragraph (population, prominent employers, general atmosphere and attitude.

B. The church may do all of the following things, but all of them cannot take priority. What is your ranking of the following seven emphases in priority order (#1 highest, #2 next, etc.):
    __Missions __Worship __Fellowship __Preaching __Evangelism __Serving ___Teaching 

C. Finish this sentence... Our church is best known in this community for:

D. What do you believe to be the most pressing need in your community right now?
 

E. Describe the largest church in your community or surrounding area. What is it like and how are you different/similar.

F. Over the last five years or so, when people have left your church, what did they say was the reason?

G. What do you think were the primary reasons?

H. What are the five biggest changes you would like to see happen in your church?

I. How and when was your church started? By whom?

J. Who do you feel has been your most ideal pastor'? Why?

III. PASTORAL LEADERSHIP 

A. What do you believe are the most important priorities for your new pastor 
(#1 most important, #2 next most important, etc.)?
    __Time with family __Prayer __Visitation __Preparation for preaching 
    __Counseling ____Administration ____Denominational/para-church work 

B. What are your weekly time expectations for your new pastor? 
(i.e. How many hours would you expect your pastor to spend each week in each of the following activities?) 
    ___Time with family ___Visiting ___Counseling ___Prayer ___Preparation for preaching 
    ___Administration ___Denominational/para-church work_

C. What provisions do you make for the pastor's personal and professional growth?

D. How would you typify the prayer support for your present pastor?

E. What is the pastor's financial support package and the related matters of pension, health care, life insurance etc?

F. What are the arrangements you make for a parsonage or housing allowance?

G. What is the make-up of your present staff if you have such? If not, do you plan for staff?

H. Some church boards expect to play an exceptionally strong role in the selection of assistant ministers and other staff. Others expect the senior pastor to "hire the staff." How do you believe staff should be added to the church? 

I. Do you make provisions or exceptions to the idea of the pastor's spouse serving on the paid staff at the church?

J. Over the past fifteen years which pastor's spouse do you believe has functioned in a most ideal way? Why?

Thank you for completing this application. May it be God's Will that brings us together to bring others to Christ in these last times. Pastor/Minister Don