Church Mating Season

Spring is mating season for churches. It's the time when churches invite prospects to submit resumes to enter the competition for becoming the next pastor of the church-up-a-notch. We are all supposed to be flattered that we are getting a break to be considered. Well, at least it's mating season in the independent churches and free enterprise denominations. Others have systems more like arranged marriages. So, have you been asked to submit your resume yet? I heard of at least two churches this Spring who are insisting Pastoral applicants complete an exhaustive application along with their resume. One candidate complained it took four hours to complete the questions.

I don't know exactly how pastors became applicants who are running to compete in a selection process, but the idea of a four-hour employee application bugs me. So, I've made an application of my own. It's for a church to complete when they are competing to get me to come. I think I'll insist their board or search committee complete it before I consider sending my resume. Here it is:

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CHURCH RESUME INFORMATION
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.

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, mat