How Involved Should the Lead Pastor Be When Hiring New Church Staff?

Episode #799
May 2, 2023
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In most cases, the lead pastor has oversight of church staff. How much authority should the lead pastor have when hiring new church staff? This question recently came up in Church Answers Central from one of our members (Thanks Deek!). Thom and Sam tackle this subject on this week’s episode.

    • There are numerous kinds of church polity, but certain principles apply to most governance structures.
    • If the lead pastor has no say in the selection process, then the church will likely experience staff conflict.
    • In certain cases, lead pastors have unilateral authority but should still seek accountability when hiring staff.
    • Congregational votes are problematic for church staff outside of the lead pastor.
    • The personnel committee (or similar body) should be involved rather than a separate search team with church members.
    • Follow the letter of your bylaws or change them to accommodate a new process, but you should not knowingly break your bylaws to get your way.

Resources

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