Brauns, When the Word Leads Your Pastor Search

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Chris Brauns, When the Word Leads Your Pastor Search: Biblical Principles and Practices to Guide Your Search. Moody Publishers, 2011.

Referenced in: Ministry Transitions and Interim Ministry

LifeandLeadership.com Summary

This is an excellent guide that steers ministers and search committees away from superficial, “image-based” exchanges during a search process, and toward a more biblical framework for the entire transition. He includes chapter titles such as “Watch More Than Just the Splash” and “The Recipe for a Biblical Meal ‘Done Just Right,’” as well as helpful sections on the interview questions and mistakes committees make. This may not be the only text a minister or search committee read, but it should be among them. It is an indispensable tool.

From the Publisher

At any given time there are thousands of churches seeking a lead pastor. While a great resume, a friendly smile and a memorable sermon will convince many, what should local congregations focus on to find a new shepherd? Chris Brauns believes to find a great preacher the search must focus on God’s Word and how the candidate relates to it and preaches from it.

When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search is a must have resource for search committees and church leaders addressing the needs of churches in the transition of pastoral leadership. It assists by approaching their responsibilities in a biblical way and providing critical help in key practical matters.

From the initial formation of a search committee to the final terms of agreement with the new pastor, Brauns shows you how to “major on the majors” and away from subjective approaches of evaluating candidates and their sermons. Great also for pastors or pastoral students to know how to prepare, the book includes such practical tools as interview questions for candidates and the top mistakes search committees make.

About the Author

CHRIS BRAUNS is the Senior Pastor at the Congregational Christian Church of Stillman Valley, IL. Chris left the corporate world in 1990 and graduated from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 1993 with a Master of Divinity degree. Since then he has served as a youth pastor, senior pastor, and church planting pastor. In 2006, Chris received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary having completed the preaching track under Haddon Robinson. Chris is the author of Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds.

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