Identifying the Balance in Skills and Calling for Your Church Staff

Staffing for the church involves more than just checking off skills on a list. It's a delicate balance of skills, calling, character, and potential. Being able to ascertain all these characteristics in a candidate forms an ensemble capable of thriving in a church environment.

Skills: The Non-negotiable

Skilling is undeniably a crucial part of the hiring process. For the worship pastor to lead worship or a student pastor to connect with teenagers, skills play a pivotal role. However, they form just a part of the entire picture. Skills are broadly the "can they do the job" part of the equation, and while essential, they cannot guarantee success on their own.

Calling Sets the Great Leaders Apart

Not to be forgotten in the church staffing decision-making is the candidate’s calling or commitment towards the role. Identifying whether the person is genuinely passionate about fulfilling the job requirements or merely hunting for the 'next job' is critical in the hiring process. Calling brings along passion, humility, and willingness to grow. A great leader, thus, isn’t one who merely has the skills but is resolutely called towards the role.

Assessing Skills and Calling Together

To ascertain if a candidate possesses both the required skills and commitment, church leadership must pose both concrete and reflective questions during the interview process. Concrete, skills-related queries like "Can you tell me a time when you led a team through a challenging situation?" serve as excellent starting points. Reflective, calling-related posers such as "What excites you most about this role?" can gauge the candidate’s passion and focus.

Don’t Overlook Potential

Sometimes, the best hires are ones where candidates might not necessarily tick every skill box. Instead, candidates who demonstrate teachability, passion, and alignment with the church's mission and values can present untapped potential worth investing in. The best-fit candidate on your church staff might not necessarily be the perfect candidate on paper.

Want to delve deeper into the balance of Skills and Calling during the hiring process? Check out the Healthy Church Staff Podcast episode where we deepen the discussion.

Remember, striking a harmonious balance of skills, calling, and potential in the hiring process is a sure-fire way to create a church staff who isn't just ready to handle the job today, but grow into it over time.