My father once told me (some 35 years ago)... "Don't go into the ministry."
So what did I do?
You guessed it.
My father was loving and supportive. And he loved Jesus. But he also saw what the church did to its own (including my older brother, who had been burned by the church years earlier).
Fast forward 35 years.
My youngest son is feeling the tug toward ministry and is acting on his call to worship ministry. He's currently in college preparing.
And my words to him?
"Don't go into the ministry."
But I've modified my father's advice slightly...
"Don't go into the ministry... UNLESS you feel that God has called you to do this and you know that NOT doing it would be an act of disobedience."
I don't romanticize ministry to my son. It's tough work. Hard work. Church people can be the most offensive and insensitive people (and I have the bruises to show it). And churches can eat you up and spit you out quicker than you can resolve a G7 to a C.
Every month I look at literally hundreds of ministry resumes. Each week I talk and interact with dozens of candidates. And I always smile when someone tells me that they think it would be 'cool to work in a church.' Truth is... many times, it's not. Sometimes it's downright brutal.
But there's also a flipside.
There's nothing better than being EXACTLY where God wants you. Of finding a church that really fits you. Of being in a place that totally utilizes your spiritual gifts and abilities to a greater goal.
These are the roles and situations that everyone dreams of.
At Chemistry Staffing, we strive to use our expertise (and, yes, spiritual discernment) to help facilitate these types of fits.
If you're a candidate, it means finding out as much about you as possible. We do this through our initial assessment process that shows us the type of church and ministry that you would most likely thrive in.
If you're a church looking to cut through a huge stack of resumes, it means that we measure each and every candidate against your theology, ministry philosophy, personality and DNA, and the skills and abilities needed to fill the position.
It's all about the calling and the fit.
It's about not taking another ministry position while wondering if you're going to be a fit.
It's about not hiring another staff member without doing the tough due diligence of asking a ton of the right questions that will give you a clear picture of the candidate's potential future at your church.
And for me... it's personal.
In less than two years, my own son will be looking for a worship role at a church. There's nothing more that I want for him other than for him to be EXACTLY where God wants him to be. (And, quite honestly, for him to avoid a couple of the bad situations I found myself in during my ministry career).
Here's the deal...
If your church is looking for a new staff member, we'd love to help. We have expertise coupled with a ministry heart. We care about your church AND the potential candidates. We're not about filling positions but rather about finding and getting people exactly where God wants them to be. And we'd love to help you. If you're interested in finding out more, you can schedule a quick call with one of our team members.
And if you're a candidate that would SO love to find where God would have you for the next ministry season, start here by filling out your church staff profile. It's free and easy.