{"id":667,"date":"2009-02-04T09:43:42","date_gmt":"2009-02-04T09:43:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2009\/02\/seek-first-the-kingdom-of-god.html"},"modified":"2009-02-04T09:43:42","modified_gmt":"2009-02-04T09:43:42","slug":"seek-first-the-kingdom-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2009\/02\/seek-first-the-kingdom-of-god.html","title":{"rendered":"Seek First the Kingdom of God"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 2 of series: Advice for Pastor Search Committees
\n<\/em>Permalink for this post<\/a> \/ Permalink for this series<\/a>
\nIn my last post I began a series for pastor search committees. Today I begin offering some bits of advice for those who are charged with seeking a new pastor for their church.
\nMy first word of counsel will sound familiar: Seek first the kingdom of God. As you may know, this is a phrase from the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6:33). Jesus was not advising pastor search committees in this sermon, but his exhortation to seek first the kingdom is, in my view, both relevant to and essential for such committees. In fact, I think it should be their #1 priority.
\nI know this language will be confusing to some people, especially if you tend to think of the kingdom of God as Heaven, or as some blessed state of affairs on earth, or as an internal feeling of peace. None of these captures Jesus\u2019 meaning of the kingdom of God, however. (If you\u2019re interested in my long answer to the question \u201cWhat is the kingdom of God in the teaching of Jesus?\u201d please see my series What Was the Message of Jesus?<\/a><\/em>.)
\nHere I\u2019ll give a short answer to that question. The kingdom of God is God\u2019s reign over all things, including ourselves. Thus it is not primarily a place (Heaven, Israel) or a state of affairs (universal justice) or a feeling (peace), but God\u2019s sovereign rule. Where individuals on a pastor search committee seek first the kingdom of God, they commit to discovering and doing God\u2019s will above all else. They surrender their personal desires and preferences. They are able to pray, truly, \u201cNot my will, but thy will be done.\u201d (Photo: Irvine Presbyterian Church in 1990, when I first started talking with their pastora search committee.)
\nSimilarly, when a committee determines to seek first God\u2019s kingdom, they agree together to pursue God\u2019s will for their church and for their new pastor. Now, in most cases, pastor search committees have agreed to follow certain guidelines, perhaps their denominational polity or the results of a church mission study. I\u2019m not suggesting that committees should disregard these sources of direction. But I am saying that they should give God first place, believing that he will work through their particular process if they are eagerly seeking his will.
\nIf pastor search committees seek first the kingdom of God, they will also broaden their vision of what their church needs in a pastor. They will be less inclined to search for a manager who will maintain the status quo, or a caregiver who will help congregational members \u201cfeel the love.\u201d Rather, a kingdom seeking search committee will look for a pastor who can lead their church forward in the soul-saving, world-transforming, community-building, creation-healing mission of God. (See my series: The Mission of God and the Missional Church<\/a><\/em>.)
\nThis bit of advice for pastor search committees \u2013 Seek first the kingdom of God \u2013 gets first place in my series not only because Jesus said it, and not only because Jesus said it was to take first place, but also because a healthy and productive search process needs this sort of individual and corporate commitment. Committee members, as normal human beings, begin the search process with their own dreams and desires, priorities and prejudices. Many of these may indeed reflect God\u2019s own purposes. But it\u2019s likely that at least some do not. Only when committee members surrender their agendas to God\u2019s agenda will they be ready to find the pastor whom God has chosen for their church.
\nBefore I move on, I should mention a couple of implications of the \u201cseek first the kingdom\u201d principle. One is that members of search committees should, in general, not have close relationships with potentially strong candidates. For example, in one of the associate pastor searches in which I was involved at Irvine Presbyterian Church, we had an \u201cinternal\u201d candidate for the position (a member of our church who was eligible for and interested in the open position). One member of our search committee was one of this inside candidate\u2019s best friends. Not only was it impossible for him to be objective about the search, but also it almost killed him when, in the end, he felt compelled to vote not<\/em> to call his friend. In fact, this man ended up leaving our church because the committee experience had been such a difficult one for him emotionally.
\nA second implication of the \u201cseek first the kingdom\u201d principle is that members of pastor search committees should be people who are already seeking God first in their lives. A pastor search committee is not a place for immature Christians to grow up in the Lord, even though, as I have already written, most committee members will, in fact, grow considerably in their faith through the committee process.
\nTomorrow I\u2019ll press on to the next point.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 2 of series: Advice for Pastor Search Committees Permalink for this post \/ Permalink for this series In my last post I began a series for pastor search committees. Today I begin offering some bits of advice for those who are charged with seeking a new pastor for their church. My first word of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pastor-search-committees"],"yoast_head":"\nSeek First the Kingdom of God - Mark D. 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Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=667"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/667\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}