5 Things to Consider When Looking for Your Next Pastor By Cynthia Woolever

Know Your Congregation’s Unique Strengths

All congregations perform some universal functions—they exist as places of worship, avenues for community building, educational spaces for people to learn about their faith, sources of assistance for people in need, and conveyors of hope and ultimate meaning. Yet the manner by which congregations direct these functions reveals their unique ministry strengths. In every congregation, something already works well. How can your congregation build on those strengths? What kind of pastoral leadership is needed for that task? With a good pastor-congregation fit, the new pastor’s passions in ministry closely match the church’s greatest dreams and hopes.