Dear Pastoral Search Team: What are you searching for? CEO or Shepherd
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
- 1 Timothy 3:1-7
I’ve been scrolling my social media feeds and I’ve seen a lot of pastoral search ads lately...
Here is an example of an all-too-common pastor search ad: “We’re looking for a high-capacity leader who communicates well and excels at building teams.”
What about his godliness, his home, his beliefs, his gentleness, his control of himself, his theology, his heart, his reputation, and his care for people? These are the things God requires.
The world desires a man who resembles a CEO. God requires a pastor who resembles Christ.
Dear Pastoral Search Team: Search first the things God requires before you seek what man desires. God cares more about a man’s character than their charisma.
Trent Roseman is the Next Generation Pastor at First Baptist Church Tampa, FL. He graduated from Southwest Baptist University with his Bachelors of Arts in Biblical Studies and is currently an MDiv student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Jessica Roseman, just welcomed their firstborn son, Judah David, into the world. Trent enjoys to read, write, drink coffee, kayak, listen to podcasts, and spend time with his wife and son.
Follow Trent on Twitter: @trentroseman