If you had to interview leadership....

When it just doesn't fit anywhere else.
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steve-in-kville
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If you had to interview leadership....

Post by steve-in-kville »

As you've gathered from some of my other threads, my wife and I are visiting around looking for a home congregation. We may have nailed a place down (will remain undisclosed to protect the innocent!) and I have a very informal meeting with one of the pastors over lunch tomorrow. This is gonna be me asking the questions, for the most part. I've been putting a list together of things I should ask.

So far:

1) Role of the deacon body (benevolence giving, etc)
2) Recent disciplinary actions (obviously not much could be disclosed)?
3) Biggest struggles the leadership faces right now?
4) Is there unity among the leadership?
5) Most common concerns brought forward to the leadership?

Like I mentioned, this is a very informal & casual meeting. Any suggestions? Something I may have missed??
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temporal1
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Re: If you had to interview leadership....

Post by temporal1 »

glad to find this topic, we had a few interactions like this, when moving to a new area.
it can be so helpful to have a personal talk with the pastor, or elder, even before visiting.
it need not be lengthy. who better to help begin a new place in a new group?

another question comes to mind:
are there needs of the group, or individuals, that (we) might help with? (the servant heart)
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Sudsy
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Re: If you had to interview leadership....

Post by Sudsy »

steve-in-kville wrote:As you've gathered from some of my other threads, my wife and I are visiting around looking for a home congregation. We may have nailed a place down (will remain undisclosed to protect the innocent!) and I have a very informal meeting with one of the pastors over lunch tomorrow. This is gonna be me asking the questions, for the most part. I've been putting a list together of things I should ask.

So far:

1) Role of the deacon body (benevolence giving, etc)
2) Recent disciplinary actions (obviously not much could be disclosed)?
3) Biggest struggles the leadership faces right now?
4) Is there unity among the leadership?
5) Most common concerns brought forward to the leadership?

Like I mentioned, this is a very informal & casual meeting. Any suggestions? Something I may have missed??
?) What kind of outreach ministry does the church have to reach the unchurched ?
?) How many unchurched became believers over the past year and joined this fellowship ?
?) What kind of discipleship training do you have for new believers ?

These are a few I would have.
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silentreader
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Re: If you had to interview leadership....

Post by silentreader »

steve-in-kville wrote:As you've gathered from some of my other threads, my wife and I are visiting around looking for a home congregation. We may have nailed a place down (will remain undisclosed to protect the innocent!) and I have a very informal meeting with one of the pastors over lunch tomorrow. This is gonna be me asking the questions, for the most part. I've been putting a list together of things I should ask.

So far:

1) Role of the deacon body (benevolence giving, etc)
2) Recent disciplinary actions (obviously not much could be disclosed)?
3) Biggest struggles the leadership faces right now?
4) Is there unity among the leadership?
5) Most common concerns brought forward to the leadership?

Like I mentioned, this is a very informal & casual meeting. Any suggestions? Something I may have missed??
My first thought was somewhat similar to Temp's, If I/we join what will I be able to do for the edification and spiritual well-being of the local body?
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Neto
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Re: If you had to interview leadership....

Post by Neto »

Being a firm proponent of 'brotherhood', I would ask how decisions are made. (Unless I didn't have the nerve to ask, which would probably be the case.)
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Judas Maccabeus
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Re: If you had to interview leadership....

Post by Judas Maccabeus »

steve-in-kville wrote:As you've gathered from some of my other threads, my wife and I are visiting around looking for a home congregation. We may have nailed a place down (will remain undisclosed to protect the innocent!) and I have a very informal meeting with one of the pastors over lunch tomorrow. This is gonna be me asking the questions, for the most part. I've been putting a list together of things I should ask.

So far:

1) Role of the deacon body (benevolence giving, etc)
2) Recent disciplinary actions (obviously not much could be disclosed)?
3) Biggest struggles the leadership faces right now?
4) Is there unity among the leadership?
5) Most common concerns brought forward to the leadership?

Like I mentioned, this is a very informal & casual meeting. Any suggestions? Something I may have missed??
Who has title to the property, denomination, district or local church. If not the latter I would run.

J.M.
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steve-in-kville
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Re: If you had to interview leadership....

Post by steve-in-kville »

Judas Maccabeus wrote: Who has title to the property, denomination, district or local church. If not the latter I would run.

J.M.
Why? Not sure I understand the question.
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PeterG
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Re: If you had to interview leadership....

Post by PeterG »

steve-in-kville wrote:1) Role of the deacon body (benevolence giving, etc)
2) Recent disciplinary actions (obviously not much could be disclosed)?
3) Biggest struggles the leadership faces right now?
4) Is there unity among the leadership?
5) Most common concerns brought forward to the leadership?
These are good questions. I would add—

What are the unwritten rules?

What written rules are bent or ignored?
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Bootstrap
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Re: If you had to interview leadership....

Post by Bootstrap »

Are there questions you can ask that would help you understand how much strong, genuine love there is? I'm not sure if there are, this is often the kind of thing you have to observe over time.
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Is it biblical? Is it Christlike? Is it loving? Is it true? How can I find out?
Judas Maccabeus
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Re: If you had to interview leadership....

Post by Judas Maccabeus »

steve-in-kville wrote:
Judas Maccabeus wrote: Who has title to the property, denomination, district or local church. If not the latter I would run.

J.M.
Why? Not sure I understand the question.
Easy. If you don't own the building, anytime the denomination wants you to do something you don't want to do, they have the leverage of their ownership of the building to use. I have seen congregations involuntary dissolved or merged. I have seen at least one congregation literally put out of their building. If you want to leave the denomination you may be forced to "buy" your building from the "owners" or wind up with no place to meet. This all too commonly happens in the C&MA (their it is called a "reversionary event" after the clause in most church bylaws) and Presbyterian geoupn, mostly PC-USA.

It always seems to be used against conservatives.
JM
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