Don't let a committee go rogue!

[FSSL]

I was invited to be on a personnel committee to find a new youth pastor. The current Associate pastor is being prevented from having an ex-official involvement. He is prevented from the collecting of resumes all the way down to actual recommendation of the candidate.

At the first meeting, I voiced my concerns. They said it would be wrong and inappropriate for our pastor to be involved in any way with this process. I recused myself and walked out.

This is not the end of my efforts. Stand up for your pastors!

 

[ItinerantPreacher]

I was invited to be on a personnel committee to find a new youth pastor. The current Associate pastor is being prevented from having an ex-official involvement. He is prevented from the collecting of resumes all the way down to actual recommendation of the candidate.

At the first meeting, I voiced my concerns. They said it would be wrong and inappropriate for our pastor to be involved in any way with this process. I recused myself and walked out.

This is not the end of my efforts. Stand up for your pastors!

FSSL, it seems to me that they are by action effectively giving the pastoral staff a vote of non-confidence.

 

[T-Bone]

For what possible reason would they exclude the Associate Pastor, if you all had a Senior Pastor, would he also be excluded.  Seems like some there have a power struggle issue.  They should be working together.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

For what possible reason would they exclude the Associate Pastor, if you all had a Senior Pastor, would he also be excluded.  Seems like some there have a power struggle issue.  They should be working together.

You would think so.
If I were in a position to do so, I might suggest that you wait until you have a Lead pastor and let him lead the effort to hire a YP.

 

[T-Bone]

For what possible reason would they exclude the Associate Pastor, if you all had a Senior Pastor, would he also be excluded.  Seems like some there have a power struggle issue.  They should be working together.

You would think so.
If I were in a position to do so, I might suggest that you wait until you have a Lead pastor and let him lead the effort to hire a YP.

I would agree with this counsel...I would stop all searching for ministerial positions until you have your new Senior Pastor, this will be his staff and he certainly should have a say.

 

[FSSL]

If I were in a position to do so, I might suggest that you wait until you have a Lead pastor and let him lead the effort to hire a YP.

True. That makes good sense and I am working to get this group stopped as soon as possible.

Our Associate needs help. I am making myself available by all means to help take the load off.

I went through the bylaws and they are ABSOLUTELY clear in involving current pastors in the hiring of a senior pastor. Nothing in the bylaws about a youth pastor. There is something nefarious with this group.

When I asked why he couldn't be involved, they absurdly said:

"He has too much on his plate"
"We want to talk openly and freely"
"We want the new youth pastor to bring his vision to our church."

Can you read between the lines?

 

[Ransom]

If I were to give them the benefit of the doubt, I'd say it looks like they're trying to avoid a conflict of interest.  Although I don't see why it is necessary. Just last week we called a new senior pastor following a search. The committee included both pastors and lay elders as well as other church members. It seems to me that would provide sufficient checks and balances if we were worried about one part of the search team wielding too much influence.

 

[FSSL]

I asked them if he could not even be considered an ad hoc member who had no vote. They said it would be inappropriate.

Here is a dynamic I should have mentioned. Our associate is over the contemporary services and youth. The committee is made up of members who are not in the contemporary services.

 

[prophet]

I asked them if he could not even be considered an ad hoc member who had no vote. They said it would be inappropriate.

Here is a dynamic I should have mentioned. Our associate is over the contemporary services and youth. The committee is made up of members who are not in the contemporary services.

Sounds like the age old liberal vs conservative struggle.

But you already knew that.

Obviously you are in agreement with the  contemporary direction that the Youth Dept was/is taking, so you have a dog in this race.

Stop me if I'm reading this wrong.

Is there any open tension between the ages and the young families, or is this committee the only time it is expressed?

earnestly contend

 

[FSSL]

Sounds like the age old liberal vs conservative struggle.
But you already knew that.

If it is that, then this is not the way the committee should show it. It would not be an avenue to change back to traditional. It probably does show a dislike for the current pastor.

Is there any open tension between the ages and the young families, or is this committee the only time it is expressed?

For the most part, we are accepted and the church knows that offering various forms of worship is necessary. There are some who call us "riff raff." They are in the far minority.

Really, I think it is a power grab.  Time will tell.

 

[prophet]

Sounds like the age old liberal vs conservative struggle.
But you already knew that.

If it is that, then this is not the way the committee should show it. It would not be an avenue to change back to traditional. It probably does show a dislike for the current pastor.

Is there any open tension between the ages and the young families, or is this committee the only time it is expressed?

For the most part, we are accepted and the church knows that offering various forms of worship is necessary. There are some who call us "riff raff." They are in the far minority.

Really, I think it is a power grab.  Time will tell.

Ugh

Spell check got me.

Should say "Aged"

earnestly contend

 

[FSSL]

lol... No judgment here!

 

[HeDied4U]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be about the tomato.

LOL!!  ;D  ;D

 

[sword]

lol... No judgment here!

Unless the church has plans of dividing I think getting a Sr. Pastor should be the top priority. He should be someone on-board with the current duel service model. He should be the one with the vision and a strategy for the future of the church. You can hire the best YP out there but if he is not on board with the new pastors program there will be problems.

Are the "new" people trying to take over the church. Why did the former pastor leave? Just wondering.   

 

[Walt]

If I were in a position to do so, I might suggest that you wait until you have a Lead pastor and let him lead the effort to hire a YP.

True. That makes good sense and I am working to get this group stopped as soon as possible.

Our Associate needs help. I am making myself available by all means to help take the load off.

I went through the bylaws and they are ABSOLUTELY clear in involving current pastors in the hiring of a senior pastor. Nothing in the bylaws about a youth pastor. There is something nefarious with this group.

When I asked why he couldn't be involved, they absurdly said:

"He has too much on his plate"
"We want to talk openly and freely"
"We want the new youth pastor to bring his vision to our church."

Can you read between the lines?

It is critical that the Youth Pastor and (for back of a better phrase) Senior Pastor be on the same page, and it is the Senior Pastor's job to make sure that people who are hired or given the YP role.  If they want to talk without the Senior Pastor being around, fine - but any choice that the committee makes must have the Senior Pastor's OK.

It's so easy for a YP to intentionally or unintentionally start a church split because he is teaching different doctrine.

 

[FSSL]

Well... They will not wait. They are going forward.

Looks like I need to troll our committee. Lol!

 

[FSSL]

It's so easy for a YP to intentionally or unintentionally start a church split because he is teaching different doctrine.

If it ends up being a "he." THAT is my next battle. Some on the committee are alright with a female candidate. Our pastor (current and former Sr pastor) are not.

 

[Walt]

It's so easy for a YP to intentionally or unintentionally start a church split because he is teaching different doctrine.

If it ends up being a "he." THAT is my next battle. Some on the committee are alright with a female candidate. Our pastor (current and former Sr pastor) are not.

I think I'd be against it; it's probably best to have a couple over the youth group.

But a female YP may violate the prohibition about a woman teaching men in the church.  Jewish law (custom?) was that a boy is a man at age 13. I don't so much mind a woman teaching the younger teens, but teens 16-18 are practically adults.

 

[FSSL]

The qualifications for a pastor indicate it is to be a male. I hope we get a married couple either ending or graduated from seminary

 

[Walt]

The qualifications for a pastor indicate it is to be a male. I hope we get a married couple either ending or graduated from seminary

True; but it seems that Youth Pastor, Music Director, Staff are all (recent?) made-up positions.  The New Testament churches just added pastors as they were needed.  If this is a true pastor position, then the qualifications of a pastor apply, including being a man.