More Advice to Ministers in Search

Dan Harper at "Just Another Unitarian Universalist" offers good advice to ministers in search in the UUA. As someone who spent nearly a decade technically "in search" (albeit with a pretty profound geographic restriction) I'll second Dan’s field tested advice, and would like to add a few insights of my own.

• When I started out, I spent a lot of time trying to make my materials look different from everyone else's, on the theory that this would make them stand out. Eventually, I discovered it was much more effective to make my materials look exactly like everyone else's, only better -- which made ME appear outstanding.

• Even while you are "in transition," don't pass up opportunities to build your resume...and your reputation. Do the supply preaching gigs and the outside weddings...as many as you can schedule. Consult with small churches. Network with other ministers to offer Adult RE classes to their congregations (trust me, they'll love you for it). Don't worry so much about getting paid at first...do it for love, and the money will follow. I earned a PhD while technically in search, and helped half-a-dozen different small congregations settle full or part-time ministers and/or build or buy new buildings. Not such a bad track record for a full time grad student looking for a full-time job...and good for the movement too.

• Ministry is both a calling and a career. The issue is not which takes priority, but rather how best to keep them in alignment. I know too many colleagues who seem to feel that the real mission of the church is to provide them with a paycheck. It's not, so get over it. The question congregations will be asking you is this: What can you do for us to make our SPIRITUAL lives more satisfying? All of this business about growing the church by increasing membership, attendance and the amount of the average pledge means a whole lot less to them than it does to us. If you really want to know what people are looking for in a pastor, check out this report from Duke. Plenty to chew on there, not all of it especially appetizing:

http://www.pulpitandpew.duke.edu/PastorSearch.pdf

• Finally, don't try to hide from your mistakes, or hide them from Search Committees. Rather, look at them closely, figure out what you *really* learned from them, and turn that "lesson" into a positive selling point. Let's face facts: ministry isn't that difficult a job, but it is an Impossible one. None of us will EVER do it perfectly, meet every expectation or even every need, land on our feet (rather than flat on our face) every time. Ministry is the kind of work that will take everything we have to offer without it ever really being enough...and yet somehow we manage to do it anyway. Search Committees are generally a lot less interested in what you can DO than in who you ARE. Character, candor, compassion, integrity, authenticity and real spiritual "depth" -- these are the things that churches truly want and need from their Religious Leader. So don't try to fake it: FIND IT!