Hiring for your church can be nerve wracking – you have worked to create a healthy and flourishing church culture, and you want every staff member to come alongside your congregation in that mission.
If you’ve done the work upfront to determine what that mission is, you should be able to hire with confidence. This confidence is found in knowing that you’ve attracted the right candidates to your job search and because of that, any candidate you consider will understand your church’s mission and be aligned with it in their work.
A few things are required for hiring to happen in this way:
Know your mission
You need a way to narrow your pool of applicants from the start and to adequately explain the mission and vision of your church.
This is a great time to truly reflect on your church’s mission and vision. Was your mission statement created in a rush because you needed one to put on your website? Did your church leadership spend time in reflection and prayer to discern your mission statement? Or was it created decades ago and now has a meaning that’s been lost over time?
Whatever the case may be, it’s never a bad idea to reconsider these foundational elements of your church and ensure that these beliefs are reflected in the life of your church and the employees you want to hire.
Spend internal time working through these questions and articulating them to one another before you bring an employee in that you want to “fit” well in your culture.
Make your mission clear
Once your mission is clear to your church and staff internally, it’s time to write a job description and begin your search.
You could lean on ChatGPT to generate a job description quickly – while we don’t recommend using an unedited ChatGPT draft, it can be a great way to get a first outline/draft or get your ideas flowing!
However you structure your job description, remember that this is your chance to communicate your churches’ mission and vision to your prospective employees. Use language that reflects the heart of your ministry and be clear about what matters most to your congregation in light of the job you’re hiring for.
Communicate clearly
Now to the specifics of writing a job description – Start with a basic template and then use language that will communicate exactly what you’re looking for.
In addition to a mission-focused description, be specific and practical. Many organizations have a habit of advertising that they’re searching for a “unicorn” in a given role – and while this can seem like an easy way for you to communicate that you’re looking for a great candidate, it can turn away job searchers because it implies unreasonable expectations.
Instead of using vague language, be honest about exactly what the role entails and describe the characteristics and skills of your ideal candidate as clearly as possible.
The saying “clear is kind” definitely applies to job descriptions – focusing on simplicity and clarity will help your applicants know what they’re applying for, and it will save you work down the road because everyone will already be on the same page when it comes time for interviews.
Whatever the hiring process looks like for your church, we’re cheering you on as you find the best candidates and discern who might join your team!
This article was written in collaboration with Heidi Lopez, the Staff Development Executive Director. If you want to continue the conversation, you can contact her directly at hlopez@missionhills.org.
Interested in learning more about Mission Hills Association and gaining access to our members-only resources? Contact us today!
