The Five Star Fit
This first appeared in Youthworker Journal in 2002 or so, this is an expanded version of that sidebar.
The phrase "It wasn't a good fit" is often used to explain transitioning and turnovers between ministries and ministers. It's an ambiguous phrase but it speaks volumes. I've always wanted to establish a long-term ministry at one church and yet I'm serving my third church in nine years. I learned through the transitions the importance of finding the mystical "good fit". A good number of hurts that require healing can be avoided if you know which fits to look for.
1. Theological Fit: This should be obvious but too many youth workers who grew up Baptist wonder why they have a difficult time in a mainline church, or the other way around. Unless you plant your own church there will rarely be a 100% theological match so know your theological non-negotiables.
I had a perfect fit theologically at my first church because the entire pastoral staff went to the same seminary. The differences do make a difference. Just because you are able to get along with someone that holds different theological views doesn't mean that you can serve in the same church with them. I have a lot of friends from the entire spectrum of Christianity, we can pray together and I know they loved Jesus but I would never be able to work in some of their churches. It's a matter of conviction and integrity.
2. Philosophical Fit: You and the church may value evangelism but if you don't agree on how to do evangelism eventually you will have conflict. If one person in your church wants to hand out Chick tracts to anyone and everyone and another person wants to have a holistic approach to reaching their friends, there will be a conflict when they discuss evangelism. If the church defines youth worker as events coordinator and you think of yourself as a pastor who is about equipping others for ministry, there will be problems eventually.
3. Personal Fit: This applies primarily to the working and personal relationship with the senior pastor, although it also impacts other church leadership and personal interactions. A friend of mine spoke to almost 400 senior pastors at the '96 National Clergy Conference in Atlanta. He asked "Who's really close to their youth pastor"? Only one pastor slowly raised his hand. Everyone in a church setting should do what they can to ensure that more hands are raised at the next Pastor's Conference when that question is asked.
4. Vocational Fit: Does the job description really fit who you're wired to be? "Youth Pastor" can mean nursery through College at different churches. Make sure your church's job description reflects your passion, your abilities and your calling.
The first question you should ask is "Can I do the job as it's described?" The more important question to ask is, "Do I want to do the job as it's described"? There will always be part of work that are not enjoyed but hopefully the majority of what the job description requires is what you are able to do naturally and with skill.
5. Cultural Fit: This applies to regional, socio-economic, education and more. My wife and I grew up in Alabama but we loved our time in New England. We were accepted and if you know any New Englander's you know being accepted is a big deal. This is not a right or wrong issue but just a matter of personal preferences and deciding what you are able to live with because you will not change the culture of where you are living.
These Five Areas are not the only areas to consider but I believe they are the five key areas. One of the hardest things about the interview process is it involves people. I don’t believe that youth pastors or search committees ever mean to mislead one another just so they can find someone but I do think the problems come to the surface after they begin their working relationship because they don’t know themselves well. So people articulate the proper phrase but they may not have the actual values that put the words into action.
I know of a church that was 95% finished with the interview process and about to offer the package to a youth pastor when someone on the committee asked, "What's your view of premarital sex?" he said, "It's okay, if you're in love." They all laughed but he didn't. He meant it, needless to say, he wasn't hired.
Most of us have been in situations where we didn't have all of these and probably very few of us have all five so I'm not saying "Unless you have these you won't have an effective ministry" but I am saying, "The closer your fit in each area the better chance you’ll have at having an effective and long-term ministry.”
The phrase "It wasn't a good fit" is often used to explain transitioning and turnovers between ministries and ministers. It's an ambiguous phrase but it speaks volumes. I've always wanted to establish a long-term ministry at one church and yet I'm serving my third church in nine years. I learned through the transitions the importance of finding the mystical "good fit". A good number of hurts that require healing can be avoided if you know which fits to look for.
1. Theological Fit: This should be obvious but too many youth workers who grew up Baptist wonder why they have a difficult time in a mainline church, or the other way around. Unless you plant your own church there will rarely be a 100% theological match so know your theological non-negotiables.
I had a perfect fit theologically at my first church because the entire pastoral staff went to the same seminary. The differences do make a difference. Just because you are able to get along with someone that holds different theological views doesn't mean that you can serve in the same church with them. I have a lot of friends from the entire spectrum of Christianity, we can pray together and I know they loved Jesus but I would never be able to work in some of their churches. It's a matter of conviction and integrity.
2. Philosophical Fit: You and the church may value evangelism but if you don't agree on how to do evangelism eventually you will have conflict. If one person in your church wants to hand out Chick tracts to anyone and everyone and another person wants to have a holistic approach to reaching their friends, there will be a conflict when they discuss evangelism. If the church defines youth worker as events coordinator and you think of yourself as a pastor who is about equipping others for ministry, there will be problems eventually.
3. Personal Fit: This applies primarily to the working and personal relationship with the senior pastor, although it also impacts other church leadership and personal interactions. A friend of mine spoke to almost 400 senior pastors at the '96 National Clergy Conference in Atlanta. He asked "Who's really close to their youth pastor"? Only one pastor slowly raised his hand. Everyone in a church setting should do what they can to ensure that more hands are raised at the next Pastor's Conference when that question is asked.
4. Vocational Fit: Does the job description really fit who you're wired to be? "Youth Pastor" can mean nursery through College at different churches. Make sure your church's job description reflects your passion, your abilities and your calling.
The first question you should ask is "Can I do the job as it's described?" The more important question to ask is, "Do I want to do the job as it's described"? There will always be part of work that are not enjoyed but hopefully the majority of what the job description requires is what you are able to do naturally and with skill.
5. Cultural Fit: This applies to regional, socio-economic, education and more. My wife and I grew up in Alabama but we loved our time in New England. We were accepted and if you know any New Englander's you know being accepted is a big deal. This is not a right or wrong issue but just a matter of personal preferences and deciding what you are able to live with because you will not change the culture of where you are living.
These Five Areas are not the only areas to consider but I believe they are the five key areas. One of the hardest things about the interview process is it involves people. I don’t believe that youth pastors or search committees ever mean to mislead one another just so they can find someone but I do think the problems come to the surface after they begin their working relationship because they don’t know themselves well. So people articulate the proper phrase but they may not have the actual values that put the words into action.
I know of a church that was 95% finished with the interview process and about to offer the package to a youth pastor when someone on the committee asked, "What's your view of premarital sex?" he said, "It's okay, if you're in love." They all laughed but he didn't. He meant it, needless to say, he wasn't hired.
Most of us have been in situations where we didn't have all of these and probably very few of us have all five so I'm not saying "Unless you have these you won't have an effective ministry" but I am saying, "The closer your fit in each area the better chance you’ll have at having an effective and long-term ministry.”
posted by Len at 1:45 PM
2 Comments:
Len,
Thanks so much for taking the time to throw this up on the web! I want to refer my friends in class back to this site so they can be just a little more prepared when looking for a church with the right "fit".
Seriously, bro, thanks.
ps. when you posted on my blog I thought you were a spam post trying to sell me nice pants.
ha.
I just submitted a seminar outline to YS that touches on this. My comment to them was that this idea could be developed into a stand alone seminar much like you have here.
~Jason
Post a Comment
<< Home