New Faith Chapel

Pastoral Candidate Questionnaire _____________________________________________________________________________ Candidate Name: BACKGROUND 1. Briefly describe how you came to know Christ. 2. Have you or your spouse ever been divorced? If so, please write the circumstances surrounding it on a separate sheet of paper. Include a pastoral reference of someone familiar with the divorce. 3. Have you ever left the ministry for any reason? If so, please give details. 4. Have you ever been disciplined by any group? If so, please explain. 5. Is there any reason why a leader of another church or denomination would question or oppose your becoming a pastor? Give their name and briefly describe your relationship with them. CALL TO MINISTRY 1. How did your call to ministry come to you? 2. What are your non-negotiable convictions in ministry? VISION 1. How did you build a shared vision with the people you previously led? 2. What was your previous churchs vision statement? 3. What kind of target groups were you trying to reach in your last church? How did you go about reaching them? How did you evaluate your effectiveness? DISCIPLESHIP 1. When was the last time you followed-up on a new believer? What materials did you use to follow up on them? How did you teach spiritual disciplines to the new believers? 2. Describe your previous small group ministry. 3. What is the Spirit of God saying to you about where the Church in America is going? How have you changed your ministry to address those concerns? 4. How did you teach your small group leaders to train new leaders and how to grow their groups? 5. Have you had the Keystone Project training? If so, what is your opinion of it? If not, are you willing to attend? Date:

OUTREACH 1. In your previous ministry, what outreach events have proven to be the most fruitful to bring people to Christ or show His love? 2. How did you train people to share their faith? 3. What methods and techniques have you employed to assess the needs of your community? How effective were they in making authentic followers of Jesus Christ? 4. How has church planting and missions fit into your outreach plans in the past? 5. Have you been involved in working with other churches in your community to impact your area for Christ? 6. How do you view the importance of visiting members and visitors? WORSHIP & PREACHING 1. How has the ministry of the Word and the Spirits power been demonstrated through your previous ministries? 2. In what ways have you attempted to make yourself more effective in your communication? 3. Describe what your view of worship is and how you have implemented it in the past. 4. How would you blend old & new, techniques for handling diversity in worship styles? RELATIONSHIPS 1. How did you take initiative and build relationships to get to know people in your last church? 2. How do you help others develop relationships? 3. Do you have someone you consider a mentor or do you have a circle of counsel?

LEADERSHIP 1. In your last church how did you encourage your leaders vision, values, and aspirations? 2. In your opinion, what is the best way to structure the church to run most effectively? 3. Tell about a time when you confronted people who were undermining the unity of the body. How did you bring about resolve, reconciliation or healing? 4. How did you conduct leadership meetings in your previous church? 5. Give some examples of how you delegated ministry to others? How did you help them prepare? How did you follow up on them? How did you make them feel part of the process? 6. Your strengths as a person/pastor 7. Your weakness as a person/pastor 8. What motivates you as a pastor? 9. How do you handle your stress? 10. What aspects of the role of a pastor do you find most personally difficult?

CHURCH GROWTH 1. What advice would you give to your leadership team about growing a church in transition? 2. What is your take on keeping a church focused on health as opposed to success? 3. Based on your needs, personality and gifts, what kind of leaders do you need to place around you to be more effective? 4. What are your continuing educational goals? What specific areas do you wish you had more training in?

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 1. Has personal indebtedness ever been a problem? If so please comment. 2. Do you have experience in presenting a project or fund raiser which required significant financial involvement on the part of others? What was it? 3. What business training have you had in managing money, creating budgets, and keeping the system accountable? 4. Have you ever taught on financial stewardship? Explain. 5. What are your financial expectations of our church? MARRIAGE AND FAMILY 1. Have you found a compatible way to spiritually grow together as a couple? What is it? 2. What role does your spouse prefer to fill in this church? 3. Is relocating going to cause isolation for anyone in your family? 4. How do you balance the demands of ministry with the needs of your family? Explain the steps you take. 5. Do you have any children? If so, what are their ages? 6. Spouses of pastors relate in many ways to a congregation: tell us about your spouse, their gifts and perspective on church ministry. EMOTIONAL MATURITY 1. How did you handle power brokers in your previous ministry and their need to control you? 2. How have you confronted and corrected someone who did not follow through on his or her assignment? 3. Have you ever had your integrity challenged? How did you handle the criticism against you? 4. What has been your biggest personal failure or disappointment?

SPIRITUAL LIFE 1. How much time do you set aside for thinking, planning, and praying with the Lord? 2. What were your spiritual goals last year? How did you do on carrying them out? 3. What fills your tank spiritually and brings you closer to God? How do you keep yourself going when the pressure is on? 4. What experiences have most challenged your faith? How was your faith evidenced in that situation? 5. What has helped you in your spiritual development? 6. What do you consider your greatest success & disappointment? 7. What do you consider to be your major spiritual gift?