Certain Uncertainty: The Baptist Search and Call Process
In my first ministry position as interim youth minister, my supervisor was only the fifth senior pastor in the suburban Baptist church's history. It was only his second ministry job after completing seminary. 27 years later he would leave, choosing again to serve as senior pastor, this time leading the restart of a historic downtown Baptist church on the other side of the country. It seems that lengthy tenures in ministry aren't nearly as common as they once were. With a globalized economy, increased educational options and pastoral opportunities, the advancement of communication tools like the Internet, and households where both parents often work outside of the home full-time, it is unusual for Baptist ministers to remain in the same position for two or three decades. Of course, this is also the case with United Methodist clergy, but for very different reasons. With an appointment system, not only their positions, but the churches they serve are selected by denominational supervisors in each geographical conference. Whether you stay put for two decades or serve eight churches in five different positions spanning that time is essentially out of a minister's hands. In the appointment system clergy are sent to not called by their churches.
Not so with Baptist churches. With an emphasis on freedom1, we are rooted in an independent, democratic approach to discerning which persons best fit staff vacancies, particularly with the senior pastor position or those positions otherwise reserved for ordained ministers. Because the congregation itself ultimately signs-off on pastoral hires, this is a vital process. To put it mildly, we like to vote: about buildings, clergy compensation, budget line items, carpet color and sometimes VBS curriculum, but especially who will the pastoral leader(s) of the church will be. That is not always altogether good because it can lead to abuse and unnecessary power struggles given our autonomous framework. Still, though, I don't reckon that generally our potential for malfeasance is higher than in any other denomination. In Baptist churches, arguably, the power rests, or conceptually should, with the congregation. Nevertheless, the Baptist search and call process carries an inordinate amount of heartache and confusion. You need grace and encouragement to persevere through the struggle of certain uncertainty.
The Uniqueness of the Call
For Baptist churches, denominational relationships are voluntary. "There has been a continuing and characteristic emphasis upon congregational polity. Authority and responsibility have been regarded as residing in the local congregation in a special way."[2] Except in rare instances, everything that the church owns, its property and monies, belong to the church. Whatever denominational bodies it associates with, if any, have absolutely no authority to hire or fire the church's staff, or otherwise dictate any of its business or ministry. Therefore, all of that falls on the shoulders of the congregation itself. Usually through a committee, the church alone decides which candidate will be selected, for example, as its new youth pastor, senior pastor, or associate pastor for outreach. This process should be a heartfelt courtship, but in reality is often more akin to speed dating.
Driven by grace, soteriology, and polity that emphasize free will (some would say too much), the Baptist search and call process is not an easy one. Churches and candidates like to think this free will provides a semblance of being in charge of our own respective destinies. But, in the grand scheme of things, that degree is small. There is an undeniable air of certain uncertainty in the pastoral call, particularly for Baptist ministers. It brings joy and pain, understanding and misunderstanding, clarity and confusion. While congregations choose their pastoral leaders and pastoral leaders choose their congregation, which seems polite and fair enough, by no means is it a silky smooth process. Both groups can engage in prayer and discernment to ensure a "good" match, but that simply doesn't always happen. And, unlike in other denominations, there is no money back guarantee or return policy, so to speak, in those situations. As a Baptist minister you really don't have much of an institutional safety net. There is no denominational executive who can step in with any authority to mediate issues amongst staff members or between congregants and staff members. Resources exist to be sure, but they are not compulsory, which is part blessing and part curse. The freedom that ministers have in choosing to stay in or leave a particular position based on factors unique to their sense of calling, and personal or family situation is a blessing. The curse, however, is that there are no guarantees, no hierarchical system to help insulate Baptist clergy from the temptations of lone-ranger ministry.
Furthermore, Baptist ministers are at a unique deficit because they may have few venues to translate their pastoral qualifications into other fields, not only to expand professional opportunities, but to provide for themselves or their family during times of transition. You may have solid pastoral experience with multiple degrees to your name, but that doesn't qualify you to work at a law firm, real estate office, or teach at a community college. Particularly, if you have spent your life engaged in serving the church, that is expressly what you are qualified to do. So, for example, whereas an accountant's skill set allows them to be in demand in non-profit organizations (including churches), Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and small businesses, Baptist ministers can't nearly as fluidly transfer from one employment setting to another as needed. Just because you have been a youth pastor for five years does not mean that in a pinch -- without connections and requisite credentials otherwise -- that you are qualified to then be hired as a high school teacher or probation counselor overseeing young offenders. In today's increasingly secularized society, master's degrees of divinity or those with an emphasis in theology and theological studies don't translate that well to those outside of religious life, which is another reason that vocational ministry for Baptists ministers requires a special depth of hope and trust.
Race and Compensation
An ordained minister easily forgotten in today's theo-political melee as being Baptist, Martin Luther King, Jr., quoting Liston Pope, then dean of Yale Divinity School, famously commented that the Sunday morning church hour was the most segregated hour of the week.[3] To our shame, this still rings true. As a nation, no matter how diverse we think that we are (and that we are in significant ways), we still tend to value homogeneity, especially where race is concerned. Caucasian churches rarely hire African Americans or other persons of color for full-time pastoral positions; the general exception being someone of Hispanic or Latino decent for a bilingual ministry leadership or outreach position. When African American ministers or those of color are hired by Caucasian churches it is even more uncommon for it to be as senior pastor. But, the same can be said about African American churches. As people, no matter our color, class, or religious creed, without tokenism, we just don't understand why true diversity is so essential. And, Christians, sadly, aren't any exception. Again, though, the knife cuts in both directions.
A truth that is abundantly evident in our churches even more than one century later, in 1903, prominent sociologist W.E.B. DuBois boldly stated, "The problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color-line."[4] As an African American, I have served on the pastoral staff of two Caucasian churches, and in two ecclesial settings where African Americans were the principal membership. I am a better person and minister because of those experiences. However, all churches aren't interested in having staff members, especially senior-level pastoral members from outside of the predominant racial hue. Frankly too, all who say that they are open to such opportunities aren't.
Another factor of contention can be pink elephant of compensation. Although it shares commonalities with other professions, the pastoral vocation is fairly unique. There are no signing bonuses or stock options offered, and there generally are few lucrative salaries to be had. While I hope that most ministers don't begin their careers with illusions that ministry will make them rich, but it is healthy and responsible to expect a church to compensate you at a level commensurate with your experience and education, which also takes into account the demands that your position will require. Contrary to what some people think, there is no "minister discount card" that can be flashed at restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations, or submitted to student loan companies that provides free food and services, or debt reduction.
No, we have the same bills as everyone else, but oftentimes more demands on our time and less "net" compensation to show for it. You might say that one indisputable perk of pastoral life is the nontaxable housing allowance or parsonage that can be available to ministers as an accompaniment to salary. However, in short, not all churches provide this support mechanism, nor provide it to the same degree, which renders it hardly fair to interpret as a universal benefit. In one interview a search team member mentioned that they understood in hiring me or anyone else that they would not get "Jesus, Jr." This warmed my heart because many churches, from the executive leadership team to the congregation, functionally expect the new minister -- in whatever ministry area they serve -- to turn water into wine, calm raging seas, and be everywhere at all times, sort of as a spiritual cocktail of Superman and Flash Gordon. Navigating issues of under-compensation and the pied piper syndrome can be significantly challenging in ministry.
The Impact of Rejection
In six years of vocational ministry thus far, I have lived at nine addresses in seven states. To be fair, a number of those relocations were for graduate school (two seminary degrees at two institutions) and marriage, but the other times it was to begin a new ministry opportunity somewhere. From the in-person variety to those via video (Skype), phone, or e-mail, interviewing is a necessary component of the Baptist search and call process. You can spend months, even years awaiting replies from churches about positions that you have applied to. One thing that I have learned is that not all search teams are created equal. Some move slower than others merely because they are comprised of volunteers whose first priorities are their families, careers, and other pressing matters, which understandably creates scheduling challenges for everyone involved. However, to be frank, others move at a snail's pace because of disorganization and internal squabbling. And, yet others deliberate slowly in an intentional effort to wisely discern God's will for the church and the right candidate(s). Either way, the interview process often leaves ministers out to dry, flailing in the winds of uncertainty. Out of 20 positions that you have applied to there may be two that you think would be an almost perfect fit for you. But, alas you are informed that you have not been selected by those two churches to move forward in their process. And, not having received replies of acceptance or rejection from the other mass of churches, now it is back to square one, so the process begins again. Imagine experiencing that over, and over, and again, and you have a snapshot of what a Baptist minister is often exposed to in searching for a new call. Rejection is a big part of the journey, and if you are not careful you can easily become paralyzed by sorrow and anxiety.
Trust in the Lord
The search and call process for Baptist ministers is a rollercoaster of emotion. With power vested more in the congregation's hands, the voluntary nature of our denominational relationships make us prone to abuse, practically devoid of hierarchical checks and balances at times. In this system, or lack thereof, Baptist ministers can seek to acquire and wield power in destructive ways in an effort to gain some semblance of autocratic control, again, in polity where they feel vulnerable and dependent on the congregation for sustenance. And, so the lesson of certain uncertainty loudly echoes again. The Lord is our refuge,[5] and thus the only stabilizing force in this unique call, which is why Proverbs 3:5-6 is such an appropriate truth for Baptist ministers especially to hold dear: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." No matter the particulars of the Baptist search and call process (and there are many other particulars not addressed here), it is simply unhealthy for Baptist ministers to feel that vocationally they must fend for themselves. It is grace from God and obedience to God that ought to undergird and fuel us in ministry, a truth that we would do well to remind ourselves and others of every chance we get.
[1] See Walter B. Shurden, The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys, 1993) and Edgar Y. Mullins, Baptist Beliefs (Valley Forge, PA: Judson, 2009).
[2] Norman H. Maring, "Some thoughts on Baptist polity," Review & Expositor 52 (1955): 452.
[3] Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 1977), 3, 102.
[4] W.E.B. DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk (New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2005), 3, 197.
[5] Psalm 91:2.