Hiring a new staff member can be a daunting task. You want to get it right, or things can become difficult in your church. I’ve had to hire a few staff members as a church leader. Here are the intangibles that I look for when hiring a staff member:
1. Friendliness. Nobody enjoys being around a jerk. Why would you want one to be a part of your church staff? When hiring a new staff member, look for signs indicating whether the person is friendly. See how they respond to humor. Ask their references if they are friendly with others.
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- Interview Question: Can you tell me about a time when you helped create a welcoming environment for someone new—whether on a team, in a group, or in a ministry setting?
- Reference Check Question: How would you describe this person’s ability to connect with others relationally? Are they generally warm and approachable?
2. Common sense. Common sense seems to be less common these days. Yet, a church staff needs someone who can respond appropriately to various situations. Try to discern if the potential staff member has a high level of common sense. Give them some scenarios and ask how they will respond. Observe small details as you meet together and spend time getting to know one another. It’s amazing what you can learn simply by observing.
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- Interview Question: Imagine a church member shows up unexpectedly, visibly upset, just before a scheduled meeting. What would you do in that situation?
- Reference Check Question: In your experience, has this person shown good judgment when unexpected or unclear situations arise?
3. Teachability. No one is omniscient except God alone. Church leaders must be continual learners. If someone is unwilling to learn from others, they will not be a good fit for our church staff. Ask the potential staff member what they have done, are doing, and will do to be teachable.
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- Interview Question: Can you share a recent example of something new you learned and how it changed the way you approached ministry or leadership?
- Reference Check Question: Have you observed this person receiving constructive feedback? How did they respond?
4. A good reputation. Ideally, the person who is a prospective member of your staff team is known by you or someone you trust. If so, it should be relatively easy to determine what type of reputation they have. If the person is not someone you know, you should dig a little to learn more. First, be sure you check with all of the references that the person has provided. Also, ask the references if they can provide further references. Seek to learn more by exploring other sources of information. The more you know about the person’s reputation, the better equipped you will be to make a good hire.
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- Interview Question: How do you guard your reputation, and what measures do you use to protect it?
- Reference Check Question: In your opinion, how is this person perceived by others in your congregation?
5. Humility. Arrogance can rip apart a church staff and can even destroy a church. Humility is the most essential quality to look for when hiring a church staff member. If a person has a high level of humility, the other factors will likely all fall into place. Again, be sure to ask others who know the person what level of humility they have. Seek to observe how they treat others if you go to lunch or are around others.
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- Interview Question: Tell me about a time you were wrong in a ministry decision. How did you handle it?
- Reference Check Question: Would you describe this person as someone who leads with humility? Can you give an example?
I’ve learned to look for these traits when hiring a new member. What about you? What traits have you come to value when hiring someone?
Posted on July 31, 2025
2 Comments
Matt,
I believe your questions are certainly on target in looking for examples or patterns of behavior, which we know are the most likely predictors of future behavior. In recent times, (especially after COVID), we are finding that interview questions have needed to be more pointed and time specific. For instance, if we begin a question with: “Tell me about a time…” the candidate often will go back 5-10 years. So, we are finding that the question needs to be framed more time specific. EXAMPLE: “In the past six months, tell us about something that you have learned from reading, a seminar, a conference, etc. that you have implemented in your ministry.” Or “Tell us about a mistake you have made in a ministry decision during the past 12 months…and how are you navigating the situation now? ”
Even with reference checks, it seems that few want to say negative things, nor give specific examples unless specifically asked. So a reference question might be framed like this: “Could you share one example of how you have witnessed the candidate exhibit mature judgement in navigating a difficult or unclear situation?”
In most of our work with search teams and senior pastors trying to fill vacancies, getting them to clarify what they really want to know (and what they need to know) usually leads to us saying: “What question would you ask to find that answer?” Also, helping them know which questions to put in writing and which questions are best asked in person are key decisions.
Thanks for writing this. With the growing need for pastors and staff, helping churches find the most healthy fit continues to be a significant challenge.
Great feedback, Art! Thanks so much.