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Our
church board unanimously recommended a pastoral candidate to the
congregation. The board had prayed about it and reached consensus
on this decision. The candidate felt it was God’s
will to participate in the interview process. Ultimately the candidate
felt that taking on the assignment as pastor of our church was not
God’s will.
Please explain how God seemingly revealed one answer to the board
and another answer to the candidate. |
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Discerning
God’s voice
is a lesson we can learn as individuals and as a church. While each
story of God’s
revelation is unique, there are common themes to the process of
discernment.
Hearing from God involves availing ourselves of the ways He speaks
to His people, including spending time in prayer and silence, studying
Scripture, and receiving wise counsel from brothers and sisters
in Christ. Often we become impatient with the process and rush ahead
in our frantic desire to make a decision. We need to remind ourselves
that God is faithful. As much as we desire to hear God’s
voice, God’s
desire to guide us is even greater.
Discernment becomes more complex when it involves larger groups
of people. Many reasons exist as to why a church board and a candidate
could reach different conclusions. Any person can have his or her
discernment clouded. A church board may be weary of the search and
convince themselves this person is the one. A pastor may become
afraid of change. Sometimes the interview process between a church
and candidate has lessons for both to learn when ultimately God
is leading them in different directions. The good news is that we
have a creative God who works through all of our emotions, wavering
attention spans, and confusion. Even when we perhaps have missed
out on an opportunity God provided, He continues to work in us and
through us to bring us new opportunities. While there are consequences
to missing God’s
leading, discernment is not simply a one-shot deal. Each day provides
a new chance to seek, listen, wait, and trust in God’s
leading.—mrp
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In
the process of calling a pastor, disappointment can come when the
church board and the pastoral candidate do not concur on a nomination.
However, it should be understood that God’s
will must be confirmed by both the church board and the candidate.
When a pastoral candidate agrees to an interview, that decision simply
means the board and the candidate have a real interest in proceeding
to the next step of the process. District superintendents try to make
it clear that the board is not obligated to offer a nomination and
the candidate is not obligated to accept one. Should the board nominate
but the candidate not receive a clear confirmation from the Lord,
the candidate should decline at that point and not proceed with a
congregational vote.
When the Lord does lead the board to nominate, the church membership
to vote positively, and the candidate to accept, a real foundation
for unity is laid. The new pastor and the congregation can proceed
in partnership to reach their community for Christ.—wms |
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This
month’s
Editor’s
Forum: |
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mrp—Mary
Rearick Paul
serves with her husband, Bruce, as copastor of St. Paul’s
Church of the Nazarene in Duxbury, Massachusetts.
wms—Wil
M. Spaite
is a retired district superintendent and currently the associate pastor
for new life at Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene in Tucson, Arizona. |
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