After We Say “I Do”: Getting new pastors and churches off on the right foot

A dozen church leaders came together recently to share best practices. The topic? A pastor’s first call after graduating from seminary. They were laying the groundwork for a new Transformed and Transforming initiative to help ensure success for first-call pastors and the congregations that call them.

A dozen church leaders came together recently to share best practices. The topic? A pastor’s first call after graduating from seminary. They were laying the groundwork for a new Transformed and Transforming initiative to help ensure success for first-call pastors and the congregations that call them.

At the two-day March 2014 gathering in Chicago, first-call pastors swapped stories and insights, and explored how consistories function (or should function) in the call process.

Pastor Bill Flavin and elder Ken Hoogstra shared the strategies that led to a successful first call at the congregation they serve, Trinity Community Church (RCA) in Brown Deer, Wisconsin.

“It was a really affirming event, because it forced me to reflect on my time at Trinity so far, and to celebrate all the ways God has grown us together,” says Flavin. He graduated from Western Theological Seminary in May 2009 and began serving Trinity that July. “I believe that many churches call a first-call pastor and lean on a hope and prayer that it works well.”

“I was very encouraged by the different perspectives that were brought to the table at the event,” says Hoogstra. “In my view, it’s important to develop the First Call Initiative because of the many stories we hear of pastors whose first call ended badly because of unmet (or unspoken) expectations or the failure of the congregation to afford the room for the pastor to grow into his or her role.

“I greatly appreciated the perspectives of the pastors as well as the theological agents.” (Representatives of RCA seminaries and the Ministerial Formation Certification Agency were on hand to explain how pastors are prepared for ministry.)

“We started listing what churches can do to prepare to be a first-call congregation, what pastors can do to be effective in their first call, and how the theological agents and the classes can contribute to that process,” says Hoogstra.

He shared what led to a successful first call at Trinity:

• Communication of the church’s vision during the search process. This enabled pastoral candidates to evaluate whether that vision fit their ministry style.
• A good specialized transition minister who led the visioning process and the search team. This person also pushed leaders to make changes while they were searching for a new pastor.
• During the search process and after he was installed, Flavin (the new pastor) and the church communicated openly about expectations and challenges.
• Flavin’s strong leadership skills, willingness to acknowledge and manage conflict, and awareness of his strengths and weaknesses.
• Trinity giving Flavin room to grow, and his openness to suggestions on how he can grow as a pastor.
• Strong lay leaders who recognize Flavin’s authority and work with him.
• Flavin often mentioning how much he loves serving as Trinity’s pastor.

“This affirmation is powerful and helps strengthen the relationship between the pastor and the church,” says Hoogstra.

He says much of the initiative at this point focuses on intentionality:

• Congregations intentionally preparing to be a first-call church.
• Pastors intentionally preparing to accept a first call (which includes being self-aware of their strengths, spiritual gifts, and ministry goals).
• Theological agents and classes intentionally working with pastors and churches to facilitate a first call.
• Intentionality of the church, pastor, consistory, and classis in adopting a covenant that guides their relationship.

“The first call covenant, if followed by all parties, will facilitate better communication between the pastor and the church—or at least the lay leadership of the church; provide support and peace of mind for the pastor; and promote an attitude of grace to help the pastor and the church get through the inevitable growing pains of a new pastor,” says Hoogstra.

Read a sample first-call covenant.

Pray for first-call pastors and their churches to learn and grow together.