A Spiritual Depth Interview Guide for Church Personnel Committees
Over the years of countless ministry interviews I was consistently amazed at the number of candidates that expressed this was their first church interview where they were asked questions about their spirituality.
And, this experience is continually affirmed as I consult with churches and coach ministers. Why do churches not ask spiritual questions of prospective spiritual leaders?
It appears that all too frequently Personnel Committees and interviewers simply assume that someone interviewing for a ministerial staff position is a mature believer and, therefore fail to ask questions that probe the spiritual aspects of their lives.
Though not exhaustive, below is a guide for determining a candidate’s spiritual depth using questions in seven different areas of spirituality:
- Call to Ministry
- Spiritual Leadership
- Spiritual Reproduction
- Spiritual Formation
- Character
- Theology and Doctrine
- Family Discipleship
Church Staff Spiritual Depth Interview Guide
Call to Ministry
- How did you come to faith?
- Describe your call to ministry.
- What motivates you to stay in ministry?
- How has God affirmed your call?
- Share your ministry path and the spiritual markers you encountered along the way.
Spiritual Leadership
- How do you express your spiritual gifts?
- Share your definition of spiritual leadership.
- Share how you shepherd your flock and demonstrate compassion.
- What pursuits presently engage you that you know God initiated?
- What evidence do you have that God is pleased with your leadership?
- What evidence is there in your life and ministry that you are leading in the power of the Spirit, and not out of your own abilities and strength?
- What is your definition of ministry success?
Spiritual Reproduction
- Are you currently discipling or mentoring anyone? Describe.
- Share how you have discipled others over the last five years.
- Are you currently being discipled or mentored by anyone? Describe.
- What discipleship materials do you like to use?
- Outline your leadership training strategy.
- Share your most recent opportunity to share your faith.
- Share how you have ministered to the “least of these.”
- Share your involvement in local, national, and international mission projects and trips.
Spiritual Formation
- How have you grown spiritually in the last year?
- How does God speak to you?
- What are you currently reading to grow yourself spiritually?
- What has God been teaching you?
- What prayers have you seen answered?
- Where have you seen God working in your ministry?
- Please share your regular spiritual disciplines, habits and practices.
- How do you discern God’s will?
- In your spiritual walk, how has God used adversity to mature you?
Character
- What steps do you take to guard and cultivate your integrity?
- Are there any aspects of your character or moral life that could be considered by biblical standards to be out of balance, inconsistent or in excess?
- Have you ever had an inappropriate relationship with anyone other than your spouse?
- What steps do you follow when you sense disagreement or conflict with someone in your church?
- In what areas of your life is it easiest to demonstrate self-control? In what areas is it most difficult?
- Share a time you encountered a moral or ethical dilemma and how you approached it.
- What do others respect about you most?
- How have you been tempted to compromise your values?
Theology and Doctrine
- Are there any points in our doctrinal statement that you would not or could not affirm?
- Where have you encountered theological disagreement in your ministry? How did you resolve those disagreements?
- After talking with our Senior Pastor and listening to his preaching, do you have any theological concerns?
Family Discipleship
- What practices, habits and disciplines have you and your spouse put into place to develop spiritually together?
- How do you demonstrate love to your spouse? To your children?
- What concerns has your spouse expressed about your job as a minister?
- What spiritual/discipleship practices and disciplines have you put into place with your children?
- Are your children followers of Christ?
- How do you and your family demonstrate hospitality?
Posted on December 15, 2015
