Get Started

David Holmes received his call to ministry in his third year of college, while volunteering at a food pantry and participating in a Bible study with some of the other volunteers. So after college David went on to study theology. Then late one May afternoon, he got the phone call; he would be the new pastor of Cedar Bend Church. After he shared the good news with his family and friends, he wondered what he should do first: Write the sermon for his first Sunday? Get ready to move into the parsonage? Visit some of his new parishioners? He didn't know where to begin.

Preparing to be the pastor at a new church is similar to preparing for a yearlong journey. No one gets in a car and starts out on a long holiday without first making preparations. The same is true with ministry. Before you begin, you will need to pack some essentials and chart out a course for the days ahead.

Identify Your Interests

A loal church pastor wears many hats. He or she equips the congregation for Christian ministry by preaching the Word and administering the sacraments, providing guidance and comfort to members, and overseeing the administrative life of the church. But no pastor can be an expert at every task, so knowing which type of ministry you are called to is important because the more you know about yourself and your particular preferences, the more enthusiasm and focus you can bring to your ministry.

To which type of ministry are you called? Since you are reading this book, you might answer, "I am called to local church ministry," but be more specific. What is your ministry specialty? What are your strengths? What are some of the obstacles that might stand in your way?

Consider and circle the two areas of ministry that interest you most:

Preaching Age-specific Ministries (e.g., ministry with children or
Liturgy seniors)
Teaching Charitable Outreach / Missions
Administration Evangelical Outreach / Membership
Administration Other: ____________________
Specialty or Alternative
Ministries

In order to identify your strengths in these areas and some of the challenges that might stand in your way, please write your two choices below, then list the gifts and talents that you bring to each ministry.

Choice #1: ________________________

The gifts and talents you bring to this specific area of ministry (strengths):

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Personal obstacles that might stand in your way (challenges):

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Choice #2: ________________________

The gifts and talents you bring to this specific area of ministry (strengths):

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Personal obstacles that might stand in your way (challenges):

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Write Your Personal Ministry Statement

Many ministers like to begin each new ministry by writing a personal ministry statement and setting a couple of simple and achievable goals.

A personal ministry statement can be a valuable tool to give direction in your first year. Your statement can also help you evaluate your progress at the end of the year. For an example, let's look at what David Holmes wrote:

I believe I am called to local church ministry, but I am especially passionate about missions and small group ministry. My strengths are my organizational skills, my ability to work with others as a team member, my outgoing personality, and my desire to share God's love with everyone I meet. I am not a strong leader, but I want to strengthen my leadership skills. Because I am a focused person, sometimes my passion for one aspect of ministry leads me to neglect other areas of ministry. I'll need to be sure to remind myself that balance is the key to being a faithful and effective leader of a church.

What is your personal ministry statement? Write it below:

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Set Some Short-term Goals

Now that you have identified your specific interests and written your ministry statement, set a couple of short-term goals for the upcoming year. Note: These are your personal goals, not goals for your new church to accomplish. For example, Pastor Holmes chose one goal that focused on one of his strengths and another that focused on one of his challenges:

1. Offer a month-long sermon series on the importance of charitable outreach and missions in the life of the church.

2. Do two things in the coming year to strengthen leadership skills. For example, study a book on leadership skills and attend a leadership training workshop or conference.

In the space below, write two goals that you want to accomplish in the first year of your ministry. Remember, keep them simple:

1. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

Introduce Yourself to Your New Church

One of the best ways to introduce yourself to your new church is to write a letter of introduction. This is a brief, no more than two pages, double-spaced, typed letter that allows each member of your parish to get to know you better. Typically a letter of introduction includes a brief biographical history (including something about your call to ministry), educational history, and a greeting that lets the members know that you look forward to meeting them and are excited about serving as their new pastor. If you are married and have children, include something about your spouse's profession or interests and your children's ages and hobbies. The letter should be positive in tone and general in the information it offers.

In terms of mailing your letter, the names and addresses of your church's members can be found in the current membership directory—ask a church leader to get you a copy. If the membership is small enough, hand addressing each letter adds a personal touch, but if this is not feasible, find out if the church has a set of preprinted address labels for you to use. You can make the letter more personable by enclosing a recent photo of yourself or a small token, such as a bookmark with a Bible verse printed on it. Try to mail your letter of introduction two weeks before your first Sunday. Remember, some members will be nervous about meeting you. A letter of introduction will help put these members at ease.

Introduce Yourself to the Local Community

A great way to introduce yourself to the community and to invite members of the community to attend your new church is to send a press release to local newspapers. A press release is more formal than a letter of introduction and is much shorter, usually no more than 300 words. It should be typed, single-spaced, on plain white business paper. Here is Pastor David Holmes's press release:

Press Release: For Immediate Release

(put current date here)

Cedar Bend Church Welcomes New Pastor

David T. Holmes is the new pastor of Cedar Bend Church. David is twenty-seven years old and comes to Cedar Bend from Columbus, Ohio, where he recently completed his studies in ministry. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Pastor Holmes attended the University of Kentucky where he majored in history and was active in a community food pantry. While volunteering at this food pantry, Holmes received his call to ministry.

Upon hearing that he would be the new pastor at Cedar Bend Church, Holmes said, "I'm so excited, and I'm looking forward to moving to Cedar Bend and meeting the members of Cedar Bend Church, as well as the members of the Cedar Bend Community. I'd like to invite everyone to join me for worship my first Sunday, July 16, at 9:30 A.M."

In addition to his interests in Christian mission and outreach, Holmes enjoys playing softball, and he fancies himself quite the chef. His specialties include backyard barbecues and making a "mean chili." He is married to Becky Holmes, a paralegal who will be working at the law offices of McGraffe and Centnor in Hillington.

Press releases can also be sent to specialty and community newspapers, magazines, and radio stations, especially Christian radio stations. Be sure to include a current phone number and e-mail address for further contact, should they have questions or want to do a formal interview. If you have a photo of yourself, include it or mention that a photo is available. Press releases should be mailed one month in advance of your first Sunday.

Meet with Key Leaders of the Church

A casual meeting over breakfast or for coffee with two or three of your church's key leaders or important staff members will help you become familiar with your church's history and its current needs. And by listening carefully and asking some pertinent questions, you can pick up some ideas for your first sermon: small bits of church trivia that will make your first sermon more personal and particular. As you meet with leaders, remember to keep the focus on them. This is not the time to share your plans or vision—instead, your role at this meeting is to listen.

Here are some questions you might want to ask:

1. Strengths: What does the church do well? Where and in what ways do they see God present and at work in the parish? What aspect of worship is especially meaningful to them? What are the annual events in the life of the parish to which people look forward?

2. Challenges: What particular obstacles do they face? What is their greatest challenge? If they were to give one piece of advice to their new minister, what would it be?

3. Opportunities: In what areas are they, as a church, still learning and growing? What are a few things they would like to accomplish in the coming year? What are some of the ways that you can be helpful to them?

In addition, here are some more specific, business-related questions to ask about your move and to help you get organized:

1. Can someone give you a list of members who are homebound, seriously ill, recently bereaved, a list of new members, and a list of any visitors from the past few months?

2. Can someone get you copies of old bulletins, newsletters, and if there is a written church history, a copy of that history? 3. What is the schedule for cleaning and repairing the parsonage? Since most parsonage repairs are made between pastoral moves, ask about coordinating your move with their cleaning and repair schedule. (This might mean delaying your move or staying in a hotel while they clean the carpets or paint the walls.)

3. Is there a deadline for turning in information for the church's bulletin and newsletter? (You will want to get your first sermon title and any other information in on time.)

4. Is there anything else you've forgotten to ask them? Is there anything important that they feel you should know?

It is also essential to meet with the people involved with the worship service, especially the music ministry, as soon as possible, to discuss how the service will be coordinated, who will be participating, and who will select the hymns: the pastor? the pianist? the choir director? Or will these duties be shared?

Put Your Best Foot Forward

First impressions are important. As you meet with your church's leaders and members, you will begin to get to know them, and they will begin to get to know you. The key to making a good impression is to be honest and willing to disclose appropriate information about yourself while maintaining a sense of professionalism. Prior to meeting any of the members at your new church, decide what information you want to share and what you want to hold back until you have had more time to build personal relationships. Think of this as similar to attending a party at a new friend's house, and try to strike a balance between revealing too little and too much. Remember, you only get to make a first impression once, so put your best foot forward.

Prepare the Message for Your First Sunday

Your first sermon introduces you to your new congregation, so prepare it with care. Most pastors find it easier to prepare their first message prior to the chaos of moving and the busyness of their first week of ministry.

Preaching to a congregation whom you do not know and who does not know you might seem a bit daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Your new congregation will be eager to learn something about you, your call to ministry, and what you love about being a minister. They will also want to hear that you are pleased to be serving their church and that you are looking forward to working with them, no matter who they are or where they are in their spiritual journey.

As you prepare your introductory sermon, here are some suggested dos and don'ts:

• Do keep the tone positive and upbeat, but don't try to be funny or overly serious. This is not the time to make heavy political statements. (You might be against the death penalty, but now is not the time to share it.)

• Do take a deep breath and deliver the message in a relaxed manner, but don't try to cram all your thoughts into one sermon. Keep it around fifteen minutes.

• Do share something of your call to ministry and your faith, but don't get too personal in disclosing information about yourself.

• Do let them know that you are glad to be with them, but don't promise things that you can't deliver.

• Do demonstrate that you know something about them and their church, but don't share your specific plans or vision for the church. There'll be time for that later.

In terms of content for your first sermon, think back to your meeting with the church's leaders. Was there something you learned that you could use in your first sermon to make your message more personal and particular to this congregation? For an example, let's turn again to Pastor Holmes:

After his casual breakfast meeting with a few of the leaders from Cedar Bend Church, David looked over his notes and thought about his first sermon. He had already planned briefly to share something about himself and his call to ministry, and he also had considered using Hebrews 13:2 ("Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it") to show how working at the food pantry had been a turning point in his life. And since the church was welcoming him as their new pastor, he felt hospitality was a timely topic.

But now he needed something to make his first message particular to Cedar Bend Church. He flipped through his notes, but it wasn't something in his notes that caught his attention. It was the fact that at that first meeting, the lay leader, Cindy Davey, had brought him a quart of strawberries, fresh from her garden, and that she was known around the church as "the strawberry lady." They told stories about Cindy and how she always reaches out to visitors, people who are homebound, sick, and bereaved, by bringing them fresh strawberries. She had even been known to drop off a homebaked strawberry pie at the house of a visitor or new member.

The strawberries were perfect for David's sermon. Not only did Cindy and her strawberries reveal at least one way God was present and working at Cedar Bend Church, but Cindy, by visiting people and sharing her strawberries with them, was also a model of Christian hospitality. David decided to include Cindy in his first sermon and to title it "The Gift of Strawberries."

Help Your Spouse and Family Prepare for the Journey

Be sure to set aside time to help your spouse and children prepare for the move by visiting schools, getting information on preferred doctors, veterinarians, hairdressers, dentists, mechanics, community hobby groups or little league sports, and favored grocery stores and shopping centers. You will also want to talk to your family prior to the move about the role they wish to play in your new church. Frequently churches have expectations for the pastor's family. If your spouse is female, she may be expected to join the women's group or to help out with the children at the church. If you have children, the congregation may want them to attend church and Sunday school, and even join the youth group. If your spouse is a male, he may be asked to participate in men's groups or join the church's committees.