Pillar Topic

The Executive Pastor Search Process

A Thoughtful Guide for Senior Pastors

Love + Lead

5 supporting articles in this pillar

Chris Folwell · PhD Candidate · M.T.S.

About This Pillar

One of the most significant hires a growing church will ever make deserves more than a job posting and a search committee. It deserves clarity: about the church's story, the Senior Pastor's leadership style, and the kind of partnership the role requires. This pillar walks through the Love + Lead search process from the first conversation to the first ninety days, grounded in both relational practice and research on what makes executive placements last.

Cluster Articles

6 min read

Executive Search

When Is Your Church Ready to Hire an Executive Pastor?

Is your church ready to hire an Executive Pastor? Learn the leadership signals that indicate readiness and why clarity before the search matters most.

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7 min read

Executive Search

The Love + Lead Hiring Process: Why We Start With the Church's Story

The Love + Lead search starts with the Senior Pastor's story, not a resume. Understanding church culture first produces executive placements that last.

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6 min read

Executive Search

Why We Always Search Internally Before Posting Externally

Internal hires stay longer and ramp faster. For churches, the case is even stronger: internal candidates already carry the theological DNA of the mission.

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5 min read

Executive Search

The Intake Form: Assessing Theological and Cultural Fit Before the Interview

Theological and cultural alignment matters deeply in church hiring. The Love + Lead Intake Form helps surface it early, before the interview rather than after.

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6 min read

Executive Search

The First Ninety Days: Building the Partnership After the Hire

The hire is not the finish line. The first 90 days are when the Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor partnership is built. Most churches underinvest in this season.

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Is Your Church Ready to Begin an Executive Search?

Ten questions. Five minutes. A clear picture of where your church stands before you begin one of the most significant hiring decisions you will ever make. Developed from the Love + Lead search framework.

Understand where your church is strong and where more preparation would help
Reflect on your leadership culture before writing the job description
Consider what a high-capacity hire will need from your team to thrive
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Your results go directly to Chris for a personal follow-up

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Free. Five minutes. Chris reviews every result personally.