RT Article
T1 Faithful hiring: An exploration of pastoral hiring within the Canadian Evangelical Church
JF HTS teologiese studies
VO 79
IS 1
A1 Bonis, Christopher R.
A1 Naidoo, Marilyn ca. 20./21. Jh.
A2 Naidoo, Marilyn ca. 20./21. Jh.
LA English
YR 2023
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1946148482
AB The pastoral role is a significant leadership function within the global evangelical church and is critical to the ongoing health, nurturing and spiritual development of the church and its members. There is limited literature and reflection on hiring for the church, yet the selection of a pastoral leader is more than an employment exercise as it involves important Christian values, perceptions and priorities of the church and the denomination. This article records a study on pastoral hiring process within a significant evangelical denomination in Canada. It uses a descriptive, multiple case-study approach involving four churches engaged in a pastoral search process. Findings revealed a convergence between church practices and typical organisational processes with pragmatic strategies for hiring decisions. In a secularising society of Canada, it is especially important that the church critically reflects on maintaining scriptural values on its hiring practices and not be shaped by the commercially driven business context to distinguish ethical practice and maintain its Christian witness.Contribution: This study provides new knowledge in the field of congregational studies on a much-neglected area of Christian practice, motivating for critical reflection and scriptural integrity within pastoral hiring processes.
K1 Praxis
K1 Biblical Principles
K1 Church Leadership
K1 Church Administration
K1 Secularisation
K1 Leadership Development
K1 Church Practices
K1 Pastoral Hiring
DO 10.4102/hts.v79i1.8923