I have worked as, with and for a number of Christian educators, have hired them, and I've been an ordained minister for education. I'm currently a minister working in my own specialized education ministry ...who volunteers in a local church where we recently hired a DCE (the first in a long-time for our congregation). My work with Rotation.org and Sunday Software has brought me into association with hundreds of professional and volunteer educators. Often they call me to talk about their position searches -or reasons they want to look. So I guess you could say I know a thing or two about the subject of this article. The following isn't meant to be an exhaustive treatment -but a challenge to churches looking for good educators.

A church of any size can benefit from hiring someone to help with Christian education. Indeed, there are few successful growing churches without such help.

The biggest question on every search committee's mind is WHERE are we going to find an educator. Let me suggest that you need to rephrase that question to "HOW are we going to find an educator." You can't depend on "the way it used to work." Metaphor-enhanced version: You can't go fishing with a short pole, a blunt hook, puny bait, in the wrong spot, for the wrong fish.

Too many search committees spend 90% of their time crafting a job description and 9% of their time looking for people to fill the description, and 1% of their time making sure that person has a successful first year. In today's job market there is a dearth of Christian educators. Let me suggest that you spend 10% of your time on the job description and 90% of your time actively looking. And then 100% of your "after-search" time working with the educator (ie. volunteering and pastoring to them). Yeah, I know the organizational paper-pushers love to draft and redraft job descriptions, but who are they kidding. You can't predict all the opportunities a creative educator could bring to your congregation, and most job descriptions are negotiated, not carved in stone. Exact matches are no fun, not to mention impossible to find. Budget a lot of your time for beating the bushes.

 

Should you consider members of your own congregation?

Yes -and tell those opposed to this idea to "get over it." Businesses do it all the time (promote from within). But be clear to those members who might apply for the job that they will not receive preferential treatment (unless they are hired, of course). If they don't understand this, you don't want to hire them, anyway. If you're hiring a church member, you need to have a long talk with that person, but don't let potential sticky-ness stand in the way of their God-given talent. Some of the best church educators I've met were sitting in the pew of the congregation that eventually hired them.

I have spoken to many, many volunteers who are, in fact, performing the function of a Christian educator. I've encouraged some to do it professionally (ie -get paid for what they are doing). They often say they would, but they don't think the church could afford them. Or they "like the freedom" of being able to take time off when they need to. Yet I know about a million pastors who would love to have such a "super-volunteer" apply for their position. They would be very willing to get creative about hours, days, months, vacations, time off, and such.

Smaller churches, especially, need to be more innovative and flexible in their thinking about work and a postion that is often viewed far too conventionally. I've come across many churches that would do well to hire TWO of their super-volunteers at 5 hours a week --to take their program and organization to the next step. Let's not get weird about hiring volunteers either. We have more people in our churches who can do housework --and yet we're willing to pay for janitorial services. Why? To get it done with a little more regularity and accountability. Certainly C.E. is more important than waxed floors.

Go to several different "in the know" persons in your congregation and ask them for a "short list" of potential candidates who are members. I've heard quite a bit more than once that the 'volunteer' who was ask was SURPRISED to be asked, and actually had not given any thought to taking the position. Why? Because it never crossed their minds to work for a church, -or that they were allowed.

Should you extend offers to educators working in other churches in your area?

Yes -I have met many educators who "moved across town" and did great things. Statistically speaking, the majority of potential educators are going to be married women. The position you are hiring them to will probably not be full-time or as well-paying as their husband's job (I'm not saying this is good, this is just the way it typically is). Many qualified candidates will not be able to uproot their family and leave town just to get your job. That means you have to look where they are in town --and that means other churches. Honestly now... your church may deserve their talents more than the church they are currently working for --if you plan on valuing them and compensating them well. And sometimes people need a change of scenery. You are doing them a favor by offering, and they can always say no.

Recognizing you need to look in other churches, it would be foolish to depend upon the pastor of that church to pass on your letter of inquiry. Your committee needs to create a direct mailing piece to qualified church educators in your area. (By the way, pastors are contacted by other churches all the time, so don't think you're sneaking around or doing something wrong). Phone every Christian educator within a 30 mile radius of your church. Let them know you are looking. Even ones who aren't right for you may know someone who is. Then call the pastors within a 30 mile radius (and don't forget to tell the church secretary's what you're calling about too).

Other places to contact:

Give a flyer to school teachers you know. Get an ad in the local PTO newsletters. Get your info to the "substitute teachers" in the schools. Talk to the people who dispatch the substitutes. Call and then personally deliver a packet of info to every college in your area. Go to their student job referral services (remember, not every college student is just out of high school these days). Find out where the local education department posts job openings. And don't forget campus newspapers, as well as all other local newspapers. Contact your local Christian radio station and ask about job announcements. Visit every seminary campus and Bible college within 50 miles. They will have placement services. Don't worry about theology of the schools at this point. Many students attend a school because it is close to where they live, not because they agree with everything the school teaches.

What should you expect to pay them?

Well. An experienced Christian educator should be paid comparable to an experienced public school teacher in your area. That means $18,000 to $20,000 for a half time job. It is no sin to be paid well. It is, however, a sin to underpay someone and take advantage of their love for church work. Those in your congregation who want to pay less "because it is church work" aren't with it. They don't understand market forces (in addition to ethical pay scales) or real leadership. Feel free to staple this quote to their foreheads. Some of your candidates will be coming from the business/public education world and be able to go back to it. In the long run --good educators do things in the congregation that increase giving. CE personnel are in short supply. Salary is a big factor in getting them interested.

How experienced do they have to be?

One of the best educators I ever worked with was somebody I hired away from a high school. She had plenty of volunteer experience, but no formal CE training. I was impressed by her creativity and interest in changing things that weren't working, rather than running things we knew didn't work. Melissa Hansche grew into the job and ended up co-authoring the Workshop Rotation book with me. One of the traits I was looking for was someone that other's would follow. She had/has that spark. The Christian educator I work with now, another gem, came to our church with loads of experience. She was the right person at the right time for that job in that church. The only perfect Christian educator I know of was so good people plotted to get rid of him (and succeeded with a little help from the Roman army).

Who should be on your Search Committee?

It Matters! Keep it small. Make sure it includes the Pastor. That's who the Educator will work for. And make sure it includes people who have actually HIRED someone before. Realize that YOUR Search Committee is being judged and interviewed by the candidate. The better the candidate, the more options they will have, and thus, the better YOU should look to them. So put people on it that make a good impression, and know something about the work. Having a Trustee who is boring and childless, --is typical, but a bad idea.

What to look for in a candidate...

Experience is a two-edged sword. If they have a lot of experience, they may simply come and do what they did elsewhere. So the question is "experience with what." You want it to be experience in trying new things, starting new programs, and recruiting new people. Ask them their opinion of various curriculum. Ask them what CE seminars/training events they've been to in the last few years. Ask them to describe a typical month's worth of youth fellowship plans. Listen for how they work with volunteers, or without them. Ask for samples of cards and newsletters they have sent home. When they come visit your church, make sure there are children present. See how they treat the children (or ignore them). Invite them to go into a class as a helper. Do not hire an administrator. Hire someone who loves working with children AND is good at leading children. Ask them for 10 work-related references and call every one. Do a background check (sigh).

The last CE director I hired had no professional CE experience. She was a High School teacher and very creative Sunday School teacher. She had ideas flowing out of her head, and she was excited that I was thinking of making changes, but wasn't sure yet "just what." Beware Arts & Craft people masquerading as teachers. Find someone who has lively interpersonal skills (ie "charisma"). Children's Ministry is no place for quiet disorganized people.

Create a set of questions and ask them to respond in writing -at any length they want. Watch for congeniality, originality, the ability to express themselves, and other things which stand out. Ask them how they came to their faith, why they want to do children's ministry, and have them describe some of the CE challenges they've overcome. Ask them what they think is difficult about CE, and what the future may hold. Any question is fair to ask. HOW they respond, in addition to, WHAT they respond will add insight to your process. Include space for questions they want to ask YOU.

 

How can you make your position attractive to them?

Good pay --the best candidates will be fielding multiple offers.

Don't be penny-wise and pound foolish. A good educator will pay for themselves. A mediocre educator probably won't attract new members to your congregation or inspire others to support the budget.

Offer Benefits if needed. If they are married and on their husband's policy, get creative and offer things like paying their dental co-pay. Such compensations will also catch the attention of a younger generation of educators who have different expectations and concerns about benefits than older educators.

Offer Flexible Hours --a must especially if they have children. Consider how many hours you will let them work "at home" vs. in a church office.

Childcare assistance. --The last thing you want to do is force a parent to choose between their own children and everyone else's children. If needed, offer babysitters for meeting nights or free tuition in the neighborhood preschool.

Flexible Job Description --If you find someone who is great at children and youth, but your description includes adults -and they don't want to do that, you obviously may still want to consider them. Find a way to write this kind of flexibility into the description.

Focused-realistic job description. --Burn-out is your staff's worse enemy. A focused job description is essential. So are forward thinking ideas like "who is pastoring the pastors?"

Openness to their ideas --Easy to say, but rare to find in a job description. Put it in writing. Give it a line item in the budget. Let potential candidates know that you will support their creative stretching. Tell candidates that you will "clear the deck" for them. This means you need to tell committee chairs and teachers that the new educator will have the authority to reassign people. Now, no smart educator would exercise this authority, but the smart ones will appreciate having this kind of backing, especially from the pastor. Expect a church educator to bring their creative energies. You're not hiring them for what they don't know.

Offer to train someone to become your educator.... Businesses do this all the time. But on the job training isn't enough. Many conferences offer "C.E. 101" level courses. Is there a retired educator in your congregation or in town who could help?

Ordained or Non-Ordained? By not considering ordained clergy for your position, you may be eliminating some of your areas most qualified candidates. Conversely, by only looking for an "Associate Pastor for Education" -type, you may be ignoring some terrific candidates in your area. The sheer fact of the matter is that good Christian educators are in short supply. Keep your options open.

Don't let unskilled writers and lawyers write your ad copy or job description. Their stiff and terse language won't peak a creative person's interest. Most educators are looking for a place that will nurture them, welcome their ideas. They often are also looking for the type of community they will want for their own children. Write a description that sounds inviting and exciting, not dull and clinical. You might also write your description in such a way that someone who had never really considered this type of work might be intrigued by your spirit.

What to do while you're in-between educators?

Hire a church member to provide some logistical support to the program. In many cases, this church member becomes a revelation to the church -and to themselves. They might turn into the educator everyone was looking for and was there all the time. By the way... don't ignore men for this position. It's the 21st Century. I've met many excellent Sunday School teachers who were male, and in-between jobs themselves, -or looking for a break from their career, -or had a wife who's salary was enough for both of them.

Don't jump at the first candidate. Be prepared for your search process to take up to 18 months. Don't get discouraged, -get creative.

Give your FIRST Search Committee 6 months to find someone. Then get a NEW Search Committee to breath some new life into the process.

 

My final comment: Once you get them, start working to keep them. And don't lose good educators in the first place. Respect them, nurture them, challenge them, pastor to them, listen to them, and pay them well.

<>< Neil MacQueen for Rotation.org

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