Community Transformation Spring 2003

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It works for video dating services. And it worked for our church. Before inviting a potential minister to come meet the church, we asked for a video and got a much clearer picture of the person we were considering.

The usual hiring process involves gathering resumes and calling references. After a phone interview or two, the candidate is brought to the church for a meet-and-greet prior to a vote.

Hold it! Let's put the conventional process on pause for a few days.

Before launching into an "everyone smile" whirlwind weekend, try a creative intermediate step: swap videos. Our search committee recently used this approach in filling two ministry positions.

Ask the candidate to shoot short clips of his or her present ministry and interview a few core leaders. Then, with the camera running, the candidate takes a walking tour of his house and chats with the family or roommates. Finally, the candidate answers to the camera a short list of questions provided by the committee. We asked: "Tell us how your passion in ministry has been realized in your present setting." "How could it be realized at our church?" "Show and tell us about an object in your home that is important to you."

We sent our candidates a similar video—a tour of our facilities, scenes from our ministries, and unrehearsed comments from people the staff member would be working with. We kept our video homemade, and asked the candidates to do the same.

Swapping tapes gave the committee and the candidates crisp images of each other, before the candidate was introduced to the whole church.

If you're candidating and a search committee hasn't asked for a video, offer them one. It can be a powerful tool to communicate your vision and style.

1. He already put in his eight months on the job.

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