1. In your opinion, what are the 5 best things about the church? What would the average person in the church say is the best thing about the church?
  2. In your opinion, what are the 5 biggest problems in the church right now? What would the average person say is the biggest problem in the church right now?
  3. What has been the biggest conflict in the church in the past 5, 10, 20 years? What is the biggest conflict in the history of the church?
  4. Has there ever been a church split? What were the issues involved?
  5. In your opinion, what was the best quality about the former pastor? What was the worst quality about the former pastor?
  6. Who is the favorite pastor in the history of the church and why?
  7. Why did your previous pastor leave? How long did he serve the church? Over the last 30 years of the church how long is the pastors average tenure?
  8. What do you think he would say was the biggest difficulty in pastoring this church?
  9. What portion of church is most happy with direction the church has been going and why? What portion of the church is least happy with the direction the church has been going and why?
  10. How are decisions made in the church (formally and informally)? What decisions in the church demand a congregational vote?
  11. If I was your pastor, and wanted to change the small group (Sunday School) curriculum, would that be easy or difficult? What would be the appropriate process to do so, in your opinion? What if I wanted to change the times of the worship services?
  12. What was the most contentious congregational meeting (business meeting) you can remember? What was the disagreement about? How was the issue settled? What matters do you normally talk about during your congregational meetings? How often do you have them?
  13. What is potentially the most divisive issue in the church (practical, doctrinal, personal)?
  14. What caused you to be interested in me as a candidate?

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David Prince serves as assistant professor of Christian preaching at Southern Seminary. Is is also the pastor of preaching and vision at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in Lexington Ky. You can read more by David Prince at his blog: Prince on Preaching. Also follow him on Twitter at: @davideprince. This article originally appeared on his blog.

 

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