It is the easy assumption of committees and others in the congregation that they can p ass the buck on less than qualified candidates, hoping they will either drop out or at some other level be discouraged from continuing in ministry. This is irresponsibility pure and simple. All too often congregations are lured by the honor of having mi nisterial candidates rather than giving an honest assessment of the candidates' contribution to the quality of ministerial leadership in the church. The question as to whether you would really want this person to be your pastor remains a telling one for the local church. The quality of people already working in ministry determines much about the success of recruitmen t efforts.
Pastors serve as examples and models.
To recruit the best and brightest requires pastors who feel good about their own ministry. Where pastors harbor disappointment and a sense of failure, they are not about to encourage others to consider ministry. When they are enthused with a strong sense of call, they can do far more than they realize in nurturing persons for ministry. Pastors need to know their youth especially well and be committed to search for quality candidates. Some pastors have a history of nurturing into ministry, and the board of ordained ministry should learn from them and circulate information as to how they have proceeded over many years in meeting this responsibility.