Pastoral Search Process Updates
April 26, 2024
The Lead Pastor Search Team explained their individual assignments during church on April 21. The congregation was encouraged to pray for each team member on a particular day of the week. They were asked to pray in conjunction with Ephesians 4 for Otis Lane on Sunday; Saundra Brewer on Monday; Randy Haynes on Tuesday; Billy Hudson Jr. on Wednesday; Judy Jones on Thursday; Carol Thorne on Friday; and Ronnie Walker on Saturday. It is the hope of the Team that the congregation will continue to pray for them as they seek to identify God's choice for the next lead pastor.
On Thursday, April 25, the LPST met to make plans for the zoom interviews of the seven lead pastor candidates that will take place beginning on Monday, April 29 and continue throughout the week. In preparation, the Team will have previewed resumes, preaching styles and personality traits. The top candidates will undergo more zoom interviews. After much prayer and leading from the Holy Spirit, the church will be introduced to the candidate and his wife that the LPST has selected. The church will then have the opportunity to vote for the man chosen.
On Thursday, April 25, the LPST met to make plans for the zoom interviews of the seven lead pastor candidates that will take place beginning on Monday, April 29 and continue throughout the week. In preparation, the Team will have previewed resumes, preaching styles and personality traits. The top candidates will undergo more zoom interviews. After much prayer and leading from the Holy Spirit, the church will be introduced to the candidate and his wife that the LPST has selected. The church will then have the opportunity to vote for the man chosen.
March 28, 2024
March 28th proved to be a full-day meeting for the Lead Pastor Search Team.(LPST) Church staff shared their desires for the qualities and traits the next lead pastor should have. Those interviewed included: Sheila Gibson; Shirley Luster; Susan Strickland; Ashley McKeever; Mike Wade; Zack Ryder; and Pastors Hugh Wicks and Bob Perry. Pastor Charles Foster expressed his opinions at an earlier meeting. Our Vanderbloemen Consultant Brian Dunks through a zoom meeting related the LPST would be receiving resumes of lead pastor candidates within weeks.
March 20, 2024
Prayers filled the church on March 20. Two services brought church members together to petition God for the lead pastor succession process. The Lead Pastor Search Team's (LPST) Spiritual Advisor Ronnie Walker initiated a scriptural prayer guide that team members led. LPST Leader Otis Lane began with affirming God does more than we could ask or imagine. Other team members encouraged prayers for the LPST; Vanderbloemen Consultant Brian Dunks; the next lead pastor; and ended with soliciting prayers for FBCTV to unite while seeking God's will.
February 28, 2024
A video all about FBCATV, as well as other supporting information, has now been forwarded to Brian Dunks, our Vanderbloemen consultant, and the search for our new lead pastor is now live at Vanderbloeman.com. You may take a look at the posting by clicking the link below. This presentation is what potential candidates will see if they are interested in being considered for our lead pastor position.
February 22, 2024
Prayer formatted our LPST (Lead Pastor Search Team) Meeting. Listening to God gave our team the ability to critique and then forward the video skillfully arranged by the church's media team to our Vanderbloemen Consultant Brian Dunks. This unique FBCTV video will be shown to prospective candidates for the lead pastor's position. Church-wide prayer assemblies on behalf of selecting a new lead pastor will be held at the church Wednesday, March 20, one at 1:30 pm and one 6:30 pm and also on Sunday, April 21, 5:00 pm.
February 18, 2024
The Lead Pastor Search Team's presentation to the church on Feb. 18 revealed the results of the church-wide survey distributed on January 21. All the questions on the survey will be incorporated into the questions asked of candidates selected to interview for the lead pastor position. Randy Haynes, who presented the survey results, and Team Chairperson Otis Lane encouraged the congregation to pray with and for our team on the selection of a new lead pastor. The next scheduled meeting of the Search Team is Feb. 22.
January 11, 2024
The importance of prayer strategies for LPST and the Congregation was shared by Dr. Ronnie Walker. The LPST reviewed and edited a church survey created by Chairman Otis Lane. This survey allows church members to rank most important to least important qualities wanted for our next lead pastor. This survey will be distributed in church on January 21 and must be returned by January 28. The LPST will compile the feedback from the surveys and relate this information to our consultant Brian Dunks. The LPST will make a formal announcement of the survey on January 21. The next LPST meeting is scheduled for February 8, 2024.
January 7, 2024
After church, the deacons/wives met with Brian Dunks and the LPST at 11:30 a.m. to voice their preferences and questions for the future lead pastor. Brian and the LPST met for lunch at noon. At 1:30 p.m. church community group leaders met with Brian and then at 2:00 p.m. key ministry leaders had a meeting with Brian. All of their input gave the LPST a variety of ideas for a church survey. Brian and the LPST had a follow-up meeting at 2:30 p.m. that included potential time frames for the progression of choosing a lead pastor. The next meeting was determined to be on January 11.
January 2, 2024
The LPST purposed to pray, study, and interview lead pastoral candidates so as to be in submission to God's will for our next lead pastor. Chairman Otis devised team leadership roles that members volunteered to facilitate. Judy Jones accepted the Vice Team Leader; Dr. Ronnie Walker is the Prayer/Spiritual/Doctrinal/Theological Advisor; Carol Thorne is the Recorder/Secretary/Historian; Saundra Brewer is the Communication/Research Specialist; Randy Haynes is the HR/Interview Preparation & Assessment Coordinator; and Billy Hudson Jr. is the Hospitality/Technology Coordinator. The next meetings are to include questions/suggestions from church groups addressed to Consultant Brian Dunks on January 7, after church service.
November 30, 2023
The Lead Pastor Search Team (LPST) met with Pastors Bob Perry, Charles Foster and Hugh Wicks to make contact (via zoom) with our Vanderbloemen Consultant Brian Dunks. Brian gave an introductory profile and explained his job as our consultant. Otis Lane was chosen by the LPST committee members to be the chairperson. The next meeting was scheduled for January 2, 2024.
November 19, 2023
The Lead Pastor Search Team is now officially formed. The congregation approved, by ballot vote, the 3 persons who will serve on the Search Team as lay members representing the congregation at large. The Search Team is therefore comprised of Judy Jones, Randy Haynes, Billie Hudson, and Carol Thorne - the 4 lay members of the Executive Team - and Saundra Brewer, Dr. Otis Lane, and Dr. Ronnie Walker - the newly-elected lay members representing the congregation at large. The team's first meeting is scheduled for November 30, 2023 for the purpose of organization, choosing leadership, and participating in their first meeting, via zoom, with our Vanderbloeman consultant, Brian Dunks.
October 8, 2023
It has been the responsibility of The Executive Committee to choose and nominate the 3 lay members from the congregation at large who will serve on the Lead Pastor Search Team. Those three people have all agreed to serve and will therefore be nominated Sunday, November 5, and voted on by the congregation on Sunday, November 19, 2024. As called for by Church Policy, the Search Team will therefore be made up of these 3 members at large as well as the 4 lay members of The Executive Committee.