By Brent Lacy
The Spiritual Discipline of Waiting in a Pastor Search
A pastor search can take months. Sometimes longer. During that time, you are in a kind of liminal space: not yet where you are going, no longer fully where you are. The waiting is its own spiritual discipline, and it is one that most candidates are not prepared for.
What the Waiting Reveals
The waiting period of a pastor search reveals things about you that normal ministry life keeps hidden. It reveals how much of your identity is tied to your role. It reveals how you handle uncertainty. It reveals whether your sense of calling is rooted in something deeper than a job title.
If you cannot exist without having the next position lined up, the waiting will feel unbearable. If your identity is entirely built around being “the pastor of X church,” the gap between churches will feel like a loss of self. This is an invitation to let God do deeper work.
How to Wait Well
Stay in the Word. Not as a discipline you discipline yourself to do, but as a source of sustenance and direction. The Psalms are especially good friends during seasons of waiting. David knew something about being in between what was promised and what had arrived.
Stay present in your current ministry. If you are still serving a church, do not mentally check out. Your current congregation deserves your full attention while you are still their pastor. Preach with everything you have. Counsel with full engagement. The worst thing you can do is serve out the clock while your heart is already gone.
Be honest with a few trusted people. Do not carry the weight of the search alone. A mentor, a close friend, a spouse, someone who can ask you hard questions and listen without trying to fix everything.
Set boundaries on the search process. There is a difference between being available and being consumed. You do not need to respond to every email within an hour. You do not need to preach on demand for every church that expresses interest. Steward your time and energy wisely.
What the Bible Says About Waiting
Scripture is full of people who waited: Abraham waiting for a son. Moses waiting in the wilderness. David waiting to become king. The disciples waiting for the Holy Spirit. In almost every case, the waiting was not wasted time. It was formation.
“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
This verse is not a platitude. It is a promise rooted in the reality that the waiting itself strengthens you for what comes next.
When the Waiting Ends
When the call finally comes, do not rush into a decision. Even after a long wait, take the time to evaluate the opportunity carefully. A long wait does not obligate you to say yes to the first church that calls. The waiting has prepared you to be faithful wherever you land, not to seize the first available position.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is too long to wait?
There is no universal answer. Some searches resolve in weeks. Others take a year or more. If a specific search has dragged on for months without clear progress, it is reasonable to ask the committee for a timeline.
Should I keep searching while waiting for one church to decide?
Yes. Do not put your entire career on hold for one possibility. Continue to explore other opportunities until you have a signed agreement.
How do I deal with the financial pressure of being between churches?
This is one of the hardest practical realities. If possible, build a financial cushion before beginning a search. Some denominations provide transitional support. Talk to your district superintendent or denominational network about resources that may be available.
The Gift of the In-Between
Waiting is not the absence of ministry. It is a different kind of ministry. It is the ministry of trust, of patience, of letting God shape you in the quiet. The pastor who learns to wait well becomes a better leader on the other side.
Leading a small church shouldn’t mean doing everything from scratch.
MinistryPlace.net offers church leadership toolkits, governance guides, and administrative resources built for bi-vocational and small-church pastors.
Sources
- Replant Bootcamp, “Lessons from Effective Interim Pastors”
- Alban Institute, “Rethinking Transitional Ministry”
- South Carolina Baptist Convention, “Transitional Pastor Manual”
- Liberty University, “Effective Transitional Ministry Plan”
MinistryPlace Resources
Browse all guides, templates, and tools for small and rural churches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this mean for my small church?
Most small churches are already using AI tools without realizing it. The key is to be intentional about understanding the biases these tools carry and to use them as supplements, not replacements, for pastoral wisdom and biblical teaching.
Should we stop using AI tools altogether?
No. AI offers genuine benefits for church administration, research, and communication. The goal is informed use, not avoidance. Understand what AI is good at and what it is not, and never use it as a substitute for prayer, Scripture, or the counsel of mature believers.
How do we address this with our congregation?
Start with education. Share the research findings openly and help your members understand both the benefits and limitations of AI. Encourage critical thinking about AI-generated content.