Most pastor search committees use the same interview questions regardless of context. They ask about theology, preaching philosophy, and vision. These are important questions. But they do not reveal whether a candidate will thrive in a small rural church specifically.

These 50 questions are organized by category. Use them selectively, you do not need to ask all 50. Choose the questions most relevant to your church’s specific situation and the candidate’s background.

Theology and Biblical Convictions (10 Questions)

1. Walk me through your understanding of the gospel. How would you explain it to someone who has never heard it?
2. What is your approach to preaching? How do you decide what to preach?
3. What is your view of Scripture? How does that shape your ministry?
4. What theological issues do you consider non-negotiable? Where do you have flexibility?
5. How do you handle theological disagreement within a congregation?
6. What is your view of baptism and the Lord’s Supper?
7. How do you approach the relationship between the Old and New Testaments in preaching?
8. What is your understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church?
9. How do you think about the relationship between faith and works in the Christian life?
10. What theological books have most shaped your ministry? Why?

Rural and Small Church Fit (10 Questions)

11. Tell me about your experience with small towns and rural communities. What has shaped your understanding of rural culture?
12. How do you think rural ministry is different from urban or suburban ministry? What specific differences have you observed or experienced?
13. How do you earn trust in a community where you are an outsider? What does that process look like for you?
14. How do you feel about the lack of anonymity that comes with living in a small town where everyone knows your business?
15. What do you think the biggest challenges of rural ministry are? How have you prepared for them?
16. What draws you to a small rural church specifically, rather than a larger or more urban church?
17. How do you define success in a ministry context where growth may be slow or nonexistent?
18. What is your theology of small? How do you sustain faithfulness without visible results?
19. Tell me about a time you stayed in a difficult situation when leaving would have been easier. What kept you there?
20. What do you know about our specific community? What have you learned in preparation for this interview?

Bi-Vocational Experience and Expectations (10 Questions)

21. Have you served bi-vocationally before? What was that experience like?
22. What is your current day job? How do you see it relating to your ministry?
23. How do you manage the tension between your work responsibilities and your pastoral responsibilities?
24. How do you handle a pastoral emergency that occurs during your work hours?
25. What does a sustainable weekly rhythm look like for you as a bi-vocational pastor?
26. How do you protect your sermon prep time when both your job and your congregation are making demands on your schedule?
27. What do you need from a congregation to sustain bi-vocational ministry long-term?
28. How do you feel about a congregation that expects full-time availability from a bi-vocational pastor?
29. What is your plan for peer community as a bi-vocational pastor? Who do you talk to when ministry is hard?
30. What would cause you to leave bi-vocational ministry? What would cause you to stay?

Leadership and Conflict (10 Questions)

31. Tell me about a significant conflict you navigated in a previous ministry. What happened? What did you do? What would you do differently?
32. How do you handle a deacon or elder who is undermining your leadership?
33. How do you make decisions in a church where the board has significant informal power?
34. Tell me about a time you had to deliver hard news to a congregation. How did you do it?
35. How do you handle criticism from congregation members?
36. What is your leadership style? How does it adapt to different situations?
37. How do you develop lay leaders in a small church with limited resources?
38. Tell me about a time you failed in ministry. What did you learn?
39. How do you handle a congregation that is resistant to change?
40. What is your approach to church discipline? Have you ever had to exercise it?

Family and Personal Life (10 Questions)

41. Tell me about your family. How does your spouse feel about this potential move?
42. What does your spouse need to thrive in a small rural community? Have you talked about this specifically?
43. How do you protect your family from the demands of ministry?
44. What does your personal spiritual life look like? What disciplines sustain you?
45. How do you handle burnout? What are the warning signs for you personally?
46. What do you do for rest and renewal?
47. How do you maintain friendships outside your congregation?
48. What is your financial situation? Are there any financial pressures that would affect your ability to serve here?
49. What does your health look like? Are there any health considerations that would affect your ministry?
50. What would your previous congregation say about you if we called them? What would they say is your greatest strength? Your greatest weakness?

What Pastor Search Committees Can and Cannot Legally Ask

This is one of the most misunderstood areas of the pastor search process. Many search committees either ask questions they should not, or avoid questions they are fully entitled to ask. Understanding the legal framework protects your church and helps you conduct a more effective search.

For a complete guide to this topic, see: Legal Interview Questions for Pastor Search Committees: What Churches Can and Cannot Ask.

The Ministerial Exception: Your Most Important Protection

The ministerial exception is a constitutional doctrine rooted in the First Amendment that protects religious organizations from government interference in the selection and management of ministers. In practice, it means churches have significantly broader latitude in pastoral hiring than secular employers have in general hiring.

The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the ministerial exception in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru (2020). The exception applies to any employee who performs significant religious functions, not just ordained clergy. A pastor clearly qualifies. Recent 2025 circuit court decisions (including the Ninth Circuit in McMahon v. World Vision) have continued to affirm and expand the ministerial exception’s reach.

What Churches CAN Ask (That Secular Employers Cannot)

Because of the ministerial exception and the religious organization exemption under Title VII, a church search committee can legally ask pastoral candidates about:

• Theological convictions. You can and should ask about the candidate’s theology of Scripture, salvation, marriage, gender, and any other doctrinal matter relevant to your church’s faith and practice. This is not only legal but essential.
• Religious practice and lifestyle. You can ask whether the candidate’s personal life aligns with your church’s conduct expectations, including questions about marriage, sexual ethics, and personal holiness that would be off-limits in secular employment.
• Marital status and family situation when genuinely relevant to the pastoral role as your church defines it. A church that requires its pastor to be married, or that has expectations about the pastor’s family life, can ask about these things.
• Church membership and denominational affiliation. You can require that the candidate be a member of your denomination or hold specific theological commitments.
• Conduct standards. You can ask whether the candidate agrees to abide by your church’s code of conduct, including standards that would not be enforceable in secular employment.

What Churches Should NOT Ask

Even with the ministerial exception, these questions create legal risk and most church attorneys advise avoiding them:

• Race, color, or national origin. The ministerial exception does not protect racial discrimination. Do not ask questions that could be construed as screening candidates based on race or national origin.
• Age unless directly relevant to a specific ministry requirement. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects workers 40 and older. While the ministerial exception may provide some protection, age-based questions create unnecessary risk.
• Disability unless the disability would prevent the candidate from performing essential ministry functions. You can ask whether a candidate can perform the essential functions of the pastoral role. You should not ask about specific medical conditions unrelated to ministry capacity.
• Citizenship or national origin. You can verify that a candidate is authorized to work in the United States. You should not ask where they were born or what their national origin is.
• Pregnancy or plans for children unless your church has a specific, documented theological position applied consistently.

The Spouse Question: A Special Case

Many small churches want to know about the candidate’s spouse, particularly for rural or bi-vocational positions where the spouse’s willingness to live in the community is a significant factor in the pastor’s longevity.

You can ask about the spouse’s general readiness for the move and their support for the pastoral role. Frame these questions around ministry fit and sustainability, not around the spouse’s personal characteristics.

• Appropriate: “How does your spouse feel about this potential move? What would they need to thrive in our community?”
• Risky: “Does your spouse work? What does your spouse do for a living?” (This can be construed as screening based on the spouse’s employment status or income.)

State Law Variance

Federal law provides the baseline, but some states have broader anti-discrimination protections that may apply even to religious organizations. States with notably broader protections include California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois. If your church is in one of these states, consult a local attorney who works with churches before your search begins.

Additionally, some states have “ban the box” laws that restrict when you can ask about criminal history. If you plan to conduct background checks or ask about criminal convictions, know your state’s rules before you ask.

What This Means for Your Search

For most small church pastor searches, the legal framework is simpler than it sounds:

1. You can ask anything directly related to the candidate’s theological convictions, ministry philosophy, and fit for the pastoral role as your church defines it.
2. Avoid questions about race, national origin, and disability unrelated to ministry function.
3. Questions about marital status, family, and lifestyle are generally permissible when genuinely related to your church’s theological commitments and pastoral expectations.
4. When in doubt, ask: “Is this question about the candidate’s ability to serve as our pastor?” If yes, it is almost certainly appropriate. If no, reconsider.

For the complete guide including specific examples of what to ask and what to avoid, see: Legal Interview Questions for Pastor Search Committees.