Inteviewing with a new Church Committee/Minister

With over thirty years experience in Church Music serving both as a Choir Director, Choir Master, Pianist, Organist I have certainly learned a lot.

Many churches retain the services of extremely talented Musicians generally because they treat them well, give them acknowledgements along the way and definitely make sure that are treated fairly or paid fairly or risk loosing them.

Since churches are exempt from some of the usual laws governing hiring practices, I have found that some of the most under handed, idihones, devious folks are often found as members of church committee and fairness to all who apply is the least of their priorities.

One larger church I interviewed with had some real problems internally going on and a lot of what I call church politics. The head of a committee of eight people called me directly to discuss the process and set up a time for my audition and in my first and only five minute conversation she let me know that she could not stand their Senior Pastor and could not wait for him to retire. She went on to self validate her feelings and let me know that most of the choir and congregation agreed with her. How weird is that! Here I am wanting to audition and she delights in airing the dirty laundry at her church. I called her on her rudeness after the interview.

Several years ago, I candidates and actually substituted for a medium sized, mainline denomination church here in Orange County California. The head of the search committee was a sweet older man who kept saying to me that everything is negotiable, in reference to the salary they were offering and potential benefits like health insurance, etc.

When it came down to it, he was dead wrong. The salary was fixed and with no room for any negotiation. They even hired a new choir director who had nominal experience whose methodology in choir practices was to mock and make fun of voice parts as his way of instructing. His methods would work with professionals in a recording studio but not in a volunteer choir.

Other interviews I have been a part of already had pre-selected who they wanted to hire long before the actual audition portion of the interview and in one case, the way they eliminated the other unwanted candidates was for the choir director to conduct a piece and an unrealistic tempo, so as to make the candidate look like a fool. In heaven and even on this earth for folks like this, there is what I call Christian Karma. Why would anyone ever want to work for a church with these type of antics.

Then there are other churches who operate from a more authentic loving and Christ like premise. Everything truly does rise and fall on having good leadership and the church is no exception. If you have a minister or anyone in leadership who is corrupt, self centered, etc., every decision they make will be bad news eventually.

So the rule of thumb is to do your homework. Long before you get eye ball to eye ball, talk to a lot of people and find out what a potential church is behind the scenes and what the pastor and leadership folks are like. This will save you time and heartache in the long run.

Art Scott