At Baptist Search Partners, we orient our partnership and search process around 7 Cs. They are:
1. Conversion
2. Calling
3. Character
4. Competence
5. Culture
6. Chemistry
7. Confirmation of the Holy Spirit

A person’s character is one of the most challenging pieces of the interview process to discern. You can’t truly know a person’s inner life until you’ve known him relationally and watched him navigate a variety of circumstances. And, we humans, even the most righteous of us, can be extremely adept at fooling ourselves and fooling others.

In a church search process, the word character is really shorthand for Christ-like character. So what do you watch out for?

• How do they initially come across? Are they humble? Are they kind? Do you sense spiritual sensitivities? Do they seem to have a sober estimation of themselves?
• What do they say about others? Is it more positive or negative?
• Do they hesitate to answer deeper questions or not come across as scrupulously honest?
• As you interact, do you experience a healthy balance of both grace and truth?
• When you get face-to-face with them, how do they treat others (receptionist, waiter, other staff, etc.)?

At Baptist Search Partners, we have a few questions when in the initial interview process that help us get at some of these pieces fairly quickly.

• What have you been studying in Scripture lately, and how has that impacted your life?
• Consider the fruit of the Spirit. Which ones do you think people around you most notice?
• Consider the words humble, hungry, and smart. Which one would people use to describe you most and why?
• How do you handle apologies, both giving them and responding to them?

Of course, you need to do reference checks so you can find out what others think about this person’s character and have questions that get at that. You should talk to people beyond the references given (confidentially, of course, and not in a way that could endanger a current job). I’m quite amazed at the number of times people have left a team of mine, and I never heard from their future employer to provide a reference. It blows my mind.

You also need to perform a full criminal and sex offender background check. In fact, we will not work with you unless you agree to do so.

This part of the interview is a tall task. Let us help you with it!