Pastor Search: THE CONVERGENCE OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD
In
the business world, those tasked with filling job vacancies typically look for the bestqualified candidate to hire. When a church finds itself without a pastor, the search committee is not typically just looking for qualified candidates. They are looking for the man whom God has uniquely called and equipped to shepherd their congregation at that given time. That is both a tall order and a seemingly overwhelming task. The dynamics of a single-staff church being without a pastor put an even greater strain on the lay leaders of the church during the transitional period.
of a pastor. As he had before, deacon chairman Jimmy Holloway reached out to the church’s SBC of Virginia regional catalyst, Mark Custalow, who was able to walk alongside him and the church during this time and also serve as interim pastor. The beauty and benefits of Gospel partnership ensured that the body at Island Baptist Church knew it was not alone in its time of need. Holloway is a self-employed business owner who works 50-60 hours per week. He suddenly found himself at the helm of two entities—his business and his church. This went on for 12 months, more than half of which were during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was not the first time Holloway had led Island Baptist through a period without a pastor. On two such occasions, the church had interim pastors (including this time). “They freed up my thoughts and my time to know the flock was being fed and allowed me to concentrate on the search for a pastor,” said Holloway. He also received trust and support from the church family, which made a significant difference.
Such was the case in September 2019 when Island Baptist Church on Chincoteague Island was in need
Between ministry tasks, daily decisions, and tending to the flock, Holloway shared, “Sometimes it was a little
One of the services offered by the SBC of Virginia was pastor search team training. Holloway described it as “a huge help.”
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overwhelming. I felt that our church was just surviving, and that was all I could hope for. But I think my biggest concern was that I didn’t feel equipped to spiritually lead the church. That’s what I lost the most sleep over.”
