Here it is...the final installment. I hope this has been of some assistance to you. If not, copy and paste them and pass them on to someone or file them away and use them in the future. They will help you (even if you only use a few of them). To be blunt, I wish I knew these questions years ago:)

General Questions
1) How are raises determined? (inflation based, performance based, needs based? Will the church help if I have another child?)
2) What are the churches measurements of spiritual growth? (How do you measure my success)
3) How often are job reviews done? Who reviews the youth worker? What is done with the results?
4) Who do I report to? Will I spend time with them regularly? (Am I going at it alone or do I have support)
5) If someone where to ask a year from now about me and I was exceeding expectations, what would they say? What if I was barely surviving?
6) What is the process for determining and approving what the youth pastor does? (i.e. who calls the shots...is there micromanaging?)
7) What other expectations are there besides the youth ministry? (Am I to do all this plus other stuff? What other stuff?)
8) What happens when the church is behind in budget?
9) Has any staff had a paycheck withheld because of budget/money issues?

Labels: Jobs

I am gonna try and finish up the last 2 installments of this today as I head out of town for camp this week.

What Does the Youth Ministry Value (Style of Ministry and Strategy, Also Expectations)
1) How important is environment?
2) How important is staff and development?
3) Is the staff experienced or will they need training?
4) What is the youth ministry budget? (get an itemized print out of this...remember, time/talent/treasure...where a church puts their best and most on those things will show you what they value)

Labels: Jobs

1) If the youth ministry is successful in three years, what would that look like? (here you get their expectations, their vision and their values)
2) If the youth ministry is unsuccessful in three years, what would that look like?
3) Are you hiring someone to work with each individual teen or someone who oversees a team that relates to individuals?
4) What do you expect the big church involvement of the youth to be?

FAMILY BASED?

5) What does the church do with regards to families?
6) How do you help encourage families?
7) What do you see the role of parents in the life of teens to be?
8) How does this relate to a youth pastor and to the youth ministry? (all the questions here are to get at one thing...the role of the family in relation to that of the youth pastor. Does the church see the parents as your resource or do they see the youth pastor as the parents resource?)

Labels: Jobs

Environment

1) What does a typical week look like?
2) Where will my office be located?
3) What will I have as far as media/cpu/phone equip etc.? Will I have a cell phone that I can text to kids on? In a visual culture, what kind of resources do I have for that type of communication?
4) Who determines the vision in the church? Is it just the senior pastor? Is it the pastoral staff? Do admin get a say?

Labels: Jobs

When looking for the "right fit" information is key. How do I access that essential information about a student ministry position/church? One of the most important tools to use is the art of asking the right questions.

For example, I can ask a church board what their vision and values are for the youth ministry. And they may give a answer that revolves around their mission statement or something. Or, I can ask them questions like "If I was successful in your eyes, what would that look like in 3 years?" Questions like that cut through to the point and get the answers you need.

So, in an effort to help you (which is the whole purpose of this site and of yamia) I offer you the first post in a series about asking the right questions. These questions are from the mind of our very own Paul Martin (youth pastor at St Peters in Birmingham). Enjoy.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

General Church Questions (these are not specific to youth ministry)

1) What does the church do well?
2) What is the church known for in the community?
3) In three years, if all goes well, what will the church look like? (gets their expectations for the church)
4) In one year, if things are floundering, what would that look like?
5) What are the important qualities of a staff member in the church?
6) Where does the church invest it's resources? (time, best people and money....this will tell you what the church really values)
7) What is the church's spending philosophy? (do they go after the best or with what they can get by with)
8) How is the budget broken down between ministries?
9) How long are you willing to wait to see results?

Next issue...Environment questions...

Labels: Jobs