Pastoral Search Field Manual
Governing the Call of Pastors and Ministers Under Authority
Pages: 195
The Pastoral Search Field Manual is the next work following Hiring with Authority and applies its governing framework directly to one of the most consequential responsibilities entrusted to a church: the calling of a pastor or minister.
This manual is written for churches, boards, elders, search committees, and congregations who carry real responsibility but may lack formal training or experience in pastoral hiring. It assumes sincerity, faith, and good intentions, while recognizing that sincerity alone is not enough to govern authority wisely. The calling of a pastor transfers spiritual, organizational, and relational authority, and that transfer must be approached with clarity, restraint, prayer, and accountability.
Grounded in Scripture and written from a Spirit-filled, biblical perspective, this work affirms the essential role of prayer, fasting, and spiritual discernment while refusing to allow spiritual language to replace governance. It carefully distinguishes between God’s call and human assumption, dependence and decision-making, discernment and pressure. Throughout the manual, readers are guided step by step through a governed process designed to protect the church, honor God’s authority, and steward pastoral authority faithfully.
Unlike inspirational books on leadership or abstract discussions of church governance, this is a practical field manual. It provides structured guidance, stop-gates, diagnostic questions, prayer focuses, and decision boundaries designed to be worked through by real teams in real churches. The goal is not speed or certainty, but faithfulness, obedience, and clarity under God’s authority.
This book does not prescribe a single church governance model. It applies equally to board-led churches, pastor-led churches, congregational models, and independent or incorporated structures. Its only assumption is that authority exists, that it is delegated under God, and that it must never be transferred without being clearly named and governed.
The Pastoral Search Field Manual is written for churches who want to do more than fill a position. It is written for those who want to honor God, protect the body of Christ, and steward the call of pastoral leadership with humility, discipline, and faith.