The call process (I speak only from the Lutheran system) is like no other job search.
First, you can’t send out your resume. Your “papers” are regulated both by the bishop & synod office as to where they will be sent - they won’t send them to all of the synods/bishops in CA or the US. If you try to get your name into a synod or a congregation on your own the synod will take steps to see you never receive a call and will even contact your own bishop to try to impose “sanctions.”
Our Availability for Call form is 12 pages of essay questions about both your work and your faith life history, including details of your personal life/lifestyle. Then, you may have to fill out an additional "Mobility" form for their synod, anywhere between 3 - 10 pages.
Some bishops insist that you fly out, on your own dime, to meet with them in person, before they will even consider allowing your name/papers to be taken into account. If you are deemed worthy, then your paperwork is considered by synod staff members as to whether they will forward it to congregations looking for names of pastors.
If a congregation receives your name from these gatekeepers then it’s on to the next step.
In one sense, it's somewhat similar to being the director of a non-profit [the director of a local United Way for instance].
You are interviewed by the "board of directors", i.e., call committee. The 1st interview is sometimes via phone or in person. Here the similarities diverge completely.
Now, think of all the strange, open ended questions you’ve been posed on job interviews, and that is standard among most call committees, despite a 100+ page guidebook they are given.
If you’ve encountered a non-functional human resources department you know what I mean.
If you are in a local geographical area members of the call committee will visit your church – sometimes before you have even interviewed with them, as was the case last month with me. Not just one, but 2 or 3 or more will show up on a Sunday morning to listen to your preach, lead worship, etc. Imagine preparing to interview for a job and your perspective employers drop in (incognito) to check up on how you work.
There is a 2nd interview. Sometimes they will ask you to take a “Sunday off” from your home congregation and come preach at their congregation. Then the call committee votes on you as to whether or not to recommend you to the church council. The church council then votes on whether to recommend you to the church members for a vote. Then a meeting is called where all of the church members discuss you, your paperwork, the findings of the interviews, and then they all vote on whether or not to extend you the call. If you turn down the call and the synod doesn't like your reason(s) you can be listed by them as "difficult". This means your chances of another call are limited to slim & none.
Did I mention that they can ask you questions you don’t often face at an interview as a director for a small company or non-profit? Are you married, pregnant, gay, straight, liberal, conservative, etc.?
Fortunately, the synod I’m in is doing their best to find me a congregation that is an even better fit for my skills and my interests. Unfortunately, most other synods are not as competent.
Think of a company with 4 million members where every "division" or "district" operates on its own set of rules and regulations. I forgot to mention that some churches also want to interview your spouse. This is just a snippet of the call process.
