Finding Our Next Pastor

September 29, 2024 | KSC News

[Scroll down for the September ’24 update]

KSC is led by a Board of Administration, Co-Missions, and Elders. They, along with our pastors, have been meeting to plan next steps regarding the leadership of our congregation. We are blessed with a strong team of pastors and as you know, they are sharing the responsibility of preaching until a decision is made.

We have now taken a next step of contracting the Christian company Chemistry Staffing for assistance. In their own words: “We help churches and potential staff members make healthy connections. Our process has one goal: a long-term, healthy fit for both the church and the staff member. Great things happen when the right leadership is in place in a local church… lives are changed and churches thrive.”

Steve Flint, Executive Pastor, was further encouraged when he learned that the co-founder of Chemistry Staffing is not only a former UB pastor, but is close friends with our Bishop Todd Fetters. This man cares about the UB church and is personally excited to help King Street. Pastor Steve was also able to speak to a pastor who was placed in his church through Chemistry Staffing, and was assured that the process was a great experience.

There are many more steps ahead of us. We will continue to keep you updated along the way.

Please join us in prayer for all those involved in making decisions for our church family and for the pastors as they assume more responsibility in this interim period. We appreciate your partnership and support during this critical time in the life of our church.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 29, 2024

UPDATE AUGUST 2024

From Pastor Steve Flint: “As you may remember, Chemistry Staffing conducts a thorough vetting process of each candidate that applies for the Senior Pastor position. A great deal of work is invested before the candidate is presented to us, to ensure that we are getting candidates that are a truly great fit. There are four intensive steps that go into this choice of a new pastor:

(1) We sought God’s leading through the 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting.
(2) We prepared a detailed Questionnaire for Chemistry Staffing, listing the many qualities we hope to see in our next Senior Pastor.
(3) Chemistry Staffing prepared a profile and job posting, and has been screening candidates and putting them through 3 rounds of their own interviews.
(4) Chemistry Staffing has identified and interviewed great-fitting candidates, and has presented them to our leadership team.

We have just entered Step 4, and it’s exciting. Chemistry Staffing has presented their candidates to us, and shortly we will be able to interview them ourselves. Please join us in praying for wisdom.

As we review this past year, our pastoral staff gives praise to God for all that He has done. We have been waiting, but we have not been idle. God has been working mightily through our church family, and His ministry has continued forward. God’s church at King Street is not focused on any one staff person, but on Jesus Christ alone!

UPDATE JUNE 2024

From Pastor Steve Flint: “We ask for your continued prayers as we press on in our journey with Chemistry Staffing to seek and discern God’s leading for our next The Messenger Senior Pastor. They are actively interviewing candidates to determine the very best fit for King Street Church. As was laid out for you at the beginning of this process, Chemistry Staffing interviews each candidate three times before the candidate is presented to the King Street Church leadership. Pray for wisdom and discernment in each step of the process.”

Pastor Steve has repeatedly described our future pastor as our “David in the field.” It speaks to our commitment to wait for God’s choice for us. Thank you for sharing that vision. I Samuel 16:11-13 says:

Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”

“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.

And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on.

UPDATE APRIL 2024

Chemistry Staffing continues to interview candidates in their search to find the very best pastoral fit. We are aware that there are 4-5 being reviewed at this time. We appreciate their thorough vetting process, since it means we will receive only the most qualified candidates that meet our needs.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2024

UPDATE NOVEMBER 12, 2023

UPDATE NOVEMBER 3, 2023

Chemistry Staffing has finished reviewing our questionnaire/profile and we are in consultation with them in regards to the search. On Tuesday, November 7, our job posting goes live on their site: https://www.chemistrystaffing.com/job/king-street-church-senior-pastor-chambersburg-pennsylvania/

UPDATE AUGUST 11, 2023

The 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting — carried out from June 29-August 10, has been a very intentional part of the search process. To humble ourselves in confession, to unite before God in obedience, to admit our desperate need for Him, to yield our personal opinions… these steps are not after-thoughts. They are the first, and most important, part of our search process.

Now, we will move forward with Chemistry Staffing, the agency we have chosen to work through in seeking a new pastor. Click to visit Chemistry Staffing

One of Chemistry Staffing’s foundational goals is making sure that they don’t find possible candidates, but that they do enough study of the church to find the very best candidates for a healthy, longterm fit. They heavily screen the pastors with whom they work, and have asked us to fill out a detailed questionnaire. They want to know who we are, what our culture and personality is, what kind of leader we are looking for, and much more.

Our leadership team is a collection of people from our Board of Administration, Elders, and Personnel Relations Commission. They have met in the last several weeks to work on the questionnaire, and are hopeful to submit it to Chemistry Staffing in the next few weeks.

A lot of time has been invested at the beginning of this search process, but once we hand the baton to Chemistry Staffing, we expect things to move forward efficiently. We are assured that our work in completing the questionnaire will help to result in candidates that are an excellent fit for us. We expect to hire a pastor who will be with us for 5+ years.

THE PROCESS: It’s a marathon, not a sprint!

Step 1: 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting, to get our hearts and minds focused on Christ as we engage in this important process in the life of our church.

Step 2: Submit the Completed Questionnaire, according to 5 components of a “Chemistry Fit.” These include:

THEOLOGY: Does this person believe the same as us on both core and secondary issues?

CULTURE/DNA: Will this person be a good fit for our community, church, and culture?

PERSONALITY: Does this person play well with others? Are they likeable?

SKILLS: Does this person have the talents and abilities that we need to do a good job?

CHEMISTRY: Will this person fit on our team? Do we want to do life and ministry together?

Step 3: Chemistry Staffing will review our questionnaire and prepare a profile and job posting, and will screen applicants through their process.

Step 4: When a candidate is identified, Chemistry Staffing will present them to our leadership team (including Bishop Todd Fetters). Then we will conduct a series of interviews with them.