An invitation to a new and different ministry can be a real tempting offer. Caution! Statistics would indicate that most youth workers in re-locating to a "new" ministry jump from the "fire" (known) right into the "frying pan" (unknown). In fact, many youth workers put more effort into buying a home than researching their new "ministry" often as not resulting in a brief, bad "marriage." If you want to be happy and fulfilled, there are many factors you must consider in relocating to a new ministry. Spiritual leading and gut feeling are two important factors. Another very important area (often neglected) is knowing what you're getting into! Knowing the right questions to ask and knowing how to answer their questions can well make the difference in appearing like a bumbling amateur or a confident pro. The following questions and their answers can give you a realistic picture of the true environment of the church being considered, help you read their health and philosophy, plus give you a few tips and some insight into the inner working of a common church.

I. Reading the Church and Its History: Churches, like people, often repeat their history. Get into a healthy church.

1. Is it a small church? Is it a large church?

2. Has it been small for a long time? Why?

3. Is it growing?

4. Does it have a history of splitting?

5. Is it legal, conservative, or liberal or somewhere in between?

6. Is it a strong denominational church or more independent?

7. Has there been a building program in the recent past?

8. Is there a building program in the immediate future?

9. What "ministry" has this building program emphasized?

10. What is the median age and stage of the congregation?

11. Has the growth (if any) been the re-cycling of Christian transients or acquiring new Christians or both?

12. Are the services traditional or contemporary or a little of both?

13. Is the church basically ingrown? Or involved in the community?

14. Is it open to youth, action and activity?

15. Does the church have a school for grades 7 - 12th?

16. Is the church overly concerned about finances? Are they tight?

II. Reading the Pastor: The Pastor should be a key factor in understanding your potential church. Will you be working with him, under him, or despite him?

1. Is he old or young? Age and thinking.

2. How long has he been in the ministry?

3. How long has he pa stored the present church?

4. Does he plan to continue there for future years?

5. Does he have children? What ages? Teens?

6. Is he well educated? Does he display it?

7. Has his history been one of jumping from church to church?

8. Has his history been one of dividing other churches?

9. Is he a strong leader? Does he run the board?

10. Is he a weak leader, an organizer?

11. Is his wife the power behind him?

12. Is he a good speaker? Would teens find him attractive?

13. Does he know what he wants and where he is going?

14. Is he open to new ideas?

III. Reading the Politics: In churches where there is a weak pastoral leadership, there is bureaucracy and apt to be more politics. Find the leader or leaders.

1. Does there seem to be an unusual amount of committees?

2. Is the pastor definitely secure and in charge?

3. Is the church run by a handful of political powers?

4. Does there seem to be friction between power groups?

5. Is the church run by the board of deacons or trustees?

6. Is there an active C. E. board? How active and powerful is it?

7. How powerful is the treasurer or business administrator?

8. Is there a key individual that is a member of several influential committees?

NOTE: Search out the true leadership. Listen to their honest philosophy, goals, objectives, and priorities. If you are compatible, go for it. Remember, they won't change.

IV. Reading the Existing Youth Program: Look closely at the existing youth program. It will tell you a lot.

1. What is the average attendance Sunday morning?

2. How many kids stay for church (a.m.)?

3. How many kids attend the evening service?

4. Who is running the existing program now? How long have they been running it?

5. What is the average age of the youth group?

6. What is guy/gal ratio?

7. Is the group "coupled up"?

8. Do many "cliques" exist?

9. Is control a problem?

10. The youth group is made up of what type of kids?
    1. Rural
    2. Sports and activities
    3. Rich sophisticates
    4. Lovers

11. Is the existing group ingrown? Mostly church members?

12. Was the past youth program unusually good?

13. Was the past youth program a real loser?

14. Were the kids and/or staff sad to see the last youth worker go?

NOTE: What have you got? What do you want? Can you get it where you want it? And they want it? O. K. Go for it!

V. Reading the Neighborhood for Growth: What is your new community like?

1. How large is your immediate community?

2. How many churches in your area have good youth programs?

3. What type of community does your church draw from?

4. Where are the schools in relation to your church facility?

5. Where do the kids hang out?

6. What possible competing activities are there in the community?

7. Is it possible for you to go on campus?

VI. Checking out the Facilities: Look your facilities over good, they tell a story too.

1. Are there any/many multipurpose rooms?

2. Are the rooms clean and orderly?

3. Are the rooms and grounds too clean and orderly?

4. Is there a kitchen? Is it used often?

5. Is there a kitchen too clean and orderly with locks and notes?

6. Does the church have a gym.

7. Does the church have equipment, projectors, sports.

8. Does the church have a van/vans or bus? Used and taken care of?

VII. Your Job Description: Be sure, doubly sure that you and everyone understands what you are to do.

1. Insist on a job description. If possible, write your own.

2. Are you to implement the existing program or create a new one; or simply to baby sit church kids.

3. Will you be full time or hourly? (Hourly usually means you are responsible for the success of your program ... which usually takes umpteen hours ... and paid according to given hours).

4. Will you be given housing? Car allowance? A youth budget?

5. Who will you report to?

6. Will you be given authority equal to your responsibility?

7. Take at least a month to survey the whole situation and then come to the Pastor/Board with your program, goals, and plans.

VIII. Hurdles to Overcome: Possible red flags!

1. Negative (History):
   1. Mistakes of former youth worker from immaturity to immorality.
   2. Former youth group collection of lovers or gang of rebels.
   3. A prior string of short term youth workers (this produces kids that won't invest their hearts in the new man for quite a while.
   4. The church has a bad name among the kids in the area. (How would you find this out?)

2. Positive: Following an exceptionally good youth program, and/or a very much loved youth worker. Caution here!

3. A strong youth choir or music program. You will have to work around it.

4. A strong club program, involving teens. You will have to work around it.

5. A strong C. E. director who really doesn't know youth and isn't sold on a strong youth program.

6. A treasurer or business administrator who is strong, tight and controls the purse strings.

7. An old, well established bureaucracy that doesn't want change and isn't really sold on a youth program.

8. A strongly entrenched bureaucracy that has established paper policy requiring you to go through endless committees and paperwork to accomplish your ministry.

9. Church services that are traditional, adult, and uninteresting for teens.

10. A large, growing attractive youth program a few blocks away. Caution here!

IX. Questions You Will be Asked: As you interview for your new job, you will be expected to answer a multitude of questions by the pastor as well as boards, committees, and a variety of individuals. It would be impossible to list all the questions one could be asked on an occasion like this, however, there are a few they will certainly ask:

1. How old are you?

2. Are you married?

3. Are you educated? Where and your level of education?

4. How much experience have you? Where?

5. Have you good references and a resume?

6. What is your statement of faith: Are we spiritually compatible. Elevate this question in priority according to how evangelical/fundamental the church is.

7. Do you get along well with youth?

8. Can you communicate? Play an instrument?

9. What salary were you getting?

10. Are you satisfied with our offer?

11. Are you willing to take an additional responsibility, such as choir or visitation minister, custodian etc.

12. Your philosophy and what would you do if you came here?

13. You will probably be asked to speak to the youth department.

X. Key Questions You Should Ask: There are a few key questions any new candidate should ask the church and it's leadership. A church will appreciate a candidate who knows who he is and where he is going. Asking good questions:

1. Gives you the initiative.
2. Displays confidence and authority.
3. Gives you the right answers plus revealing insights.

NOTE: It may pay you to ask for a special time you could meet with the board to ask them some questions. Key Questions You Should Ask the Church Board:

1. What do you envision for the youth worker you call, what do you want accomplished?

2. Do you have a job description or would you want me to create one?

3. Would you want me to implement your existing program or create a new one? Where do you want change and where would you allow change?

4. (If you believe in reaching into the community) are you open to bringing "street kids" normal kids into your youth program?

5. Would you want me to basically work with your church youth?

6. Would you give me an adequate budget to run the youth program?

7. Is there a van or bus available?

8. If I am called, to would I be responsible? (the first person answering this would be one of the power men if not the power man).

9. Why and under what conditions did your last youth worker leave?

10. If I am called, can I expect wholehearted support from this board/committee?

11. Would I have a difficult time co-existing with your youth choir program or club program or ... etc.

12. Is it difficult in your church structure to obtain budgeted funds? Much red tape?

13. Do you feel that most of the church is behind this call for a youth worker?

14. Do you foresee in the immediate future any changes in the paid staff. Any additions? If so what changes and additions?

15. Do you have a master plan and/or overall goal for this church?

16. Ask for their constitution and read it over.

Key Questions You Should Ask the Church Board About Finances:

1. Are you able to afford a Youth Worker? (Salary)

2. Are you able to afford a youth ministry? (Youth budget)

3. What will you be giving me in the area of salary and housing?

4. Will I have a transportation allowance?

5. Is there any provision for health insurance and/or retirement?

6. Providing I am called and do a good job, what provisions are there for salary increase?

Questions You Ask the Pastor:

1. Has he enjoyed his pastorate and is he intending on staying?

2. What he feels his strengths are.

3. What his formal educational background is. Does he intend to continue his education?

4. What his dreams are for the future of this church.

5. What are some important observations he has made about today's youth?

6. What his philosophy is regarding youth work and Christian education, i.e. how important are youth? How can they be reached? What he expects of his youth. Conservative or liberal when it comes to youth dress and activities?

7. What would he expect of you in developing and running a youth program, church attendance, church loyalty, staff meetings, and platform involvement?

8. If you are an evangelical, how many of the board members are born again Christians? Is your pastor?

9. Has he experience working with a staff, with a youth worker?

10. If you were called, would he give you his whole hearted support?

11. Would you have access to him if you wanted support, encouragement or counsel?

12. What worries him about youth today? If he could change them, how?

13. Discuss the youth man and the youth program that proceeded you.

NOTE: It doesn't pay to have a bad record. Hopping from church to church is bad. A grasshopper history indicates at the worst your incompetent and at the best you make bad decisions. Join a church and stick with it.

Basic Conclusion: If after "reading" the church, church leadership, and its Pastor, you feel comfortable with its direction, demands and philosophy and can give them what they want, go for it. However, if you see major areas where you are philosophically incompatible, think again. It will be you who must "adjust" and change ... never the "new church." At least for a long while. Even if they indicate they will change, don't bank on it.