If a church calls a non-Baptist minister, what should the church expect?

Although the overwhelming majority of Alabama Southern Baptist churches look for pastors from within denominational ranks, a few opt to fill ministerial positions with people who are from other denominations.
   
“I don’t see a trend,” said Dale Huff, director of the office of LeaderCare/church administration for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), when asked whether churches are increasingly seeking pastors outside of the denomination. “I do think that generally younger adults are less denominational, so it wouldn’t be surprising if there was a trend.”
   
Huff pointed to specific examples where this has taken place in the state, both in prominent larger metropolitan churches and in small rural ones. In the latter case, pastors who have served in other denominations are sometimes called to serve Southern Baptist congregations because that pastor has established a good reputation within the community, according to Huff. “We’ve always seen some of that.”
   
Indeed, a lack of strong Southern Baptist pastoral candidates can be the driving force behind looking outside the denomination, especially for language and ethnic churches, according to Richard Alford, associate in the SBOM office of associational/cooperative missions.
   
Ethnic pastors, who often come from countries where Southern Baptist work is not prevalent, may have limited experience with Southern Baptists by default. A call to Southern Baptist work then may be a welcome initiation to the denomination’s church life, Alford said. “There are many fine pastors who have not had the opportunity to be part of Southern Baptists as such.”
   
Huff, however, warned churches of the dangers of looking outside the denomination for pastors. “I would caution about consideration of someone who by denominational connection or theology is not evidently, obviously Southern Baptist.”
   
Huff pointed to the potential for explosive doctrinal divisions when looking at such pastoral candidates. “When we have conflict over theology, it’s a big-time conflict in a church. If you have a pastor whose theology doesn’t match the church’s, it’s a setup for conflict.”
   
Even when such candidates fully grasp the doctrinal beliefs of the church, the complexities and unique aspects of Southern Baptist polity can be another area for potential conflict. “We sometimes see their struggle in understanding how Baptists function,” Huff said of pastors who come into Southern Baptist ministry without much prior experience with it.
   
Yet there are pastors who have taken on Southern Baptist churches as a welcome detour along their ministry journey.
   
Such was the case of Gary Miller, pastor of First Baptist Church, Monroeville. Miller was pastor for 19 years in the Methodist denomination but ultimately felt Southern Baptist doctrine lined up with his own beliefs. “As I began to read the Baptist Faith and Message, I thought, ‘That’s me,’” Miller said.
   
He switched denominations and was baptized in 1997, then licensed and ordained 10 days later. “I think that’s an SBC record.”
   
He was called to serve as pastor of  Catoma Baptist Church in Montgomery for three years, then Southside Baptist Church in Andalusia for the next three.
   
Miller explained the brevity of those two pastorates by comparing himself to a pastor newly embarking on ministry.
   
“It was almost like starting over in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).”
Miller said some Southern Baptist ways alien to him — such as how the Lord’s Supper is served — took extra practice on his part.
   
But his churches, for their part, were patient with him. “They didn’t let that become a negative. I’ve just had a very positive experience. I feel like God has put me where I need to be, where I really belonged: around like-minded people.”
   
First Baptist Church of Birmingham has called its last two pastors from other denominational structures. Todd Howard, church administrator and minister of education, said the church placed conservatism as first priority and sought a pastor with a high view of God’s Word. “We’ve already set the precedent that we will go outside SBC life to find the right man of God.”
   
Although he acknowledged that most churches still automatically disqualify pastors from other denominations because it is “safe,” Howard said he sees potential for a trend toward more churches looking within other denominations as First, Birmingham, has done. “I think we just felt comfortable looking outside of the lines because we know what we believe.”
   
For most churches, however, knowing what the pastor believes is the key element to finding the right match. Calling a pastor who has been educated in Southern Baptist schools and seminaries can help ensure that, according to Jack Wright, director of missions (DOM) for Clarke Baptist Association. “If you’re going to be a Southern Baptist church, you need Southern Baptist staff.”
   
Wright speaks with authority on that issue because he grew up attending a Salvation Army church and was a candidate for their War College, or seminary. But a conflict in his local congregation sent him looking for another denomination, and he found it in Southern Baptists.
   
He attended Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Okla., and then Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, to prepare for ministry, training that he believes fully equipped him to serve Southern Baptist churches.
   
Wright has served Clarke Association for 35 years and remembers only one incident of the association’s 44 churches calling a pastor from outside the denomination.
   
A few Alabama Southern Baptist pastors have strayed outside the denomination themselves while in seminary, according to John Long, DOM for Madison Baptist Association.
   
In such cases, the seminary apparently provided more pastoral resources than demanded by area Southern Baptist churches, so the student looked outside his denomination to gain pastoral experience.
Choctaw Baptist Association in west Alabama — like many rural areas — suffers from a deficit in pastoral resources, according to DOM Franklin McLelland. At one point recently, 10 out of the association’s 30 churches were without pastors.
   
Yet McLelland said he has seen more of a trend toward churches calling bivocational pastors and seasoned Southern Baptist pastors out of retirement than looking outside the denomination to meet that need.
   
He added that some Southern Baptist pastors have been the ones to switch to another denomination permanently for a better doctrinal fit.
   
Although differences in doctrine may come to light later, he said most pastor search committees are diligent in trying to discern doctrinal stances before calling a pastor.
   
If churches decide to interview prospective pastors from other denominations, Huff suggested they question them carefully on issues of salvation, the authenticity of the Scriptures and Southern Baptist polity and government. “Be very cautious because you’re playing with fire.”
   
Huff said churches often get interested in such a candidate because he is obviously gifted, may come highly recommended and has a track record of effectiveness. “His personal capability is so attractive that it puts his denominational attractiveness in a shadow.”
   
Buddy McGohon, recently retired DOM for Montgomery Association, said prospective pastors also should understand “our cooperative missions and how we work together” as well as Baptist distinctives.
   
Miller said his Methodist background has been one of the first issues he’s discussed with pastor search committees, and he acknowledges that it has probably disqualified him from interviewing with some churches altogether.
   
But he encourages committees not to reject potential pastors because of lack of a Southern Baptist education or background. “Otherwise we’re practicing legalism. Don’t leave out the Holy Spirit who may be coloring outside the box a little bit. I’m just glad He did that with me.”