Sunday, October 10 we announced our decision to hire Slingshot Group to assist us in our search for a new pastor. Below is a quick overview of our work and how we came to this decision.

The month of August was primarily spent researching and asking questions about the search process. We wanted to better understand our task, so we read through handbooks and participated in training from the Baptist General Convention of Texas. This time and education confirmed the need to research professional search firm to understand their potential advantages for our church. Before we could interview, we needed to understand who and what we were looking for. We then took some time to establish values and criteria, including trust, culture, agenda, and process. These values served as a guide during our interviews. We were looking for a process we believed in, a consultant we connected with, and a belief that this process would be Spirit-led and covered in prayer.

We completed all four interviews by mid-September and spent the rest of the month in prayer, asking follow-up questions, analyzing against our criteria, and deliberating. After settling on our top two we pursued additional follow-up questions and reference checks. These steps yielded a clear and unanimous decision – Slingshot Group. We are excited for the process before us and cannot wait to introduce you to our consultant Matt Wright. We asked him to briefly share the mission of Slingshot with us: “We exist to help churches build great teams that fulfill the mission Jesus gave us! We do it by building healthy relationships filled with respect and truth-telling. We connect with the best candidates, translate the opportunities at each church, and help churches and candidates match with each other. We work hard, are spirit-led, and ministry partners for the long haul.” Over the next few weeks, we look forward to introducing you to Slingshot, Matt, and their process.

Thank you for your prayers and your patience,

Pastor Search Committee