The Ethics of Hiring Staff from Another Church

Ethics are involved when it comes to hiring staff from another church; especially within the same community. At PCC all of our staff members, except one, have been from within our church family and with good results.

Here are few thoughts:

• Hiring a staff member from another church is not a sin. But doing so deceitfully and without integrity is another matter.

• I think pastors in the same town should give more consideration to each other when hiring from another church. For instance, if PCC were to hire someone from South FL it probably wouldn’t disrupt the ministry of that church too much. But if we hire staff member from two miles down the road, it could cause confusion and negatively impact that church.

• Ministry friendships can be strained or even severed when hiring from other churches if that process is not handled with integrity.

• I prefer adding staff from within. You can read about that here.

• A church that pilfers other congregations to sustain its existence is unhealthy. A church that plants, grows, and cultivates its own crops will experience fruitfulness and God’s blessings. For instance....
  
  

About three years ago a staff member from another church (in this town) approached me and asked if he could join our team and work for us. It was a chance encounter in a local restaurant. I said, “That’s a possibility.” I sat down at his table and we talked. He possessed good skills, was very experienced, and our church had an existing need that happened to be within his area of expertise. I’m thinking, “Maybe God is in this, and if so, the timing couldn’t be better!”

I then asked him, “Why are you looking to leave your current church? I know your pastor and no doubt he will be sad to see you go and your church will suffer a great loss.” To which he replied that he was embroiled in a conflict and wanted to get out as quickly as possible. I though, “Uh oh,” and then politely declined, not wanting to get involved in something messy. He then commented that he could pull some people out of his current church and bring them to PCC with him. At that point I rejected his offer and abruptly got up from the table. Later I called the senior pastor of that church and told him about the conversation I had with this staff member of his. He appreciated the call.

I refuse to get involved in things like that.

Good staff members can come from other churches. But I am still more inclined to look within. There may be a time in our future when God provides a good addition to our team from another church. But when that happens, God will have to be in it and the process will be conducted with the utmost integrity. I want God’s blessings on PCC, not Satan’s junk.