Senior Pastor Survey

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding the role of the Senior Pastor at Chesapeake Church. As you may be aware, we are initiating the search for the Senior Pastor, and internal candidates will, of course, be considered as part of the Pulpit Committee’s vetting and selection process. The results of this survey will be used by both the Elders and the Pulpit Committee to inform the selection of Chesapeake’s Senior Pastor.

This survey is no longer collecting responses.

still want to know more?

Common Questions

What are the roles and responsibilities of a Senior Pastor?

To view the job description for Senior Pastor, click here.

We are approaching our second year with the Interim Senior Pastor role in place. What is our timeline for transitioning out of the Interim Status and into a full Senior Pastor role?

The spiritual principles that inform our process for raising up and selecting a Pastor, are the same ones that guide our process for selecting Elders. We believe the process should be:

  • Prayerful (Acts 14:23 “and when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”)
  • Considered (1 Tim 5:22, 25 “Don’t be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder… good works are obvious and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden”)
  • Inclusive of Multiple Voices Acts 6:1-6 is a great example of congregational agreement under elder leadership. Although scripture speaks in terms of “appointment” we want to ensure the process is as inclusive as possible.

We anticipate having a selection made before the end of the year, and we are working purposefully toward that goal.

What is the role of the Congregation in this process, and how is it different from the role of the Pulpit Committee?

  • The role of the Congregation is to participate in the Sr. Pastor Survey, and share their feedback on the qualities, spiritual gifts, priorities and other considerations they would like both the Elders and the Pulpit Committee to consider as they evaluate Sr. Pastor candidates.
  • The role of the Pulpit Committee is to evaluate the candidates, make a selection and submit that recommendation to the Elders. The Elders will then submit the final candidate for a vote by the Congregation.
  • Once the Congregation has voted to confirm the new Sr. Pastor, the candidate will be ordained as Chesapeake’s new Sr. Pastor.

What steps are the Elders taking to make sure the Pulpit Committee is objective in their selection?

  • The Elders have established objective criteria for both the nomination and selection of Pulpit Committee members. Based on that criteria, the Elders will select a representative group of Members to form the Pulpit Committee. 
  • Once the members have been approved by the Congregation (7/15/24) they will undergo training with a professional Human Resources Consultant to learn how to screen, evaluate and select Sr. Pastor candidates based on candidate scorecards, behavior-based interview questions, and other criteria designed to support objective hiring decisions.

Will members receive updates during the selection process?

Any updates will be provided at Congregational Meetings or through email to members.

How do we refer candidates for the Sr. Pastor position?

Please email elders@chesapeakechurch.org to share your reference.  A member of the Session will get back to you promptly.

What is our ultimate goal for this process?

Our ultimate goal is to be obedient to God’s will as we identify the next Senior Pastor to shepherd and guide this body into the future in a respectful and God-honoring way.