When you’re recruiting new leaders to your ministry it is easy to focus on gifting and fit. But as I look for people I’m also looking for one other thing – the threat. Someone who fits but is also willing to challenge some assumptions and upset the apple cart. Here’s what I hope happens when someone sharp joins the team:

They fit – obviously, there is a culture and legacy that we have on our High School team that is important to us and the church. I hope to some degree is a natural part of the new staff’s lives, that they respect that legacy and endeavor to write the next chapter in it. Obviously, fit is also a huge part of job satisfaction and performance. If they have the “it” factor where someone just sticks, after a couple of months people assume you’ve been at the job for years. I’ve been praying for this, and watching for it with everyone we’ve talked to in the process.

They threaten – at the same time, I’d love to see this happen as well. Not threaten the current team’s jobs or roles, or compromise their own fit – but threaten us in good ways. Threaten the insider eyes we’ve grown accustomed to doing week-in week-out ministry. Threaten us with the outside culture they bring to the office. Threaten us with new ideas that would push us ahead. Threaten us with passion and work ethic we’ve forgotten in the comfort of tenure. I’m praying for someone who fits, but brings some of the outside with them to the table.

Finding this has proven to be no easy task. But totally worth waiting for the right one.

JG