10 Unique Questions to Ask a Potential Pastor
When a church searches for a new pastor, it’s easy to ask the predictable questions: Tell us about your preaching style.What are your strengths and weaknesses? How would you handle conflict? Those questions aren’t bad, but they rarely reveal the heart.
If you want to know who someone truly is, ask questions that open a window, not ones that check a box. Here are ten that can help your search committee listen beyond the résumé.
1. Tell us about a time you changed your mind about something important in ministry.
This question reveals humility and a willingness to grow. Every pastor has faced moments when experience reshaped conviction or approach. You’re not looking for someone who bends with the wind, but for someone who learns without losing integrity. Change, when guided by the Spirit, is evidence of maturity, not weakness.
2. What kind of people are hardest for you to love (and how do you work through that)?
This question goes straight to the heart of pastoral empathy. It acknowledges that every leader has blind spots and frustrations. The best pastors don’t pretend they love everyone easily; they practice grace intentionally. How a candidate answers this will tell you whether they lead with compassion or pride.
3. What does rest look like for you, and how do you guard it?
Healthy pastors lead healthy churches. This question uncovers how they manage boundaries and whether they view Sabbath as a command or a suggestion. If a pastor never rests, neither will the church. Rest isn’t laziness — it’s stewardship of body, mind, and spirit.
4. What’s something your previous church taught you (for better or worse)?
Every pastor brings lessons from past ministry. This question helps you hear how they process those experiences. Do they speak with gratitude, bitterness, or perspective? A wise candidate can honor the past, acknowledge pain, and still express hope for what’s ahead.
5. If you could only teach one truth for the rest of your life, what would it be?
This helps you identify the central theme of their ministry. What do they want their people to remember when sermons fade? Their answer will reveal what stirs their heart, what drives their preaching, and what spiritual truth anchors their calling.
6. How do you measure success in ministry?
Numbers matter, but they’re not everything. This question separates leaders chasing crowds from shepherds who nurture souls. Do they define success by growth, obedience, or transformation? Listen closely for answers that balance faithfulness and fruitfulness.
7. What does partnership with lay leaders look like to you?
Pastors who isolate themselves eventually burn out. This question explores how they share responsibility and develop other leaders. A good candidate will talk about collaboration, empowerment, and trust, not control. Ministry is most effective when everyone owns the mission.
8. How do you handle disappointment or criticism?
Every pastor faces seasons of discouragement, misunderstanding, or conflict. This question reveals emotional resilience and spiritual grounding. Pay attention to whether they respond defensively or reflectively. A pastor who handles criticism with humility will lead through storms without losing peace.
9. What’s one area where you’re still waiting on God?
Vulnerability is the oxygen of authenticity. This question gives space for honesty about uncertainty, longing, or struggle. It shows whether the candidate walks with a living dependence on God or just manages outcomes. Waiting seasons shape character more than busy ones.
10. What would make you say “yes” or “no” to this church?
This invites transparency about calling and fit. It helps both sides clarify expectations and prevents later conflict. You’ll discover whether the candidate is chasing a position or genuinely discerning God’s direction. When both church and pastor answer this honestly, it builds trust before the vote ever happens.
When churches slow down to ask deeper questions, they often discover what God’s been trying to show them all along — that calling isn’t just about skill; it’s about spiritual chemistry. The right questions don’t just reveal a pastor’s character; they help your church clarify its own.