Lead Pastor Position

Lead Pastor Search Update as of 12/24/10

We have ended our search and have found the Lead Pastor we have been looking for! We have some pictures, resume, and a profile for you to peruse. But let me first remind you of how this journey began.

Distant Past-Dr. Dwight Perry , the Executive Minister of Great Lakes Baptist Conference(ours), met with the Elders almost 3 years ago to assist us in assessing the future direction of Woodridge. We asked him point blank about our current staffing levels and he gave us a memorable response; “You are staffed currently to maintain but not to grow.” Thus, adding staff enabling us to grow has been an ongoing discussion of the Elder boards for the last 3 years.

Recent Past- At our Annual Business Meeting on October 4, 2009, Elder John Pfannerstill discussed the rationale for hiring what we were calling an Executive Pastor, to be responsible for the overall organizational health of Woodridge. John and the Elders took questions and we had a significant discussion. John also shared that this major responsibility would involve the appointing of a Search Team to prayerfully undertake finding a candidate. We also approved $30,000 in the 2009-10 budget for expenses for the search process and salary if one was found and employed in this budget year.

The Search Team consists of Elder Tim Schulz, Cheryl Lindberg, Drew Hacker, Dave McCalligan, and Barb Simonson. Pastor Dave serves as an ad hoc member of the team, assisting them at their request.

At our October 3, 2010 Annual meeting, Tim Schulz reported that the Pastoral Selection Committee had brought one candidate to town for face to face meetings, but it was determined that it wasn’t a good fit. The PSC was receiving resumes again and started over looking at new candidates. At this same meeting a total line item of $60,000 was approved for the Lead Pastor salary and expenses related to the search process.

These are the highlights of what has happened since the team formed in February of 2010:

• Spent time praying
• Discussed needed areas of development in Woodridge that would contribute to job description
• Prayed some more
• Developed Job Description which you can access by going to our church website
• Changed title to Lead Pastor
• Prayed some more
• Read thru a number of resumes
• Sent out list of prepared questions for selected candidates to answer
• Prayerfully selected 5 for the next step of having a conference call with each of the 5
• Selected 2 candidates to schedule for a visit to Woodridge and face to face interviews
• One candidate found a different job, so one was invited to come and meet with the Search Team, Elders, and Staff
• Background checks and 3 deep level references were called by at least 2 members of the Search Team on the candidate
• Brought in candidate for face to face interviews
• Decided the candidate wasn’t a good fit
• Began receiving and reviewing candidates again
• Sent out questions to selected candidates
• PSC made conference calls with top 5 candidates
• Elders made conference calls with top 2 candidates
• 3 deep references done by PSC
• Top candidate brought to Woodridge for face to face interviews on Dec. 10-14
• PSC unanimously recommends Tom Doidge for Lead Pastor
• Background check in process of being completed
• Elder board affirms PSC’s recommendation and informs candidate and membership

The Next Steps

At the time of this posting a letter of call is being sent to Tom Doidge and compensation package details are being worked out. A special church meeting is being called for January 9, to take place right after the 10:30 service in the sanctuary. Information is being posted on the website about the candidate. The Elders are looking for a vote to affirm the Elders calling of Tom Doidge as Lead Pastor.

We rejoice in God’s providential guidance in our finding the right man for this important position in our church life and ministry. We rejoice in the faithful servants of the PSC who sacrificed greatly and served admirably.

For the Gospel,
The Woodridge Elders

A Profile of Tom Doidge by Pastor Dave

Besides the skills required by the job description, there are several things that I looked for in the man who would be called to serve as our Lead Pastor.

First, I would only want someone who had a deeply personal and genuine faith in Christ. It is of highest importance that this man would know the gospel well and be able to defend it. But I am looking for someone who lives it! If someone is living the gospel it would show up in the testimonies of those that know Tom well. Tom’s wife, Elaine and their grown children testify that the Tom we have gotten to know already is the same Tom that they have grown to love and admire.

I would also expect to see his faith in my interaction with him. I was privileged to sit in on the conference call with Tom Doidge and the PSC. I never expected to be ministered to by a guy on a phone who is looking for a job! I knew we were talking with a man who knew the Lord and seemed to know us as well.

Second, I wanted a man who knew where he fit in, regarding his service to the church. I hope you read his resume. If you do, you will see that Tom has a clear understanding of who he is and what God has gifted him to do. He doesn’t want to be a senior pastor, but to bring order and efficiency to the resources God has given us. He wants to help implement the vision God has committed to us. Tom knows who he is and just wants to serve.

Third, I wanted someone who could begin having an impact immediately. I admit that during this process I often desired someone younger than me! But, for someone to hit the ground running, we need a guy who is not going to face a significant learning curve in terms of church ministry. In Tom we get a guy who has already experienced just about everything he might experience in church life.

Fourth, I wanted someone who had actual experience helping to lead a church through significant growth pains. Tom ministered during the time his church grew from 400 to 2,000. I have no idea how God may grow and expand the impact of Woodridge, but I am confident Tom could lead the way for us.

Fifth, I wanted someone who wanted to come here and loved Woodridge. Now you might ask, how can you find someone like that? I discovered in Tom that he sensed God calling him here even when he was just one of many resumes. After Tom and Elaine visited us and sat through a service, he spoke of how they both were in tears during the time of worship. God has sent us someone who has already responded to what God is doing at Woodridge.

This is a brief profile and there are many other aspects of Tom that I could mention. I just wanted to give you a brief answer from your pastor as to why I believe Tom Doidge is the man God has for us.

For the gospel,
Pastor Dave Mobley