When their pastoral offices becomes vacant, many Baptist churches form what is know as a “pulpit is committee”. A pulpit committee typically consists of several church members whom the body has tasked with seeking, interviewing, and recommending pastoral candidates. Have you ever wondered what kinds of questions these churches ask pastoral candidates? How do you think potential pastors should answer these questions? In this on-going series, I will provide actual inquiries from a questionnaire sent to me by the pulpit committee of a Southern Baptist Church, along with my answers. Each part of this series will examine a different question and answer from the church’s questionnaire. Feel free to interact in the comment section with your own opinions of how the questions should have been asked and answered.
(Note: The identity and location of the church has been replaced with generic terms).
Question:
What are your convictions and policy concerning evangelism?
Answer:
This is a puzzling question. I’ve never thought about having a “policy” on evangelism. I think the great commission is clear. Christians are supposed to evangelize the lost, baptize those who come to faith, and disciple those people into others who do the same. Every Christian should be an evangelist. There doesn’t need to be an organizational “policy” on this. It needs to just be done. There is a lost and dying world out there that needs to hear the good news. Every Christian should tell it until Jesus returns.
*Please note that the preceding is my personal opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend, or the educational institution at which I am enrolled. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.
Seth Dunn 