Recruiting and Hiring Best Practices for Churches

Your church staff is at the heart of your ministry. They’re the hands and feet that help carry out your mission. That’s why it’s vital to understand best practices for safely recruiting new staff members. Consider these steps to align your team and help safeguard your ministry.

1. Develop a Clear Role Description

Before you start recruiting new staff members, specify the roles and responsibilities of each position. Here are some key factors to consider:

• Reporting structure
• Location
• Responsibilities
• How responsibilities align with your mission
• Church membership requirements
• Prior experience
• Relevant Skills
• References

2. Conduct Thorough Background Checks

Choose a reputable firm to conduct background screenings on both new and current staff. It is best practice to perform background checks on your entire team once a year to protect your people and your ministry. The screening should cover the entire United States and be broad enough to pick up close matches, but not exact. For instance, catching a similarly spelled name or a transposed Social Security number. The screening should include federal, state and county court records.

• Background Check Considerations
  • Establish reasonable care by requiring that applicants fill out an application for each position.
  • Background screening criteria should be dependent upon the anticipated job duties. Not all positions will meet the same criteria or have the same needs.
  • Candidate background information must remain confidential and only be provided to individuals with an operational need for the information.
• Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) Requirements
  • Use the resources and expertise of a company that specializes in background checks to ensure you are receiving quality information and complying with FCRA requirements.
  • Notify the candidate that a background check will be conducted and obtain written authorization.
  • Provide a summary of consumer rights to the applicant.
  • Notify the candidate in writing if they were not chosen based on eligibility for the position — not hired, demoted or given a job transfer.
• Candidate and Worker Rights
  When employers use background check information to decline employment, they must provide in writing the name, address and phone number of the agency that reported the information.
  Candidates and workers can request and obtain information provided to the employer. Candidates who receive a written notice that they did not get the job because of negative credit history can request a free copy of their credit report within 60 days.

3. Find the Right Candidate

When looking for the right candidate to support your ministry, it’s important to use all the resources at your disposal. In addition to background checks, asking for references can help you and your hiring team gain a clearer picture of a candidate’s experience, work ethic and character.

Additionally, consider how well a candidate aligns with your church’s mission. While skills and experience are important, finding someone who shares your same vision can help strengthen the team in the long term.

4. Provide Ongoing Training

Invest in your team by onboarding them with details about the work they’ll do, the people they’ll serve and how their service fits within the overall mission of your church or ministry.

As time goes on, make ongoing training a part of your church management plan to reinforce existing procedures, address new concerns and protect all people involved — especially children, youth and vulnerable adults. Establishing a training program also lends credibility to your ministry and guides your workers toward a common goal.

Reduce Risks in All Areas of Church Management

Church hiring and recruiting is just one of many administrative tasks, and each carries its own risk. Is your ministry mitigating risks related to crime, employees and conflicts of interest? You don’t have to do it alone.

At GuideStone^®, we come alongside you to help you understand property and casualty insurance and protect your ministry.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be construed as legal advice. Readers should use this article as a tool, along with best judgment and any terms or conditions that apply, to determine appropriate policies and procedures for your church's risk management program.