Senior Pastor Call Process

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." - Proverbs 3:5 ESV

A Message from the Call Committee

Dear Mount of Olives Family,


Pastoral transitions are significant moments in the life of any church. They bring excitement, anticipation, questions, and opportunities to seek God's guidance together.


The purpose of this FAQ is to provide transparency, answer common questions, and keep the congregation informed throughout the Senior Pastor transition process.


We are grateful for the many members who have participated through prayer, surveys, listening sessions, emails, conversations, and words of encouragement. Your voice has helped shape this process and continues to guide our work.


Above all, our goal is not simply to fill a position. Our goal is to prayerfully discern whom God is calling to become the next Senior Pastor of Mount of Olives Church, and to help position our congregation for faithful ministry in the years ahead.


Over the course of this journey, the Call Committee has gained a deeper understanding of our church, our history, our ministries, and the unique opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. We have also gained a profound appreciation for the responsibility entrusted to us by the congregation and Church Council. This document reflects the information we have gathered, the work completed to this point, and the thoughtful process being used as we seek God's direction for the future of Mount of Olives.


We approach this work with humility, grace, sincere love for our church, and a dependence on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Each conversation, decision, and step forward is being taken with prayerful care and a deep sense of responsibility.


We ask that you continue to pray for Pastor Steward and Pastor Jim as they navigate this season of transition. Please pray for the future Senior Pastor and family whom God is preparing for this call. Pray for the Call Committee and our families, who have generously sacrificed time and energy to support this important work. Pray for our staff, ministry leaders, congregation, and community as we continue to walk together in faith.


Most importantly, pray that we remain steadfast in our love for one another, united in Christ, and faithful to the mission God has entrusted to Mount of Olives: to Know Christ and Make Him Known.


Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, patience, and trust as we seek God's direction together.

Your Mount of Olives Call Committee

Timeline of Call Process for Senior Pastor

October 13, 2025 - Pastor John Steward announces transition

October 30, 2025 - Church Council approves Call Committee

November 2025 - Call Committee begins meeting

January 2026 - Cascade Consulting engaged

February - March 2026 - Congregational, staff, and leadership surveys conducted

March-April 2026 - Survey review and pastoral profile development

May 2026 - Vanderbloemen Search Firm engaged

July 1, 2026 - Search Opens


Future Steps - Timing Tentative

July - September 2026 - Candidate recruitment and evaluation

Interview Process

Candidate Presentation

Congregational Vote


(updated June 2026)

Frequently Asked Questions

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  • The Church Council approved the Call Committee on October 30, 2025. 

    • Rev. Sheryl Faulk - LCMC Pastor and Chief Chaplain for MemorialCare
    • Ted Esau - Former Finance Secretary, Senior Caregiver Ministry Leader, and experienced corporate executive
    • Dr. Tracy Dank - Former Finance Chair, foundation member of Mount of Olives, and business owner
    • Jamie Goodwyn - School principal, experienced administrator, and longtime church member
    • Chris Jensen - Church Council member, business owner, and organizational leader

  • Yes. The Call Committee and Church Council have reviewed the governing documents throughout this process.  The Constitution outlines the process for calling a Senior Pastor including:

    • Formation of a five-member Call Committee
    • Recommendation of a candidate by the Call Committee
    • Review by Church Council
    • Congregational approval through a vote

    The committee remains committed to operating within these guidelines.

  • The Call Committee has intentionally established boundaries to ensure that the responsibility for evaluating candidates and making recommendations remains with the committee.


    As candidates advance through the interview process, there may be opportunities for Pastor Steward to meet and interact with individuals being considered for the Senior Pastor position. Given his more than 30 years of leadership at Mount of Olives, his observations may provide helpful perspective regarding the unique culture, ministries, and leadership responsibilities of our congregation.


    Any input provided by Pastor Steward will be advisory in nature and intended to offer context based on his experience and knowledge of Mount of Olives. He will not participate in candidate rankings, committee deliberations, voting, or the selection of the candidate ultimately recommended to Church Council.


    The responsibility for evaluating candidates and determining which name is presented to Church Council remains solely with the Call Committee. The committee is committed to conducting the process fairly, independently, and prayerfully while also valuing the institutional knowledge that Pastor Steward has gained through decades of service to our church.

  • The committee welcomes questions, concerns, and feedback related to the future needs of Mount of Olives. However, the committee has agreed that personal comments, criticisms, or concerns regarding current pastors are not shared with Pastor Steward or Pastor Jim. Our role is to remain neutral, focused on the future of Mount of Olives, and committed to the integrity of the process.

  • As part of our pastoral transition process, Mount of Olives Lutheran Church conducted a congregation-wide survey to better understand the hopes, priorities, and aspirations of our church family as we seek God's direction for our next Senior Pastor.


    More than 300 congregation members participated in the survey, making it one of the most comprehensive listening efforts in our church's history. We are grateful for the thoughtful feedback that was shared and encouraged by the remarkable consistency of the responses.

  • One of the most encouraging outcomes of the survey process was hearing how members describe our church. Several strengths emerged consistently:

    • Strong Biblical teaching
    • A welcoming church family
    • Meaningful worship experiences
    • Commitment to missions and outreach
    • Strong children's and youth ministries
    • Opportunities for discipleship and spiritual growth
    • Dedicated volunteers and ministry leaders
    • Multi-generational relationships
    • A deep sense of community and belonging

    The committee views this process not simply as finding the next Senior Pastor, but identifying a leader who can build upon the strong foundation God has already established.

  • The congregation's feedback, combined with church history and consultant guidance, points to six major leadership areas:

    • Biblical Preaching
    • Visionary Leadership
    • Evangelism and Outreach
    • Pastoral Care
    • Discipleship Development
    • Teaching and Leadership Development

    These areas form the foundation of the candidate evaluation process.

  • Selecting the next Senior Pastor is one of the most important decisions a congregation makes. The committee believes that investing in a careful, prayerful, and professionally supported process is an investment in the future health, mission, and effectiveness of Mount of Olives. The goal is not simply to find a candidate quickly, but to identify the right candidate.


    Mount of Olives is no longer part of a denominational structure that directly manages pastoral placements and transitions. The committee determined that a national search would provide access to a larger pool of qualified candidates and professional expertise in recruiting, screening, and evaluating pastors.


    In January 2026, Church Council approved engaging Cascade Consulting. Pastor Tom Brashears and his team helped facilitate surveys, listening sessions, analysis, congregational assessment, and development of the pastoral profile.


    The search firm Vanderbloemen was then engaged after the Call Committee researched national search firms and narrowed the field before conducting interviews with finalists. The decision was made after evaluating experience, candidate reach, process, theological compatibility, guarantees, and overall fit.

  • Candidates go through a comprehensive evaluation process that includes:

    • Evaluation and assessment by Vanderbloemen
    • Vanderbloemen submits best 3-5 candidates to Call Committee
    • Call Committee interviews the candidates
    • Call Committee makes recommendation to Church Council
    • The candidate is invited to the church for a congregational meet and greet
    • A vote is called to approve the recommended candidate by voting members

  • The responsibility for evaluating candidates provided by Vanderbloemen and determining which name is presented to Church Council remains solely with the Call Committee. 


    The committee is committed to conducting the process fairly, independently, and prayerfully, while also valuing the institutional knowledge that the current Senior Pastor has gained through decades of service to our church.

  • The church's current Association Pastor, Pastor Jim Reynen, has expressed interest in being considered for the Senior Pastor position, and the Call Committee has communicated with him regarding that interest.


    He will participate in the same search and evaluation process as all other candidates. 


    He has been supportive of this approach and has expressed his desire to honor the process as the congregation seeks God's guidance for the future of Mount of Olives. He understands that the ultimate goal is not simply to fill a position, but to prayerfully discern whom God is calling to serve as the next Senior Pastor.

  • The congregation retains final authority through the call vote. If a candidate is not approved, the search process would continue until another qualified candidate is identified and presented.

  • Members of the congregation can participate by:

    • Praying for every step of the process
    • Reading updates provided by the Call Committee
    • Encouraging unity within the congregation
    • Remaining regular in worship on Sundays, and continuing to grow in relationship with Jesus
    • Asking thoughtful questions (submit questions to Call Committee on Communication Cards or via email to info@moochurch.org)
    • Supporting the ministry of Mount of Olives during this transition

Frequently Used Terms & Definitions

This glossary has been developed to help understand the churchterminology commonly used throughout the Senior Pastor transition and call process.

  • In Lutheran tradition, a "call" is more than a job offer. A call is the process by which a congregation prayerfully discerns and invites a pastor to serve in ministry. Seeking God's guidance in identifying the person called to lead and serve the church.

  • The Call Committee is the five-member committee appointed by Church Council to identify, evaluate, and recommend a candidate for Senior Pastor.


    According to the Mount of Olives Constitution, the Call Committee recommends a candidate to Church Council. Upon Council approval, the candidate is presented to the congregation for a vote.


    The Call Committee does not independently hire or call the Senior Pastor.

  • The elected governing body of Mount of Olives Church. Church Council provides governance oversight, approves major expenditures, appoints the Call Committee, reviews the committee's recommendation, and determines whether a candidate will be presented to the congregation for a vote.

  • The final step in the call process. The Mount of Olives Constitution requires a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of voting members present at a duly called meeting in order to extend a call to a Senior Pastor.

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  • LCMC stands for Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ.


    Mount of Olives is affiliated with LCMC, a movement of congregations committed to Biblical authority, Lutheran theology, and congregational governance.

  • A governance and ministry model in which the Senior Pastor and staff are responsible for leading the day-to-day ministry operations of the church while Church Council provides governance oversight. This model differs from churches that operate primarily through committee-driven ministry structures.

  • A member of Mount of Olives Church who meets the qualifications established by the Constitution and Bylaws and is eligible to vote at congregational meetings. Only voting members may participate in the final congregational vote to extend a call to a Senior Pastor.