"One thing you need to decide if you plan to hire a new staff member is whether you should begin by advertising the position in your own congregation. There may be people in your church who have the skill and experience to do the job. Should you purposely try to fill the position from inside or should your purposely go outside your congregation? Does it really matter? There are advantages and disadvantages to both. (page 88)
….this is a complex issue. There are many, many examples of excellent hires from both the inside and outside the congregation, and there are many examples of bad choices. The key is to know the congregation, know the people you are considering, and make a decision based on principle before you start thinking about individuals." (page 90)
To read a description of The Church Staff Handbook and/or place an order, click on this link.
What has been your experience in hiring, either from within or without of your congregation? What went into your decision making process? What did you learn?