My heart goes out to you brother.  I am in a similar situation. 

I suppose there are times when we are to put ourselves out there and find a place to minister and then there are times when we wait.  Waiting is the most difficult thing for me and possibly for you as well.

“I believe that I have been called, others have confirmed the call...”
This statement causes me to think.  We use it often as believers.  I often try to discern between my desires and God’s will for me.  You are no doubt gifted and have the desire to minister in the area of preaching, however, what you need is an encounter with God, a revelation from God. 

One last word.  Do not let this apparent setback enhance your struggle with depression.  Your identity and mine is not and never will be found in what we do for Christ. Our true identity; our worth, value, expectations and especially our hope is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ.  He is our life.

If you need to talk personally, you can email me by clicking on my name and I will give you my phone number.

Hang in there brother.

Ed.

Dear Brother,

From your information it does indeed seem that you are both called and gifted for ministry. Please do not give up. That is easy for me say sitting at desk serving a good church. But I have knocked doors and sent resumes and gotten back the polite and short notes that do nothing for your soul. Your medical issue should not be a deterrant. Your depression is under care and control, besides questions about surgeries and depression are I believe illegal. I would not mention them. I do not know the extent of your surgeries or if there are issues which have arisen from from them, but again that is outsdie legal bounds, I believe. As to the time away from the church, that should not matter. You served your wife. In fact if you could get a face to face conversation none of the issues you have raised would be barriers.

What is hard is operating with the congregational call system. With each songregation making its own decisions and receiving the hundreds of resumes to get a face to face or even a phone contact which might open doors is increasingly difficult. That is why leveraging your relationships become important. In secular world they call networking. In the church we call it living in the body of Christ. Do you have friends in ministry who can get you contacts, do you know people in various denomination that can recommend you? Ask them to help you, the worst thing that can happen is that they say no.

Call committees are human, they serve the church of Jesus Christ, but they are still human. They are influnced by the same things so many people are. If you believe you are called hang in there. Maybe through this posting you might find a lead or two. It is hard to trust God through this process and it is easy to second guess yourself. Hang in there. It is not easy but it is worth it.

There seems to me to be little reason why some hiring committees hire one pastor over another. I have been hired at places that make me wonder if they had any clue. Even wonder if they should have hired me. I was not a “match” for the church. Not a good or bad just too dramatically different to be helpful. At the beginning of a newly hired pastoral position, I felt eager and “chosen” or “called”. Then as years went by and progressive hirings took place, I wondered if the committee was “possessed”. The same group that hired me. I can’t look for validation from them as to my skills or calling. Most of those on committees who hire would like to think they are enlightened. It has been said by Peter Drucker that the hardest single thing to do in any organization is hiring. And one ought to not think very highly of their capacity to do it well. I know that I am fallable. Very few have hiring experience outside of church. I think that is extremely vital to any hiring committee. But that may not make you feel any better. I would just take the time to hone your skills at a church that has a helpful environment and work there as a volunteer. And wait. I had to do that for four years. I continued to learn how to use my skills (whether that be Toastmasters, mentoring programs, spiritual mentor, and administrative jobs). Now that I am in a new place, I see all of these tools being very helpful in my present position and I would not had the opportunity to learn them on the spot.
Not only do churches not know how to hire, they very rarely know what they looking for or are able to verbalize why one is not hired. Except for the ever vague “not a good match”; and the fact they hired a “good match” who leaves the church four years later because they are not seeing eye to eye.

From a brother who has been in the trenches looking out. Hold on to the faith.

Don’t give up.

I do think that the concerns that churches have brought up to hold some validity, even if it is hard to accept. In the meantime, I would just continue to seek God’s direction and be the best helper, elder, prayer warrier, and teacher that your pastor could even imagine.

It may not be comforting but perhaps God really is using this time to prepare you for something? I know I wouldn’t like to hear that… but than again perhaps it is what God is doing?

Dear Pastor,
As the Chairperson of our church’s Staff Parish Relations Committee(SPRC), commonly refered to as the “personnel committee,” I can tell you interviewing is a bear. I am troubled about some comments you made in your letter. First, you say you don’t always mention your depression. The second issue that bothered me was that you “mention the surgeries later in the interviewing process.” My question is, why would you mention this at all?
Churches, like any other employer in country, are subject to the same anti-discrimination and ADA/EOC regulations. An employer is forbidden to ask age, race, religious affiliation, marital status, number of dependents and health questions to name just a few. At best, an employer may ask if there are any special accommodations that may be needed to meet the demands of the position. Each job position should list what physical, technical, educational and other skills are required. An example might be, “position requires being able to stand in place for long periods of time, ability to lift over 40 pounds, read with corrective lenses to 20/50, ability to hear hi and low sounds from___ to ___ , climb 50 steps etc.
The search committee can not ask about medical problems or past medical/surgical histories. Even if a candidate is obviously disabled(perhaps an amputee), the search committee can not ask the candidate directly about it, nor factor the disability into whether or not to make a job offer. As I said, the only thing that can be asked is whether a candidate is able to meet the requirements of the job description with or without reasonable accommodations. Simply put, if a nurse is hard of hearing, the employer would need to provide the new hire with a special stethoscope in order for that new employee to meet the requirements of the job. Because this hypothetical perspective employee may or may not have an obvious impairment, the employee would read the job description and let the employer know a special stethoscope will be needed.
Do all church search committees know what their responsibilities are under ADA or EOC? No! Most search committees I suspect, are composed of lay volunteers and members of the senior pastoral or office staff. Most have not been schooled or have HR backgrounds. Inappropriate questions, conclusions and discrimination occur out of ignorance I’m sure rather than from an attitude of discrimation or malice. (At least one would hope given these employers are faith based. ) However, ignorance of the law is no excuse. You may want to factor their ignorance into whether you would want to accept the position if offered. It speaks a lot about the organization and congregation.
My advise would be to keep your medical and your family’s medical information to yourself.
It’s simply not just based on the “need to know” premise. You will be helping these search committees to remain in compliance with federal mandates. I am confident that you would
be able to gracefully deflect any inappropriate questions. Stop shooting yourself in the
foot! 
And stop be apologetic about your employment background. Face it head on. Anticipate questions, or more importantly, anticipate the questions not asked and address them up front. Be prepared with answers that are honest, not necessarily frank or candid. If you are having a professional rework your resume, ask them to give you some ideas on how to do this. They are wonderful “spin doctors.” Think of yourself as an item on a menu. How would you like to be described in that menu? Hamburger $4.00 or..... prepared perfectly to your specifications our signature ½ pound of lean juicy corn fed Angus ground sirloin hamburger served on a warmed, freshly baked on premises onion kaiser roll....” you get the drift. My husband often relays the story of his brief career as a salesperson. Going house to house as a teen, he would knock on tdoors and ask whoever answered, “You don’t want to buy a vacuum cleaner do you?.” He never did sell any vacuums. I can’t imagine why!
Presentation is everything. Employers take notice when a perspective employee knows something about the business and the community or customers they serve. Do you homework. Attend a few services before applying. Get a sense of the current ministry to see if you feel a good fit. It ‘s akind to a reverse interview. Maybe you’ll just blend in or go unnoticed. Maybe not. Maybe they’ll remember you during the interview. As someone who serves on a search committee, I would be impressed with a candidate who went that extra mile before application to try to get to know us. I’d like to hear what they know about us(history, ministries ect)not to critique, but to let me know you where interested enough to learn what we’re about verses waiting to figure that out during the interview process or worse yet, after job offer. You might find your ministry seeking hunt more successful. Pastor, I will pray for you and family and your future congregation. God needs you. Go where he leads and grow where you are planted.
Yours in Christian love, Denise Miller

Denise has many positive & valid points (unfortunately). Placing your best foot forward is desireable. Do you have letters of recommendation that can be submitted with your resume’?

Some years ago I was asked to “resign” a ministry position. That led to a 2 1/2 year search not only for a position but also for a renewal of God’s purpose in my life. I asked God to please remove the “call” if I was not to serve in vocational ministry (I didn’t want to be miserable forever!). Ultimately, He did not and He saw it within His plan to open a new opportunity.

You would think that after 6 “successful” years in ministry that the time out of ministry would be erased. Not! Every church that contacts me seems more interested in that 2 1/2 years than the other 15+ in vocational ministry.

I have learned to be honest without lots of details. I have folks that I trust on my reference list that can address the circumstances surrounding that time. I am neither ashamed nor afraid, God taught me much during that time.

I did (upon a friends advice) prepare a cover letter that included my entire walk with Christ and mentioned my time out of ministry within that context.

Recently I was asked by a pastor during an committee interview “Why should we hire you?” While the question took me aback I responded, “You should not hire anyone until God speaks, and if He tells you to hire me or another candidate then to not do that would be disobedience.”

I believe God has a special place selected for you...a place where your strengths will outweigh your weaknesses. And it will be good!

After praying for you and rereading what you wrote, I would recommend a few additions to your resume.  Many churches have mission statements and core values.  Here is what I perceive your core values to be:  (I have written it as it could appear on your resume.)

1.  Marriage.  Doing together for God, what we could not do apart for His kingdom.  Treating my wife like Christ treats His bride the church.  As your new pastor, I encourage this church to be an Ephesians 5:22-33 church.

2.  Calling.  My wife and I recognize and support each others calling.  As your new pastor, I encourage this church to be a 1 Peter 4: 8-11 church.

3.  Commitment.  I have been a shepherd in paid and unpaid positions.  As your new pastor, I encourage this church to be a Matthew 6:33 church.

If this is your heart, then I encourage you to say them in this fashion.  “Father, thank you that You have walked every step with this couple that You have joined together, do fullfill this work of your hands, in Jesus name, amen”

My heart goes out to the brother.

I dont know if the brother has prayed about pioneering a fresh work instead of looking for a church to pastor!

Then again, we must always bear it in mind that the call to preach does not mean a call to pastor a church.Ministry is not neccesarily pastoring, the brother seems to have identified some gifts that he has , especially writing

He can preach through books, articles in magazines, even newsletters and tracts. The scripture tells us that “a mans gift will make room for him”. He should seek for ways to give his gifts expression.

I pastor a church here in Nigeria which the Lord led me to pionneer and for close to six years the church has been under 100 people in regular sunday attendance, it began to give me concerns especially going by the writngs of church growth people like Rick Warren, Peter Wagner e.t.c and i began to doubt my calling and it began to affect my self worth and self esteem and even my marrige began to suffer as a result, until the Lord made me to understand that the church arm of the ministry was only 1/10th of what he had called me to do in the kingdom.

Before long a monthly teaching magazine was born, our television ministry came on air with great impact reaching over 10 million people weekly in south east Nigeria, i began to organize conferences and leadership development seminars in cities teaching on spiritual warfare and other subjects that the Lord would lay on my heart, while all this was going on the church i pastor has still remained under 100 in attendance but my ministry today has reached millions through books, tapes, magazines, conferences, television.

Our identity and our self worth is in who we are in Christ and not in what we do for chgrist and my brother should know that the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance.He is faithfull that calls, He also will do it .He that has began the good work in you will finish it.

I will be praying for him as there is no distance in the realm of the spirit, and let me end by saying that depression is not simply a medical condition but a demonic affliction, i percive in my spirit that the brother is being spiritually afflicted ,so while he goes on medication and receive help from therapist, he should also seek ministry from ministries who have understanding of spiritual warfare and let them minister deliverance from that bondage to him in JESUS NAME AND THAT HOLD WOULD BE BROKEN!

I say this from experience and from ministry, there is a spirit of depression that afflicts the minds of thousands of believers today and anti depression drugs only provides relief not healing it, does not mean that they are possed by demons, only afflicted because a believer has the Holy Spirit living on the inside and a demon can not reside there as well.

SHALOM !!