Disclaimer: Most organizations are legally prohibited to ask about an applicant’s faith, religion, or religious affiliation. With that said, there are some exceptions to churches and religious nonprofits. Regardless of the type or organization you lead, you should exercise caution and consider speaking to a legal professional before asking any specific faith-based questions to ensure that you are not violating any state or federal laws when interviewing potential candidates, especially if you are not a church, faith-based organization, or faith-based non-profit.
Faith-Based Interview Questions
Asking the right interview questions can be a little tricky, especially when it comes to hiring positions for a church or faith-based organization. Because the Church and faith world is so diverse, it’s important to find the right people that align with your church or organization’s theology, beliefs, convictions, and values. Having someone join your team that is not a good cultural fit or that does not have the same basic beliefs can cause disunity and division among your staff, volunteers, and church.
With that said, you have to be ok with managing the tension of finding the right people while also trying hard not to discriminate against people. This is a tension to manage, not necessarily a problem to solve. Selecting the right questions to ask in the hiring and interview process will help you find the best hire while also giving anyone and everyone a fair chance. Be open-minded when interviewing people. The best hire may not be the person you expect.
Here are 15 faith-based interview questions. This will be divided up into two sections. The first section is a list of general faith-based questions and the second section is a list of biblical and theological questions to ask.
Section 1: General Faith-Based Interview Questions
1. Tell Us About Your Faith Journey
This question is general enough to get the conversation going but is still asking people about their faith. Any potential hire for your church or organization will have a story regarding their faith Journey, whether they grew up in it, or something they discovered later in life. This will help you discover where they come from.
2. How Do You Express Your Faith?
How someone expresses their faith says a lot about their beliefs and priorities. Do they love reading the bible or other faith-building materials? Do they prefer to pray? Are they more expressive or reflective? Finding out how someone expresses their faith will also help you figure out if they fit in with your specific faith expression.
3. Are You Currently Involved in Your Church? If So, in What Way? If Not, Why Not?
This is an important question for churches to ask, but also faith-based organizations. It helps you gauge their passion for the church and if they have experience volunteering, leading, and being involved. If they are not currently involved, finding out why will also tell you something about their history and where they’re coming from. If they are not involved, it shouldn’t disqualify them but should be used as an opportunity to understand them.
4. Describe a Time You Positively Influenced or Impacted Someone
Any potential hire for a church or organization should easily find stories of a time they helped someone and positively impacted their lives. That is one of the main goals of a church and organization.
5. What Does Your Spiritual Life Look Like Day-to-Day?
The thing to look for in this question is consistency and discipline. You want to hire people that have disciplines in their life that keep their faith strong and keep them grounded, while also displaying their ability to work hard and live by principles, not feelings.
6. What Is Your Relationship with Prayer?
This is a better question than “What does your prayer life look like” because it forces potential candidates to think more critically and give a deeper answer on prayer.
7. How Do You Care for Yourself Physically and Emotionally?
You want to hire healthy people. People who take care of themselves physically and emotionally will add value to your organization and make the people around them healthier.
8. Describe Your Style of Leadership.
This question helps you determine if their leadership style aligns with your church or organization’s values while forcing the individual to think critically about leadership.
9. Have You Been a Part of a Small Group Before? If So, How Did It Benefit Your Life? If Not, Why?
This question will help you discover if this individual values community and relationships. Small Groups are a church’s main mechanism for building community. You will want to hire someone that has not only participated in small groups but sees the value in them. If they have not been in a small group before, remain open-minded and don’t disqualify them just yet. They may have a
good reason that may help you understand who they are and where they’re coming from.
10. What Does Biblical Spiritual Leadership Look Like to You?
Every church has a little bit of a different view when it comes to Biblical Spiritual Leadership. This is a great alignment question to see if they fit your church or organization’s view on Spiritual Leadership. If they have a different view, that’s ok as long as it’s not a polar opposite. This is another area to look for the underlying values and principles rather than the answer itself.
Section 2: Biblical and Theological Questions
1. What Books Have You Read That Have Shaped Your Faith?
Leaders are learners. People who want to lead, grow, develop, and become better will read. This question helps you to know if this potential candidate is a reader and, more importantly if they are looking to grow and get better.
2. What Does Discipleship Look Like to You?
Discipleship is a bit of a vague word. Knowing the potential hire’s view on discipleship will help you determine if they align with your church and organization’s discipleship strategy. If their view and strategy on discipleship are vastly different from your church or organization’s, they may not be a good fit.
3. What Is Your View on Water Baptism?
This question will help you to know the individual’s view on Water Baptism. Not every church or denomination approaches Water Baptism the same way. If the potential candidate has a completely different view than your church’s doctrine and belief, you will want to know that from the beginning which is why this question is important.
4. What Do You Believe Regarding the Holy Spirit?
Similar to Water Baptism, many churches have different views and teachings regarding the role and function of the Holy Spirit. Having a theological statement on your website isn’t enough to deter or encourage potential candidates. You will want to know where they stand on their beliefs about the Holy Spirit to ensure it lines up with your church’s beliefs.
5. Who Is Your Theological Hero and Why?
Knowing a potential hire’s theological hero will help you to find out what their background is regarding their beliefs and priorities. Who people listen to helps shape their worldview and belief system. This will give you a good idea of what they believe in and where they are coming from.
Choosing the Right Fit
Knowing what a potential candidate’s faith and beliefs are will help you determine if they are the best person to hire for your church and organization. It’s important to protect your church’s culture and values while also being open to differing opinions. Asking the questions above will help you find the best person for your church!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions Christian employers might ask:
1. What are some effective strategies for conducting panel interviews in a faith-based setting?
Panel interviews can provide diverse perspectives and help assess a candidate’s fit within your organization. To conduct successful panel interviews, consider including members from various levels of your organization, preparing and assigning specific questions to each panelist, and ensuring the interview environment is welcoming.
2. How should we assess a candidate’s experience in ministry or nonprofit work during the interview?
Assessing relevant experience is key for faith-based organizations that require specialized skills. Questions should focus on specific projects, ministry initiatives, or community engagement efforts the candidate has led or contributed to. This allows you to gauge their hands-on experience in settings that align with your organization’s values and goals.
3. Are there effective ways to discuss and evaluate a candidate’s spiritual journey respectfully?
Discussing a candidate’s spiritual journey can be deeply personal, so it’s crucial to approach this topic with care and respect. Questions about how faith has shaped their life and careers should invite open-ended, reflective responses, allowing candidates to share their journey comfortably.
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