How to Compose an Effective Ad
The bulletin board of the Pastoral Search Network will expose your ad to
thousands of interested parties a month. However, it is up to you to compose an
ad that will capture the interest of those viewers.
1. Begin with a brief, descriptive caption which will appeal to the viewers you
hope to reach. The following is good example: “DYNAMIC, NAZARENE PASTOR WITH 20
YRS EXPERIENCE.” Notice that with only seven words, the author has identified
their denomination, vocation, experience and motivation. Another method is to
use a clever or unique header. An itinerate evangelist might try something like:
“HAVE BIBLE WILL TRAVEL.”
2. Just like a resume, your ad should be well written, using good grammar and
correct spelling.
3. Get to the point and tell the viewer why they would want to connect with you.
What is it you can do for them? Can you help their church grow? Can you pay a
pastor a desirable wage?
4. How can interested parties reach you? In most cases, it's to your advantage
to list every means possible... your address, phone number, and e-mail address
(which must always be placed last in your text). However, if you need to remain
anonymous (such as a current pastor seeking another position) and need to
protect the identity of your real e-mail address, we can mask your e-mail
address so that it will not display on the page, but will still allow persons to
send replies to you by e-mail.
5. Be patient and seek the Lord's will. Remember, finding a pulpit or a pastor
is not merely a matter of placing an ad... but receiving God's call and
guidance. Some ads generate dozens of responses, while others may only receive a
few. However, remember that thousands of persons will view your ad -- just have
patience for God to link you with the right source. In some cases, persons have
kept their ad running for a year or more until finding the right match.
Sample Ads
Below are two of our more successful ads we've hosted, which generated
scores of replies. In both cases, as a result of their ad, they found the
position/pastor that they were seeking. Study the ads and use them as a model
for your own ideas.
SEEKING SENIOR PASTORATE -- Dynamic
verse-by-verse Preacher and evangelistic Strategist seeks a medium to large
congregation who wishes to grow to the next level. For 7 years served as
Professor of NT at a regionally accredited Bible college; past 10 years as
Senior Pastor of a SBC church. Have worked officially with the Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association on many projects, hosted a nationwide radio program,
and authored several books. Baptistic, reformed and premillennial in theology.
Hold to the full inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. Ph.D. Present
salary: $60,000, plus benefits. If you are searching for a verse-by-verse Bible
Expositor in the tradition of G. Campbell Morgan, Donald Grey Barnhouse, Harry
Ironside, Stephen Olford, Adrian Rogers and John MacArthur, and have a heart for
evangelism and world missions, I invite your serious inquiries. Please e-mail me.
Posted (11-7-97)
SEEKING SENIOR PASTOR -- Bethel Christian Church, a
non-denominational, full-gospel, evangelical church, is actively searching for
the Senior Pastor whom God has chosen to lead us into the future. Bethel is a
unique, growing, family-oriented church in an inner-city location drawing people
from throughout the City of San Francisco and the Bay Region. We are a
multi- generational, multi-cultural congregation of 500+ with a strong
foundation of nearly 75 years of ministry. We recently completed
construction of a 1,000 seat sanctuary, one of the largest in the City, and we
are now poised to make an even greater impact upon the City and the Bay Area
with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our loving, motivated, and compassionate
congregation needs a dynamic visionary man to lead us. While being a
strong equipper and exhorter, his gifting should also include dynamic, practical
and relevant preaching and teaching. Please send resume and cassette to:
Stan Wessels, Bethel Christian Church, S earch Committee, 1325 Valencia Street,
San Francisco, CA 94110. Please visit our website and/or e-mail us.
(Posted 3-3-98)
