07/22/2026
That was the problem.
I was qualified on paper. Credentialed. Experienced. But I carried an unconscious hierarchy that made me a flight risk before I ever signed the offer letter. Pastors could feel it even when they couldn’t name it.
If you’re hiring right now — the resume doesn’t tell you that story. The conversation does. Ask them where they see themselves in three years. Ask them what excites them about a church your size. Listen for the hesitation.
Culture fit isn’t soft. It’s the most important data point in the room.