LEAD PASTOR UPDATE – August 1, 2024

The Elder Board and staff of Rise City Church and are incredibly excited to announce that Bobby Harrell has been hired as the next Lead Pastor of Rise City Church and officially began serving in that capacity on August 1st, 2024. Watch his introductory video to learn more.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS

You can hear and learn more about how the elders of Rise City Church arrived at their decision by watching the update video below. You can also learn more about the entire process by reading through our list of Frequently Asked Questions.

A MESSAGE FROM BRANDON & JAMIE

To hear more about why our founding pastor Brandon and his wife Jamie decided to move on, please watch their update video.

Why was the church in search of a new Lead Pastor?

After moving their family to San Diego to launch Rise City Church in 2013, Brandon, his wife Jamie, and their four children are being called back home. They will be returning to Bloomington/Normal, IL where Brandon will become the next Lead Pastor of Eastview Christian Church. Brandon was on staff at Eastview prior to planting Rise City, and ECC was significant in sending him and Jamie to California a decade ago.

Who was responsible for the search and selection of the new Lead Pastor?

The search and selection of a new Lead Pastor for Rise City Church was conducted through a collaborative effort between the Elder Board and senior-level staff, along with considerable input from the general staff and volunteer ministry leaders. The final decision, however, was the sole responsibility of the Elder Board.

That being said, while they held the ultimate responsibility, it’s crucial to understand that the overall approach was rooted in deep listening and empowering others for the church’s holistic success. The Elder Board made the final decision but only after a thorough process guided by prayer, collective wisdom, and collaboration.

What was the process for finding a new Lead Pastor?

Our search for the next Lead Pastor of Rise City Church involved 4 Steps:

I. CLARIFYING Expectations

The process began by first deciding where we believe the church is heading and what type of person God is calling to take us there, addressing what qualities and expectations we are seeking. This was a vital first step as so much of what makes us Rise City Church is a direct reflection of our founding pastor and his own unique way of leading.

It was thus be incumbent upon the Elder Board, senior-level staff, and others assisting the process to first form a clear picture of the type of person being sought after and what expectations we have for their leadership, vision, and values as a Lead Pastor.

II. CASTING a Net

Once we clarified expectations, the second step was to begin searching for potential candidates, both internally and externally, who fit our vision. To assist with this process, Rise City engaged with a Christ-centered search agency, Slingshot Group, to help us seek out qualified candidates. (More on who Slingshot is below.)

Following a comprehensive on-site visit assessing and seeking to understand our current culture and determining what type of candidate would be the best fit, Slingshot promoted the position and took well over one hundred (110) applications from both internal and external candidates.

After a thorough process of interviews, vetting, and personal assessments, they then selected an initial group of 5 potential candidates whom they believed best fit the expressed vision and values of Rise City Church. These candidates were presented to the Board on April 1st, 2024.

III. CONSIDERING Candidates

Once Slingshot Group delivered this initial list of candidates they felt best aligned with our search parameters, the following steps were taken:

  • STAGE 1: Initial Assessment and Interview
    • Our first action was to review each supplied candidate’s profile thoroughly and, since there were no immediate red flags, conduct initial interviews to determine if they were someone we wished to pursue further. This was done as a joint effort between the Elder Board and a special Ad Hoc selection committee made up of pastoral staff and volunteer leaders.
  • STAGE 2: Advanced Interviews
    • Following a month long series of interviews, the initial pool of five (5) candidates was pared down to the three (3) deemed the best overall fit. Each was then invited to participate in an on-site visit and further interviews with key decision makers, the Rise City staff, and a few other relevant steps the Board deemed appropriate.

IV. CALLING Whom God Has Called

Finally, once the Board has identified and chose the candidate with whom they believed God was calling us to move forward, they made a formal offer and moved forward together. This decision was, according to Rise City Church’s Policy Governance, a unanimous decision by the entire Board of Elders.

Who is Slingshot and why did we feel using them was necessary?

The Slingshot Group is a Christ-centered, church staffing agency made up of current and former pastors and ministry leaders who come along side churches like ours engaged in the hiring process to consult, recruit, and fully assess potential candidates. And we felt it prudent to retain their services in our search for a number of reasons.

First, they brought a considerable wealth of valuable insight, experience, and resources to the hiring process, as well as access to a tremendously deep pool of potential candidates and the ability to cast a wide net to promote the position to those who would likely never hear of it otherwise. (This was confirmed when we had 109 total applications come in just 3 months!)

But even more important for our situation, engaging with an external, unbiased ministry like Slingshot ensured that whoever ended up being selected was first compared to a large pool of candidates and not simply chosen based upon friendships or insider politics.

Lastly, please know that Slingshot Group’s role in this process was NOT to select the next Lead Pastor of Rise City Church, but merely to help us find the right potential candidates who best fit what we are looking for … and then allow us make the decision ourselves. They were merely a resource to aid the process, not the final decision makers.

You can learn more about who they are by visiting their website  www.slingshotgroup.org.

How was the church being led in the interim?

During this transitional phase, our Executive Pastor, Pete Goodman, was been chosen by the Elders to temporarily guide our church community as the Interim Lead Pastor in collaboration with our senior-level staff. He functioned with the same general daily duties and responsibilities of the normal Lead Pastor, but avoided making any “major” decisions or alterations to the church’s mission/vision/values, ministry operations, key staff, nor any significant long-term budget expenditures without direct Elder Board involvement and approval.

How does this affect our plans for building a new youth space?

At this point in time, the building plans for the new youth wing have been temporarily postponed until more clarity on future leadership can be established.

That being said, Rise City Church has and will continue to believe in and prioritize the next generation, regardless of who serves as Lead Pastor. We continue to see God move in truly incredible ways among our Middle and High School students and are incredibly excited about the future of our student ministry.

We will continue to keep the church updated and informed on this issue as it continues to develop.

How can we ask additional questions?

Your voice matters to us. If you have any further questions or concerns, email them to [email protected] and a member of our staff will respond shortly. Every question is treated with seriousness, logged for transparency, and directed to the appropriate team for an informed response.