Vanderbloemen Search Group Tapped by Generation Church to Find New Executive Pastor

May 16, 2018 – Generation Church in Mesa, AZ, has retained executive recruiting firm Vanderbloemen Search Group to lead its hunt for a new executive pastor.

The church is seeking candidates who can perform well in the role, whether their education came formally or through learning on the job. “The individual who never stops learning will especially be attractive,” the search firm said.

The executive pastor will be the most senior direct report to the senior pastor, and will support him by providing high-level strategic leadership, said Vanderbloemen Search. “The executive pastor will have likely experience in both ministry and business settings – and has a track record of growing a church or organization,” the firm said. “The qualified candidate will provide the staff leadership, strategic direction and infrastructure necessary to continue the fast growth of Generation Church.”

The church wants a leader with a track record of growing an organization, company or church. The right candidate “ideally has been involved in leading a church of 3,000 or more along with high-level experience in the business community as well as in ministry,” said the search firm.

Personal Characteristics

Vanderbloemen presented several personal traits that Generation Church seeks in its next executive pastor:

• A confident leader who also carries a dose of humility and authenticity and enjoys working in a culture of honor.
• Highly disciplined work ethic and personal lifestyle in physical, financial and spiritual matters.
• Self-starter and result-oriented contributor that exemplifies a strong commitment to family values.
• Understands the cycles of ministry – work hard in busy seasons, take time to rest in between.
• A genuine love for Christ and a regular prayer/devotional life as well as a commitment to continual growth in personal, spiritual and emotional maturity.
• A life and heart congruent with the mission, vision and values of Generation Church.
• Strong relational and team building skills, particularly as it pertains to the senior leadership team and high-level volunteer leaders.

Generation Church has been in the East Valley of Phoenix for nearly 60 years. Pastor Randy Visconti became the senior pastor in 1999, and the church began to grow. Generation Church has been listed in the Outreach “100 Fastest Growing Churches” two years in a row. It is positioned for growth and the momentum level is extremely high, said the recruitment firm.

The Recruiters

Vanderbloemen Search Group is a pastor-focused search firm that helps churches and faith-based organizations find mission-driven leaders. It has completed hundreds of searches serving churches and ministries from 70 to 70,000 in size, including nearly 100 denominations and tribes.

The firm was founded in 2010 by William Vanderbloemen, who has combined over 15 years of ministry experience as a senior pastor with the best practices of executive search to provide churches with a unique, and some would say, inspirational offering.

Faith-Based Searches

Hunt Scanlon Media periodically reports on search assignments either underway or completed for faith-based organizations. Here’s a look at a few from the company’s news archives:

Los Angeles-based Kevin Chase Executive Search Group has been retained by the West End Collegiate Church in New York City to lead its search for a senior minister. Managing partner Kevin Chase is heading the assignment along with senior associate Catie DiFelice. 

Executive recruiting firm the Dingman Company is seeking a senior pastor for the United Church of Chapel Hill in North Carolina. Rev. Dr. Rich Kidd of the Dingman Company is leading the search. The recruiters are exploring a broad network to identify potential candidates, the firm said.

CarterBaldwin Executive Search placed Larry Griffith as CEO of Corporate Chaplains of America (CCA). The board’s selection comes after an extensive search that involved reaching out to more than 1,000 potential candidates. The assignment was conducted by CarterBaldwin founding partner Price Harding.

Diversified Search placed Sean P. Roddy as chief financial officer for Catholic Charities USA, one of the biggest charities in the country. Nalini Perkins, managing director of the recruiter’s non-profit practice, and Mark Mulvanerty, managing director of its financial officers practice, co-led the assignment.

Lochlin Partners placed Anthony Sciacca as chief development officer for Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), one of the nation’s largest charities representing a national network of agencies serving poor and vulnerable people and families. Mr. Sciacca previously served as director of archdiocesan appeals at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media