Why did the Selection Committee feel that Pastor Aubrey was the best candidate for Senior Pastor of ECC?
The Senior Pastor Selection Committee believes that the Lord has graciously and clearly guided us from start to finish and we are convinced that Pastor Aubrey is the right candidate for ECC’s next Senior Pastor.
In particular, we strongly believe that Pastor Aubrey has demonstrated a great ability to preach the gospel clearly and faithfully. As a committee, we consider this as one of the most important factors for anyone seeking to be ECC’s senior pastor. Aubrey’s clear strength in this area was confirmed to us early on in the process. Furthermore, we spent much time evaluating the recent sermons of those external candidates we saw as most promising. We quickly formed the view that none of these candidates displayed a standard of expository preaching that we would desire to see at ECC.
The committee additionally observed Aubrey’s character as being a man who meets and exemplifies the biblical qualifications for leadership (1 Tim 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9). Aubrey is well-equipped to provide convictional and visionary leadership to ECC, in partnership with the elders. Above all, Aubrey has a shepherd’s heart, with a deep love and passion to love and care for ECC’s members and lead and equip others to do the same.
What was the process followed by the Senior Pastor Selection Committee in identifying the candidate?
The Senior Pastor Selection Committee made their decision after six months of fervent prayer, open discussion, and a rigorous, objective selection process.
We met a total of 21 times over 6 months period. Every meeting throughout the process began with an extended time devoted to prayer. The committee operated objectively and with a high degree of openness and transparency. Every member of the committee spoke and shared their opinions at each meeting. We also welcomed feedback from the congregation throughout the process, and all of the emails and inputs from ECC members were carefully considered by the committee.
The initial two months focused on completing our evaluation of Pastor Aubrey as the internal candidate. Even though Pastor Aubrey was considered a strong candidate for the position, the committee decided to open the search to external applicants to ensure the selection process was thorough, fair, and open to God’s leading for ECC.
- In August, we put together a job opportunity and job requirement profile as well as an evaluation process for external candidates, that was followed very closely by the SPSC.
- In September, the job was advertised publicly on numerous websites and job boards, as well as through word of mouth, for an open search period of two months.
- In total, the SPSC received, reviewed, and carefully vetted 45 external applications from the USA, South Africa, Malawi, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Sierre Leon, Nigeria, UK, and Australia.
The SPSC evaluated the 45 external applicants through a combination of CVs, Statements of Faith, answers to an extensive probing questionnaire and reviews of recorded preaching. At the end of this robust and thorough process, every member of the SPSC expressed a decisive vote of confidence in Pastor Aubrey as the candidate for this role. Every member of the Selection Committee sincerely believes and trusts in God’s calling of Pastor Aubrey to be ECC’s next Senior Pastor and are confident of his ability and gifts to lead ECC into our next chapter.
Why did the SPSC present only a single candidate and not multiple candidates for the church to consider?
ECC’s Constitution, Article III Section 4 (c) outlines the process for the calling of a Senior Pastor, and specifies that the selection committee will recommend a single candidate for Senior Pastor who will be presented to the congregation upon approval of the Elders.
What do ECC’s Elders feel about Pastor Aubrey as the candidate for Senior Pastor?
The Elders strongly affirm Aubrey’s godly character, spiritual maturity and leadership of his family. He meets the biblical qualifications for an elder. Aubrey not only has deep academic training in Bible and theology, but has deployed that knowledge to equip scores of ECC members and our pastoral apprentices. Pastor Aubrey is a gifted preacher who teaches the Bible faithfully with rich insights and searching application. The elders trust him to carry on the legacy of expository preaching at ECC. In his service here as an associate pastor, Aubrey has shown initiative and leadership in a host of areas around the church: life groups, the global pastoral apprenticeship program, congregationalism, Marhaba, worship leader training, internal administrative systems and more. And Aubrey loves the congregation. He has waded into numerous complex and challenging pastoral situations, often at great personal sacrifice. As an internal candidate, Aubrey knows ECC and is known by ECC. He will be able to take the baton from pastor Jeramie and keep ECC moving forward. He will bring stability and consistency especially in this time of global uncertainty.