Brian Dunks - Executive Search Consultant

As a member of the Executive Search Consultant Team at Vanderbloemen, Brian works directly with our clients, guiding them through the extensive search process to find the right staff for their church. He brings over 22 years of pastoral ministry experience to the Executive Search Team at Vanderbloemen, having served churches in Texas of every size and setting. Brian also has experience in the for-profit world. He has owned his own promotional company, acted as Director of Sales over the Eastern Division at Mid-States Services, and has worked in the Nashville real estate market. 

Quotes

• (4:28) “I was interviewing a man named Daniel recently who said,

'The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you discover why.'

• ...Once you identify the purpose of your organization, or why your organization was 'born,' you can shape your staffing structure and strategy around that purpose."
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• (14:15) - “God did his best work in three [days]. If God can do something as big as a resurrection in that short amount of time, He can definitely help move things along in your committee."

• (14:39) - “The hardest part [of hiring] is finding a consensus around candidates and working through resumes."
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Resources

Books - 

• Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger

• Search: The Pastoral Search Committee Handbook by William Vanderbloemen

Resource Center -

• Our Blog

• • [BLOG] The Comprehensive List of Interview Questions for Church Staff

Coaching Network - 

• Lead Pastors

• Executive Pastors

Core Ideas

(2:47) Why is hiring so important for Christian organizations?

(3:58) Staffing v.s. Hiring

• Staff according to your organization's vision and mission

(5:23) Staffing Structure & Strategy

• Each church or organization is different 

• • Clearly define your unique decision-making process

• Identify key decision-makers 

• Create alignment around the hire

(8:18) Key Tips for Alignment

• List out negotiables and non-negotiables

• • Essentials and non-essentials

• • Must-haves and would-like-to-haves

• No candidate will match requirements 100%

• If this person is lacking, are we able to provide coaching/training?

(13:12) Hiring Timeline - How often should a board or search committee meet?

• Depends on if the search is being done independently or with help from a third-party

• • An independent search will take longer 

• Once candidates are found, the decision-making body must be prepared to move quickly

• Consistent process and communication

(15:36) Interview Tips - Why can interviewing be overwhelming for ministry leaders?

• It is difficult to prayerfully decipher who God is leading to serve on your staff

• First interview - discuss non-negotiables

• Second interview - discuss negotiables

(17:36) Recap

Questions

• (19:42) "How should I approach a congregational vote on a pastoral candidate?"

• • Two different ways to go about it

• • Congregational interaction with the candidate is important

• (22:18) "How do I talk to my board or committee about getting outside help, either from a third party or just consulting?"

• • Don't be afraid to reach out - if you've never done it before, you're not alone

• • Explain the benefits of asking for help

• • • Partnering with a search firm will abbreviate the process without letting the church loose momentum

• • • Having an objective third party talk to a committee can help with alignment - asking the right questions and making sure everyone is being heard 

about Brian

Brian Dunks is an Executive Search Consultant at Vanderbloemen.

Brian brings over 22 years of pastoral ministry experience to the Executive Search Team at Vanderbloemen.  He has served in every size church and setting in Texas, most recently as Senior Pastor of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, Texas.  Under his leadership, guiding spiritual formation, creative transformation, and organizational development, each church experienced expansive growth and vitality.

Brian has also worked in the for-profit world and has proven himself as a catalyst in business development and sales management.  Following Columbus, Brian worked at Mid-States Services as Director of Sales over the Eastern Division demonstrating a positive record of increased sales and expansion across a 22 state area.  Brian has also owned his own promotional company and worked in the Nashville real estate market.

Brian holds degrees from Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Brian’s unique synthesis of education, experience, and ability give him the right perspective to help churches and ministries connect with the right people.

As a member of the Executive Search Consultant Team at Vanderbloemen, Brian works directly with our clients, guiding them through the extensive search process to find the right staff for their church.  Brian’s focus is discovering the DNA of our clients and matching them with candidates who possess the skills and gifts they need.

Brian, his wife Jennifer, and their daughter Kelly live in the greater Houston area. They have four other grown children spread out across the United States in California, Arizona and Texas.  Jennifer works for Southwest Airlines, which allows them to visit their children as much as possible.  Together they enjoy hiking and biking, travel and adventure, good food and movies, and spending time with friends and family.