Ethics Around Pastors Recruiting Staff from Other Churches. Is it OK?

[Pastor Matt]

I want to talk about something that's been on my mind lately: pastors hiring staff from other churches. It happens, but is it really fair? A few times, pastors have reached out to me about offering our Youth Pastor a job as a Youth Pastor in their church. While I appreciate them asking me instead of doing it secretly, I still feel like it's not right to recruit from other churches for the same job. Every time it's happened, it's been a big church asking our only staff member to leave and join them. Pastors have told me not to make our Youth Pastor feel guilty for leaving,  that they really need them, and that this is normal practice in churches so don't worry about it.

Is this something you've seen in your area? 

[BrotherTony]

3 hours ago, Pastor Matt said:

I want to talk about something that's been on my mind lately: pastors hiring staff from other churches. It happens, but is it really fair? A few times, pastors have reached out to me about offering our Youth Pastor a job as a Youth Pastor in their church. While I appreciate them asking me instead of doing it secretly, I still feel like it's not right to recruit from other churches for the same job. Every time it's happened, it's been a big church asking our only staff member to leave and join them. Pastors have told me not to make our Youth Pastor feel guilty for leaving,  that they really need them, and that this is normal practice in churches so don't worry about it.

Is this something you've seen in your area? 

It's a fairly common practice, unfortunately.  And it's not just for the youth pastors. Churches have been doing it for the senior pastors, and associate pastors. Two IFB churches we were members of here had this happen. Two of the SBC churches have been the victim of the same practices. 

Personally I find it a very distasteful practice and would find it hard to support the ministry of a church that practiced such a thing.