It’s Hiring Season: Beware Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
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There are wolves outside your schoolhouse door. They want in. Some may already be inside—prowling the halls, lurking in classrooms, or occupying offices. But they don’t look like wolves. They look like sheep. They bleat like sheep. Yet, they are not sheep.
These are potential and current employees who appear good, sound good, and may even be highly competent. But deep in their hearts, they do not fully embrace the school’s biblical convictions and mission.
The greatest threat to your school’s mission does not come from government mandates or outside organizations—though these can be real dangers. Like storm clouds on the horizon, external threats are visible, allowing time to prepare.
The greater danger comes from within. Internal threats are subtle, persistent, and often unnoticed until the damage is done. The most significant of these is hiring staff who are not fully aligned with the school’s theology and mission—or who, over time, become influenced by cultural values that oppose them. This insidious threat arises from wolves who disguise themselves as faithful members of the school community.
Paul warns of this very danger:
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:13–15).
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-16).
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them (Acts 20:29–30).
Hire Mission-Fit Staff
Hiring employees with an unequivocal and immutable dedication to the Upholding the school’s biblical standards and mission is crucial. Even minor concessions in the hiring process can lead to significant mission drift over time.
Small deviations may seem inconsequential at first, but like a traveler slightly off course, they compound over distance. A one-degree shift feels insignificant in the moment—after one foot, you’re only 0.2 inches off. But after a mile, that error grows to 92.2 feet. On a flight from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., a single-degree miscalculation would land you over 42 miles off target, near Baltimore instead.1
Likewise, small compromises in hiring may seem harmless in the moment, but over time, they can lead the school far from its intended mission.
Even minor hiring compromises will slowly lead the school to a destination far removed from what the founders envisioned when establishing the school.
Don’t Lead the Witness!
Throughout my career, I have made it a practice to personally interview every potential employee—from senior leaders to groundskeepers—to confirm both their relationship with Christ and their alignment with the school’s mission.
At one school I led, I repeatedly found myself rejecting candidates who had already been vetted and recommended by senior leaders. In several cases, I turned them down because their confidence rested on their own merits rather than Christ’s for salvation.
After multiple interviews, I realized the issue wasn’t just with the candidates—it was with our process. Without meaning to, my team was “leading the witness.” They asked leading questions and talked too much, inadvertently signaling the answers they wanted to hear. I had to train my leadership team to resist over-explaining or framing questions in a way that allowed candidates to simply parrot back the expected response.
For example, instead of asking, “Do you believe in the atoning death of Jesus Christ for your salvation?”—a question that presumes agreement—it’s far more revealing to ask, “If you were to die tonight and stand before God at the gates of Heaven, and He asked, ‘Why should I let you in?’ what would you say?”
This approach ensures that a candidate’s response reflects their genuine beliefs and understanding, rather than merely affirming what they think we want to hear.
Vet Vigorously
A candidate may share a compelling testimony and answer interview questions with confidence, but that doesn’t necessarily mean their lifestyle aligns with their words.
Beyond standard reference checks, it’s wise to dig deeper by contacting secondary references—individuals not listed by the applicant but recommended by their primary references. These secondary contacts often provide insights that the initial references may not mention.
Additionally, take time to review the candidate’s social media presence. Do their posts consistently reflect a biblical worldview, Christ-like character, and the Fruit of the Spirit? If not, they may not be the right fit for your school.
Enforce Contracts and Policies
Even with careful hiring, a school can still drift off course over time as some employees compromise their character or commitment to biblical teaching. The pressure to conform to the world’s philosophies and values is relentless. Like the proverbial frog in the kettle, these shifts often happen so gradually that we fail to recognize them—until it’s too late, if ever. At times, the temptation to avoid the inevitable cost of faithfulness leads to compromise. The increasing acceptance of gay marriage, homosexuality, and gender fluidity within the Christian community is a sobering example.
To safeguard against mission drift, it’s essential to regularly review and update contracts, employee handbooks, and position papers to ensure they clearly articulate the school’s beliefs, standards, and expectations. I also recommend requiring all employees to reaffirm their commitment to the school’s biblical positions annually and to agree to uphold its policies.
Write Position Papers
Most schools have contracts and employee handbooks, but position papers—though less common—are just as vital. These documents articulate the school’s stance on complex and often controversial issues, grounding them in biblical teaching. They help ensure that employees clearly understand the school’s position on a wide range of social and cultural matters.
Position papers also serve another crucial purpose: they force school leadership to think deeply about challenging issues. The process of writing them brings clarity, fosters alignment among leaders, and ensures the school can communicate with one voice.
However, having contracts and position papers isn’t enough—you must enforce them. School leaders must be willing to dismiss employees whose beliefs or lifestyles no longer align with the school’s biblical commitments. This will not be easy, especially if the employee is well-liked. You may face strong opposition and feel pressure to compromise. Don’t. Do what must be done—wisely, graciously, but with unwavering resolve.
Cultivate Biblical Literacy and Spiritual Maturity
Good theology is the surest defense against mission drift.
Hiring the right people is not enough—you must continually reinforce the school’s theological foundations through systematic teaching and training. Assuming that employees possess a solid and coherent understanding of biblical doctrine is a serious mistake. In a culture that has largely abandoned its Judeo-Christian roots, and with many churches embracing a lowest-common-denominator theology, biblically literate employees are increasingly rare.
Beyond that, no one is immune to the subtle influence of unbiblical thinking. Universities, entertainment, social media, and other cultural forces relentlessly work to normalize beliefs and behaviors that contradict Scripture. Without intentional discipleship, even committed Christians can drift.
To guard against mission drift and compromise, theological training must be woven into the school’s professional development programs. We must consistently reinforce and deepen employees’ biblical literacy so they are not swayed by “arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
This is why, shortly before his death, the Apostle Peter made it a priority to remind believers of the essentials of biblical teaching and godly living:
This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles (2 Peter 3:1–2).
If the Apostle Peter saw the need to remind the church of its theology, how much more must we do the same?
Teaching and reinforcing biblical theology not only strengthens the spiritual growth of our faculty but also cultivates a Christ-honoring culture and fortifies the school against the encroachment of unbiblical ideas and values.
At every school I have led, I worked closely with administrators and Bible departments to provide systematic theological training. In one school, I partnered with our academic leadership to implement a year-long program covering essential biblical doctrines. Topics included: God and the Holy Trinity, God’s Eternal Decree, Creation, Providence, The Fall of Man, Sin and Its Consequences, God’s Covenant with Man, Christ the Mediator, Free Will, Effectual Calling, Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, Saving Faith, Repentance unto Life, Good Works, The Law of God, Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience, Marriage and Divorce, The State of Men after Death, The Resurrection of the Dead, and The Last Judgment.
School leaders—or a designated Bible teacher—should provide ongoing theological instruction for all employees. This is the surest anchor against mission drift and theological compromise.
Shepherd Your Staff
When I was an undergraduate, a classmate encouraged me to become a pastor. He believed my teaching gifts were at least adequate for pastoral ministry.
He was kind—but wrong. While I do have the gift of teaching, I am neither called to nor equipped for pastoral ministry. However, over time, I’ve come to realize that while my friend was mistaken about my vocation, he was right about something essential: as the leader of a Christian school, I am called to a pastoral role.
I am a spiritual shepherd for my staff, students, and parents—a responsibility I take seriously because eternal souls are at stake. As C.S. Lewis reminds us:
You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.2
“You have never talked to a mere mortal.” Those words are weighty and worthy of deep reflection.
While we bear significant responsibility for the quality of our schools and how they are led, we must never forget—regardless of personality type or leadership style—that people matter more to God than projects and programs. Caring for people is our primary stewardship, our greatest privilege. Every day, we interact with eternal souls. What we say to and about them matters. What we do—or fail to do—has lasting consequences, for good or for harm.
One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Jesus’ restoration of Peter after his cowardly denials. Three times, echoing Peter’s threefold denial, Jesus commands him: “Feed my sheep.” Every time I read or teach from Peter’s epistles, I am reminded that, over 2,000 years later, I am one of the sheep Peter is still feeding.
We, too, are called to feed our sheep. From tender six-year-olds to seasoned sixty-year-olds, our schools are filled with people who need spiritual nourishment. Some need counsel, some need encouragement, some need admonishment, and some require discipline.
They need the Shepherd. And they need a shepherd.
There are two simple ways to shepherd your staff.
1. Shepherding Your Leadership Team
Your approach to shepherding must be shaped by the size of your school.
In a small school, it’s possible to build relationships with every employee, making it easier—and more natural—to shepherd them personally. However, in a larger school, forging close relationships with every staff member is simply not feasible.
In her book Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, Kim Scott writes:
The relationships you have with the handful of people who report directly to you will have an enormous impact on the results your team achieves. If you lead a big organization, you can’t have a relationship with everybody. But the relationships you have with your direct reports will impact the relationships they have with their direct reports. The ripple effect will go a long way toward creating—or destroying—a positive culture. Relationships may not scale, but culture does.3
You may not be able to influence every employee directly, but you can influence your direct reports. Like ripples in a pond, the way you lead them will impact those who report to them, and so on. This cascading effect shapes the culture of the entire school, fostering a healthy, biblically grounded, and Christ-honoring environment.
Shepherding your team doesn’t have to be complicated, but it must be intentional. You’ve likely heard the acronym KISS: “Keep it simple, stupid.” I prefer a different version: KIISS—Keep It Intentional, Simple, and Scriptural.
Intentional
While opportunities to shepherd your team may arise naturally, you cannot rely on serendipity. Shepherding must be a deliberate and consistent focus of your leadership. It should be planned, structured, and woven into the rhythm of your team’s interactions.
Simple
Leaders are busy, and so are those they oversee. Unnecessary complexity makes it harder to shepherd effectively and consistently. As Albert Einstein famously advised, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” Keep your approach to shepherding straightforward and sustainable.
Scriptural
The best way to keep God’s Word at the forefront of decision-making is to integrate it into leadership team meetings, discussions, and communications. This should not be a token exercise but a meaningful and natural part of your school’s leadership culture.
A practical way to do this is by having each leadership team member take turns leading a brief, five- to ten-minute devotional at the start of team meetings. Additionally, biblical truth should be infused in your internal and external communications—where relevant and appropriate—to reinforce a biblical worldview in daily operations.
Here’s a concrete example of shepherding through communication: I was once copied on an email from a teacher to a senior leadership team member:
I know you get a lot of [expletive] from people, but I wanted to tell you that the way you have handled the situation has been amazing! Your tweet the other day showed a lot of class! You are performing your job with integrity and are a true Christian model for the school community and others looking in from the outside. Keep up the GREAT work!
When I read that email, I was stunned. I immediately reached out to two members of my senior leadership team:
While I appreciate his kind comments, which I entirely agree with, I did not appreciate his language. I’m not a prude, but our language is always to reflect the highest standards of Christian character, including Paul’s admonition that we are to let no corrupting talk come out of our mouths (Ephesians 4:29), that we are always to live beyond reproach (1 Timothy 3:2), and abstain from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). We are also to be a model for our students (Matthew 10:24–25). I don’t think the language in his email matches those standards. Let’s talk.
The senior leader who received the original email met with the employee to address the inappropriate language. The employee was corrected, and a clear message was reinforced: all staff must uphold biblical standards in both conduct and speech.
2. Staff Devotions
I have made it a practice throughout my career to share devotionals with school staff. Though brief, I prepare them with care. Nearly all come directly from Scripture and often emerge from my personal devotions. When reading God’s Word, I may be inspired (little “i”) with an idea for a devotional. I quickly capture the thought and flesh it out when I sit down to prepare.
Another approach I’ve used is creating a series of devotions tied to the school’s yearly theme. Each summer, I prayerfully select a biblical theme with accompanying Scripture for the upcoming school year. This theme remains front and center—it’s displayed on banners, referenced in communications with parents, alumni, and donors, and serves as the foundation for staff and student devotionals.
Sometimes, themes are developed in response to a pressing need within the school. For example, when I first arrived at one of the schools I led, I encountered deep cynicism and mistrust between faculty and administration. The staff culture was toxic. I quickly realized that restoring a Christ-honoring, trusting, and healthy culture required focused effort. As part of that work, I implemented three sequential yearly themes:
• Year 1: The Fruit of the Spirit
• Year 2: Unity
• Year 3: Love Your Neighbor
As I outline in Communicator and Chief, communication is one of the school leader’s most critical responsibilities. Whether spoken or written, we constantly share school policies, event details, personnel updates, strategic initiatives, prayer requests, and reports. Nearly every communication is an opportunity to weave in biblical truth.
For example, financial reports can highlight biblical principles of stewardship. Strategic plan updates can emphasize how they align with the school’s mission to help students develop the mind of Christ. A leader well-grounded in Christian doctrine will find countless ways to infuse communication with Scripture. Doing so not only fosters spiritual growth (John 17:17) but also reinforces the centrality of God’s Word in the school’s mission and programs. The firmer the anchor, the less likely the school is to drift.
Wolves are always at the schoolhouse door. Sometimes, they slip inside. As leaders, we are responsible for protecting the school from the wolves of compromise—both within and without. To safeguard the school, we must:
1. Hire Mission-fit Employees
2. Don’t Lead the Witness
3. Vet Vigorously
4. Enforce Contracts and Policies
5. Write Position Papers
6. Cultivate Biblical Literary
7. Shepherd Your Staff
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References
1. Fr. Jim Chern. 2021. The Difference One Degree Makes. https://homilyonthespot.com/2021/08/29/the-difference-one-degree-makes/
2. Lewis, C.S.. 2009. Weight of glory: And other addresses. HarperCollins e-books.
3. Scott, Kim. 2017. Radical candor: Be a kick-ass boss without losing your humanity. St. Martin's Press. http://books.google.com/books?id=IkLjDAAAQBAJ&hl=&source=gbs\_api