As a church we are seeking to appoint a new Pastor who will lead us as a fellowship as we seek to serve God in our community. Our church seeks to serve the community in which we live as well as to share the redeeming message of Christ. We have recognised that as a fellowship we have some areas where we are well equipped and some where we feel less able. In particular we do not feel well equipped to reach out into our community. In looking for a minister we are seeking a person who, whilst leading us generally, will in particular better equip us in this area and who is able to lead by practical example.
Role Descriptor:
The key twin roles of the new Pastor will therefore be: the Team Leader of the Church Leadership and congregation and the Catalyst for the church’s community involvement, witness and service.
1. Team Leader
The term ‘Team Leader’ seeks to avoid two extremes; namely, seeing the new Pastor as the sort of Lead Pastor where the primary role of the rest of the leadership is simply to support his or her lead or seeing the new Pastor as merely another member of the leadership team, other than being stipendiary. The term ‘Team Leader’ seeks to capture a middle way: someone who clearly has a gift of leadership and has freedom to exercise it but whose style is collaborative to the core. The new Pastor will thus envision, coordinate, resource and release the gifts of all in the leadership and congregation.
2. Catalyst for the church’s community involvement, witness and service
Although there will obviously be some flexibility according to gifting, this will particularly involve:
2.1. setting an example in terms of personal evangelism and community involvement
2.2. ensuring support for all the mission initiatives that already exist in the church and in initiating new ones as appropriate.
2.3 training and empowering the congregation in personal evangelism, community outreach and discipleship.
2.4 providing pastoral care (as part of a pastoral care team) to the wider community as appropriate
3. Working with the church family
3.1. We would expect the new Pastor as Team Leader to chair leadership meetings and church meetings. However, this can be negotiated.
3.2 The new Pastor will participate in the wider governance, the prayer life and fellowship life of the church, though the level of leadership of these will be open to negotiation.
3.3 The new Pastor will become part of the preaching team and be involved in the planning and delivery of the worship services.
3.4 The new Pastor will be involved in pastoral care as part of a pastoral care team but with a particular emphasis on pastoral care in the wider community.
3.5 The new Pastor will not necessarily need to represent the church in an ecumenical context but would normally do so for community events.
4. Expectation Exchange and decision-making process
Once a candidate has been recommended to the leadership by the Search Group the plan is for an expectations exchange to occur. This would allow both the potential pastor and church to make sure that the expectations of both sides align well. This will be led by the leadership in the context of a ‘first preach’ weekend by the candidate. Given that the role is pastor with a community emphasis, wider exposure to our context will happen that weekend. A second ‘preach with a view’ will also include an informal time with the whole congregation where questions can be asked.
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