Senior Pastor
Job Description
About the Candidate
Grace Community Church is a close knit, gospel believing congregation with a missional mindset located in Belle Plaine, Iowa. We are seeking a Christ-centered man of God who can Lead and Care for the flock in Belle Plaine. The ideal candidate has a passion for preaching the gospel through the Bible, growing our 10-year-old church plant and engaging in the life of a small-town community.
Key Responsibilities: Ephesians 4:12: “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Preach approximately 40 sermons per year)
Reports To: Elder Team
Leadership
• Be the lead servant casting vision for the church that is in alignment with the church’s mission to Know, Grow, Sow and Go!
• Serve as the primary preacher preparing Biblical messages that speak into the lives of both believers and non-believers, young and old, while incorporating existing preachers into the rotation and developing other within the congregation to preach.
• Lead worship services (currently Saturday at 5:00 p.m.) and special events incorporating elders and others from the congregation as appropriate (e.g., baptisms, communion, weddings, funerals).
• Coach, disciple, mentor and develop elders and potential servants for ministry calling.
Pastoral Care
• Encourage a culture of grace, humility and mutual accountability.
• Prayerfully lead the service groups in discerning how to effectively meet the needs of the church and community by utilizing existing teams and guiding additional congregants into meaningful positions of service to utilize their individual gifting.
• Support the existing biblical counseling ministry that points to the Bible as the sole authority for godly living and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).
Administration
• Plan and lead regular elder meetings.
• Support and participate in strategic planning, budgeting, and church development.
Community Engagement
• Represent Christ and the church in the local community through presence, service and partnership.
• Be an approachable spiritual leader in the local community.
Qualifications:
• A clear testimony of personal faith in Jesus Christ and a call to lead pastoral ministry.
• Agreement with the church’s doctrinal statement and mission.
• A degree in theology, biblical studies or related field (seminary training preferred).
• Prior pastoral or ministry experience preferred, especially in a small-town or rural context.
• Excellent communication, leadership and relational skills.
• A humble, teachable spirit gifted in leading and preaching.
Compensation:
Compensation will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. A beautiful parsonage is available for housing. If married, the pastor’s wife’s responsibility is her family and whatever she is called to do.
About this Church
Grace Community Church is a 10-year-old church plant in Belle Plaine, Iowa that was founded in response to a need for gospel-centered biblical teaching. We are led by a team of five bi-vocational elders, four of whom have carried the responsibility of preaching for the length of GCC’s existence. The church family of GCC is young, with a large youth group and kids’ ministry and has a major focus on raising up the next generation to know and serve Jesus. Our church is heavily mission-focused, and our tight-knit dynamic lends to many evangelistic and discipleship-focused events, such as a 5K race for missions, potlucks, life groups, a yearly community cookout and youth events. God has truly blessed us in the last 10 years with a church body that has a heart for contemporary worship, verse-by-verse Bible teaching and prayer-dependent growth. Our mission is to Know God, Grow in Christ, Sow the Gospel and Go into the world (Know, Grow, Sow, Go).
About the Community
The community of Belle Plaine has roughly 2,300 people, just small enough to have that home-like, small-town feel but big enough for constant ministry opportunities. There are a lot of young families here, and there are always town events (many of them traditions) to attend. We have a decent-sized school system, a Christian academy that is owned by one of our elder’s wives, and plenty of parks, businesses and eateries to support the growth of our local community. Grace Community Church would love to welcome a pastor who will be excited to get involved with our town and will embrace our love for small-town living and community.