Pastor of Discipleship

Reports to: Senior Pastor
Position Type: Full-time, pastoral staff

The Pastor of Discipleship will serve as a key pastoral leader within the life of the church, working closely with and directly under the leadership of the senior pastor.

This role is deeply relational and designed to function as a “right-hand” pastoral partner—helping to cultivate a culture of intentional discipleship, shepherd God’s people and strengthening the spiritual health of the congregation.

The position is intentionally developmental with the understanding that it serves as a direct pathway toward future senior pastoral leadership for the right person.

Primary responsibilities

• Provide pastoral leadership and care with a demonstrated love for God’s people and a visible commitment to their spiritual growth
• Develop, implement, oversee and evaluate discipleship ministries that foster maturity in Christ across all stages of life
• Provide oversight and support for a broad range of ministries across the church, not limited to any single age group or demographic
• Serve as a generalist pastor, able and willing to step in where needs are identified—offering leadership, care, coordination or support as circumstances require
• Mentor and equip individuals and leaders through intentional relationships, modeling a life of faithfulness, humility and obedience to Christ
• Collaborate closely with the senior pastor to support the overall vision, preaching ministry, leadership development and spiritual direction of the church
• Preach regularly, with a primary expectation of preaching approximately once per month, in alignment with the theological convictions and teaching vision of the church
• Work effectively with elders, ministry leaders and volunteers in a spirit of unity, mutual respect and shared mission
• Take initiative as a self-starter—identifying needs, creating solutions and leading ministries with energy, clarity and accountability

Qualifications and character expectations

• A demonstrated devotional life evidencing individual scripture reading, prayer and study
• A clear and evident love for God’s people, characterized by shepherding, availability and relational warmth
• An extraverted, affable, relational leader comfortable initiating relationships and engaging people across diverse backgrounds
• Evidence of strong interpersonal communication skills
• A self-starter with proven experience in mentoring others and leading initiatives, including planning, execution and ongoing management
• Meaningful ministry experience combined with real-world experience that informs leadership, wisdom and maturity
• A teachable spirit—willing to learn, grow and receive guidance from the senior pastor and church leadership
• A demonstrated respect for spiritual authority and a commitment to serving under the leadership of the elders and senior pastor
• Personal life marked by health and integrity with a well-ordered household and family life that reflects biblical priorities
• Full agreement with and adherence to the doctrinal statement of the Evangelical Free Church of America and the doctrinal statement of Grace Community Church

Relationship to the senior pastor

• This position works in close partnership with the senior pastor, in consultation with the board of elders and requires a high level of trust, alignment and shared vision
• The pastor of discipleship must be able to support, complement and strengthen the senior pastor’s leadership
• There is a clear understanding that this role serves as a direct developmental pathway toward senior pastoral leadership, should God so lead

Interested candidate

• Because external ministry references are often limited or difficult to verify, the church places strong emphasis on observed character, relational maturity, theological clarity and demonstrated fruitfulness in ministry
• The selection process will prioritize prayerful discernment, relational interaction and alignment with the church’s leadership culture

The interested candidate will provide
o A resume
o Five individual (non-familial) references
o Social media accounts
o Personal testimony
o A completed Applicant Questionnaire - This form will be sent to qualified applicants
o Video of preaching/teaching
o Sample of writing
o List of books read in the past year

Salary and Benefits

• Base Salary: $44,000
• Housing Allowance: $27,000
• Full medical coverage

• We are interested in candidates nationwide for this role – and as such Grace Church will provide a relocation package for the right out-of-town candidate

• Grace Church will also cover a candidate’s expenses for an overnight visit to meet our leadership and see our community in-person.