The Associate Pastor for Discipleship is to be the chief champion for growing a healthy culture of discipleship in the church. This role will be focused on training leaders and developing strategies to engage all ages in theologically rich and missionally-minded discipleship. They will also connect people together for the purpose of mentoring and raising up healthy and strong followers of Jesus Christ. The Associate Pastors of the church work closely with the Senior Pastor in strategic planning, overall vision casting, and in seeking to fulfill the mission of the church. Associate Pastors are considered senior ministerial positions and are responsible to the Senior Pastor.
Congregational and Staff Relationship:
- Be a God-called person viewing their primary role as a minister of the gospel who consistently represents the love and light of Jesus Christ to everyone you encounter.
- Exhibit care and concern for all ministries and programs of First Baptist Church, Montgomery.
- Coordinate actions with other ministers and office staff as appropriate and as a cooperative and encouraging teammate. Love the Lord, love His people, and work accordingly!
Primary Responsibilities:
- Responsible for the overall education and discipleship ministries of the church, with primary emphasis on the Adult Division (Bible Fellowship, Discipleship University, weekday Bible studies, discipleship groups, etc.).
- Serve as the team leader within the educational staff, providing leadership, coordination, and direction to age group ministers. This includes leadership in the area of discipleship for the Preschool Minister, Children’s Minister, Student Minister, and College Minister.
- Coordinate the enlisting, training, and retaining of volunteers for service in all areas of the Adult Division. Assume a lead role in the facilitating of the Nominating Committee’s work.
- Serve as a resource person and advisor to the leaders of all educational ministries and committee chairpersons.
- Develop special training opportunities for leaders, teachers, and groups.
- Study church needs for educational and discipleship curriculum, and counsel with church leaders regarding available and most suitable choices for their needs.
- Continually monitor and recommend suitable educational space, furnishings, and equipment needs to leadership.
- Be a consistent witness for Christ, and develop within the Bible Fellowship organization an outreach consciousness that leads to our Bible Fellowship being a highly effective evangelistic force.
- Emphasize the vital aspects of in-reach for the effectiveness of our Bible Fellowship classes, growing a culture of encouragement and accountability. Maintain an adequate system of records in all educational and discipleship classes.
- In consultation with lay leaders, prepare a recommended annual budget plan for the adult ministries. After approval, administer the expenditure and financial operations according to the church financial policies.
- Develop and maintain a program and activities calendar for the adult ministry. Coordinate calendar with other age-groups and church calendar.
- Participate in the visitation program to prospective members, potential leaders, hospitals and crisis visits as assigned.
- Attend and participate in the appropriate church, associational, state and convention meetings, clinics, and assemblies.
- Grow lay leadership to develop a thriving Men’s Ministry. Providing leadership to create events and mentoring opportunities to connect men into the church, to one another, and to grow their spiritual health. Aid the Women’s Ministry Coordinator in cohesive Men’s and Women’s Ministry.
Other Responsibilities:
- Model servant leadership and Christ honoring churchmanship.
- Attend the meetings of various church committees and deacons in order to learn the inner functions of the church.
- Attend weekly church staff meetings (and other special staff meetings as needed).
- In conjunction with the Senior Pastor, identify areas of ministry skills that require additional development. Design a plan of personal improvement to be a continual learner and leader in God’s Kingdom work.
- Strive to maintain a close personal walk with the Lord and nurture your marriage and family in such a way that others can follow your example (1 Corinthians 11:1).
- Perform other duties when requested by the Senior Pastor.
Qualifications:
- Seminary education and relevant church experience preferred.
- A growing and evident relationship with Jesus Christ and a clear calling to ministry and to the local church.
- Alignment with the church in mission, values, belief, and theology.
- Humble, servant-hearted attitude, desiring to serve the whole church alongside lay leaders and staff.