Lead Pastor
Job Overview
Christ Redeemer Church is a Baptist church based in Cottage Grove, MN, planted 13 years ago out of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN. We are a member of the Treasuring Christ Together Network, The Gospel Coalition and Converge Worldwide.
Our mission statement is: “We aim to make disciples of Jesus through gospel-centered community on mission for the glory of God and the joy of all peoples.”
Key distinctives of our church include:
- Christ-centered expository preaching/teaching;
- reformed;
- “Christian hedonist”;
- complementarian;
- continuationist.
Our key documents, including our elder affirmation of faith and 10 Dimensions of Church Life, are available here.
We average 200-250 people in our Sunday morning worship service. We are a multi-generational church with growing ministries for children, youth and adults. We recently purchased our own facility, and have planted two local churches in our thirteen-year existence.
Our church government is elder-led, congregation-affirmed. Our staff currently includes three full-time vocational elders (including this role), four non-vocational elders, and two part-time staff members (Youth Director and Office Administrator).
Christ Redeemer Church is seeking a Lead Pastor, whose primary responsibilities are Preaching, Vision and Leadership Development.
The Lead Pastor functions as "first among equals” on our Elder Council. He drives the vision, mission, and strategy of the church through humble collaboration with the elders, staff, and other key leaders. He provides care, coaching, and equipping for the direction and growth of fellow elders and staff.
The ideal candidate for this role will demonstrate a heart for discipleship and evangelism, will relate well with people of all ages, and will creatively adapt to new ways of impacting the congregation and the community without compromising God’s Word. He will implement visionary leadership toward our mission of seeking to treasure Christ on mission together.
The Lead Pastor’s Responsibilities Include:
Public Ministry of the Word
Christ Redeemer Church places a high value on expositional preaching.
- Plan and preach expositional, and occasionally, topical sermon series in a manner that encourages godly Christian living and is in accord with sound doctrine, 2-3x / month
- Train, equip, and delegate the public preaching of God’s word to other faithful leaders
- Pray faithfully for the congregation
- Provide theological direction and emphasis to overall ministry teaching efforts
- Collaborate weekly planning of the worship services and liturgy with the Worship Pastor and other staff and volunteers
- Collaborate across ministry areas/programs, drive forward/refreshing movement
- Champion lines between our mission/vision statement and our various ministries
- Share in the oversight and administration of the ordinances with the Elders and Deacons.
Organizational Leadership
- Facilitate elder and staff care, coaching, equipping and camaraderie.
- Develop ministry strategies with fellow Elders, Staff and ministry team leads
- Facilitate collaboration across ministry areas/programs to vocational and non-vocational Elders and volunteers in a way that empowers them to use their God-given talents and resources
- Provide ongoing coaching feedback and encouragement to fellow vocational elders and staff
- Bring biblical truth and a Christ-like example to all areas of ministry
- Work with leadership, Staff, and the congregation to help fulfill the mission of Christ Redeemer Church
- Participate in Elder Council meetings as a permanent vocational Elder
- Facilitate the operational collaboration of the church Staff and lead weekly Staff meetings
- Participate in 360° reviews with fellow elders and meet regularly with Staff for care and coaching
- Provide leadership that equips, empowers, and encourages Staff and volunteers to most effectively impact the areas of ministry where they serve
- Work with the Elders to provide directional and visionary leadership for the ministry of the church
- Defend and uphold the unity of the Body of Christ universal and local.
Pastoral Care
- Shepherd to his family (1 Timothy 3:2,4), and then the flock of God (1 Peter 5:1-4)
- With the other Pastors/Elders, oversee ministry, including but not limited to: discipleship, counseling, hospital visits, weddings, and funerals
- Work with the Staff, Elders, and Deacons to discern and provide appropriate care to the congregation and community
- Provide individual short-term pastoral counseling for members as able/requested and make referrals to other helping agencies and counselors as needed
- Work to develop deep, mutually accountable friendships among the people of Christ Redeemer Church
Local & Global Advance of the Gospel
- Facilitate networking with TCT and Converge, CRC church plants, the wider Christian community and parachurch groups, as well as with local neighborhood and city communities for the sake of global and local missions.
Leadership Development
- Oversee theological and pastoral growth of other elders & staff members
- Oversee spiritual equipping and practical training of members expressing strong interest in or call toward ministry as vocation
- Help identify members appearing to have gifts or desires toward ministry as vocation
Accountability
- Maintain healthy boundaries and balance between family and work.
- Establish office hours and maintain a personal weekly schedule with flexibility as needed.
- Complete a formal evaluation once a year with the Elder Council.
- Regularly seek the wisdom and input of other Pastors/Elders and those who fill a discipling role.
- Utilize provided professional development time and funding for the benefit of the ministry at Christ Redeemer Church.
- Utilize provided counseling time and funding for personal spiritual well-being.
What You Bring:
The following describes the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Lead Pastor:
Education & Experience
- 7+ years ministry experience, ideally with lead or preaching pastor experience
- Completion of a seminary degree or in-progress toward a seminary degree
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Demonstrated qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9
- Engaging and effective preacher of the word of God
- Demonstrated heart for evangelism, teaching, discipling adults and pastoral care
- Strong interpersonal skills, situational awareness, and the ability to navigate complex social situations and conflict, high emotional IQ
- Demonstrated expressions of the fruit of the Spirit in daily life
- Skills in fostering teamwork and resolving conflict
- Able to wisely and humbly delegate to others
- Desire and effectiveness in interacting and networking with the local community
- Humble, collaborative leadership style: lead the Elders; develop and retain staff; develop and equip the church body in their gifts
Personal Characteristics & Qualifications
- Committed to pursuing a life of holiness and purity with a pattern of mortifying sin in life
- Demonstrated practice of spiritual disciplines
- Demonstrated healthy pattern of sabbath rest, serving from an overflow of rest
- Effective leader, demonstrated leadership of large and small groups of people
- Willingness to “be known”; to humbly lead in confession of sin and/or weakness
- Spirit-led wisdom and discernment
- Effective verbal and written communicator across various audiences
- Shepherd, Exhorter, strong faith
- Model and encourage a lifestyle of prayer and promote the importance of prayer.
- Welcome and embrace a diversity of people from all ages, ethnicities, socio-economic statuses, cultures, and spiritual gifts.
- Model integrity and responsibility in family roles and relationships.
- Model a Biblical work ethic.
- Willing to live/relocate to within Cottage Grove or bordering community.
If interested in this role, please email your resume' and links to 2-3 sermons to [email protected].