Lead Pastor

Keystone Church is a young church, planted in 2017, now located in central Durham with a vision to reach the surrounding community with the love of Jesus. Our desire is to see individual lives transformed by the gospel, families strengthened in Christ, and the community impacted for eternity.  We have a family atmosphere, with the following values at the core of what we do:

·      Names are better than numbers.

·      Circles are better than rows.

·      Identity is better than identical,

·      Impact is better than tradition.  

The lead pastor will be vital to achieving the mission and vision of Keystone Church, as expressed in the great commission and great commandment. Broadly, he will be responsible for stewarding the life of the church family, church resources, and the church building. He will also have the opportunity to cast vision for our kids’ ministry, youth ministry, worship team, outreach and missions work, in addition to preaching and teaching weekly. Keystone is seeking someone with a passion for solid biblical teaching, a heart for the lost, and a deep desire for discipleship. The ideal candidate will be excited to shepherd our congregation as we step into God’s good plans for the future of the church.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Preaching and Teaching

Spend a significant amount of time each week dedicated to preparing biblically-based sermons to be delivered each Sunday. Endeavor to provide sound biblical, and primarily expository teaching to the congregation in an effort to grow their faith.

Plan and oversee worship services each week, in collaboration with the pastoral elders, lay elders, other lay leaders, and ministry volunteers. Ensure the weekly worship services run smoothly and meet church goals.

Prepare and deliver sermons and/or teaching as needed for special occasions, including but not limited to Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving, and other special services outside of Sunday morning.

Be prepared to either teach or oversee the delegation of bible study classes as needed. Examples may include deeper study into the New Testament, etc. 

Strategic Planning and Vision Casting

Lead the elders and lay leaders in developing a set of strategic goals for the church. Develop an annual strategic plan for the church to guide operations.

Cast vision for the church congregation concerning outreach to the community, missions, and kids’ ministry. Be able to effectively communicate the church’s vision for each ministry.

Mobilize the congregation to be on mission for Christ both locally, nationally, and globally.

Pastoral Care

Be willing to provide pastoral care by visiting those in the hospital, those needing special counsel, or those in need of support during times of crisis.

Facilitate weddings and funerals on an as-requested basis.

Perform baptisms on a regular basis.

Provide pre-marital counseling to engaged couples as needed. 

Church Administration

Read, understand and adhere to the church’s bylaws. Review bylaws annually and revise as necessary by following the appropriate procedure.

Lead the church in setting an example of faithful stewardship of church resources – including but not limited to financial resources, human resources, and church property.

Oversee the development of an annual budget in collaboration with the elders. Review the budget with the church congregation at least once annually.

Work with the church’s financial administrator to ensure clean and accurate financial records for the church.  

Staff and Volunteer Supervision

Supervise church staff and ministry volunteers, providing a healthy, collaborative, and engaging work environment.

Be able and willing to delegate tasks to elders and lay leaders as appropriate.

Oversee staff training and development. Mentor younger lay leaders and ministry volunteers as needed.

Lead the process of human resource management, in collaboration with the elders.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Personal confession of faith in Christ Jesus and an ability to communicate his personal testimony.

Clear communicator, with a passion for effective expository preaching.

Demonstrated heart for the gospel and a desire to see the lost reached for Christ.

Strong leadership skills, including vision casting, delegation, mentoring, and training.

Effective mediation skills, including the ability to implement biblical conflict resolution.

Master of Divinity degree from an accredited institution preferred.

Minimum 5 years’ prior experience as a pastor preferred.

REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITES

The ideal candidate must:

·      have a passion for God the Father, the Son of God Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit of God, while also having a deep love for fellow Christians and his congregation.

·      practice Believer’s Baptism by immersion.

·      view the Bible as God’s ultimate word and the final authority on the Christian life and faith.

·      believe that Salvation is by God’s grace and through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2: 8-9)

·      believe in the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

·      maintain the autonomy of our local church.

·      believe in primarily utilizing expositional preaching. This would still allow for topical messages when it comes to special seasons, special days, and special trainings.

·      have a servant’s heart, be a servant leader, and be a team player who encourages and works alongside others.

·      be a diligent worker.

·      must see his family as his first ministry. He must lead his family well and maintain a healthy work-life balance for his family to represent a Christ-centered home.

·      be led by the Holy Spirit and Scripture.

·      not allow personal preferences, political issues, or social issues influence his decision-making process nor sermons in a way that is contradictory to Scripture.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply please submit a cover letter outlining your interest and a current resumé outlining your experience and qualifications to [email protected]. Please also include a link to a recent sermon or teaching that you have prepared and delivered.