Lead Pastor

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS—The Lead Pastor will:

• Be able to give testimony to his love for the Lord and call to pastoral ministry.

• Have a deep passion to understand, as well as preach and teach the truths of God’s Word to the end that disciples are made.

• Love people and be able to create and sustain positive relationships with them.

• Be persistent and resilient while pursuing the mission of the church and the realization of the vision of the church.

• Have academic pastoral training and significant experience in pastoral ministry and organizational leadership.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES—The Lead Pastor will:

• Be a communicator, able to craft and deliver biblical and relevant sermons that effectively speak to both new and maturing Christians.

• Be an organizational leader with experience developing strategic initiatives and managing change while guiding congregational leaders, staff, and the congregation into a new season of ministry.

• Be a team-builder with experience fostering unity within the Shepherds Board, Governing Board, staff, volunteers, and congregation.

• Be a role model of a follower of Jesus, humbly raising-up disciple-making disciples who grow to become more like Jesus.

• Be a shepherd whose care for the spiritual well-being of the congregation is characterized by love and humility.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Preaching—the Lead Pastor is responsible for preaching and will do so in a manner that is both biblical and relevant.

• CorporateWorship—the Lead Pastor is responsible for planning and orchestrating worship services which are relevant and faithful to Scripture. This responsibility is shared with members of the staff.

• OrganizationalLeadership – The Lead Pastor is responsible for developing, equipping and empowering congregational leadership and staff in a way that unifies the congregation around a shared vision for the future, empowers volunteers and staff for mission, and aligns programs and ministries with the congregation’s core values.

• Pastoral Care—the Lead Pastor will assure timely pastoral care for those seeking baptism, marriage, healing, encouragement, and spiritual direction. This responsibility will be shared with incoming staff.

• Public Presence—the Lead Pastor will represent the congregation in the community and denomination.

EXPECTATIONS:

• Practice prayer and other spiritual disciplines, including a weekly sabbath.

• Develop and execute a plan for spiritual and professional growth.

• Enjoy serving a diverse, multi-generational congregation.

• Support and report to the Shepherds/Elders and

• Governing Board of Bloomingdale Church.

• Affirm the "Statement of Faith" and the "Official Statements" of the C MA.

• Be ordained through the C MA or be licensable under the C MA and agree to pursue ordination in the Alliance Midwest District of C MA after being licensed.

Bloomingdale Church was established on April 2, 1978, with families from the Lombard Bible Church and the Blanchard (now Wellspring) Alliance Church. From its origin, the congregation has been affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C MA), a denomination committed to the authority of Scriptures and to taking the Gospel to the entire world.

The ministry was faithfully led by Pastor David Riemenschneider from its founding until his retirement in 2024. During his tenure, the church lived into its mission of helping people know Jesus as Lord by being a worshiping, praying, learning, caring, and outreaching community. They also experienced considerable growth in its membership, ministries, properties, and influence. Currently, the church benefits from the guidance of Interim Pastor Nigel Probert who is leading the church through the PEAK Assessment and preparing the congregation for its next Lead Pastor.

This diverse (30% non-Anglo), multi-generational congregation looks forward to the arrival of its next Lead Pastor with hope that he will lead them into a new chapter of life and ministry, one characterized by spiritual and numerical growth, as well as renewed engagement with the community.