Senior Pastor

Job Description: Senior Pastor

Merson Church

Gobles, Michigan

June 2, 2025

Qualifications:

1. The Senior Pastor will have a clear testimony of faith in Jesus Christ.

2. The Senior Pastor will have the Biblical qualifications for an elder (1Timothy3.1-7; Titus 1.5-9; 1 Peter 5.1-4) as

follows: humility/teachable spirit-led & spiritually mature, encourager/supportive, team player, person of

prayer, gracious/loving, interpersonal/relationship skills, steadfast, Godly example/high moral character.

3. The Senior Pastor will accurately interpret the Word of God and teach Biblical truths (2 Timothy 2.15).

4. The Senior Pastor will wholeheartedly agree with the tenets of faith and doctrine of Merson Church.

5. The Senior Pastor will have a theological perspective that is strongly grace-oriented and Pre-Trib.

6. The Senior Pastor will be a proven communicator of God’s Word in quality and consistency across small and

large setting. Preaching should be mainly expository. Key elements of preaching should include centrality of the

Bible, teaching the full counsel of God’s Word, evangelism, and discipleship.

7. The Senior Pastor will have the ability to submit to and implement policies approved by the church board.

8. The Senior Pastor will desire to maintain 10+ yrs of ministry at Merson Church, as God leads.

9. The Senior Pastor will have prior successful ministry experience, of at least 5 years preferred.

10. The Senior Pastor will submit a background check-national registry.

Responsibilities:

Vision and Leadership

1. The Senior Pastor will lead the church spiritually.

2. The Senior Pastor will be responsible for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4.12). He

will oversee the development of ministry strategies for each area of the church along with the church board,

youth pastor, and the Sunday School superintendent.

3. The Senior Pastor will work with the church board and staff in the process of discerning our vision from God and

determining how to articulate that vision to the entire family (church body/membership). The Senior Pastor is

the primary spokesman for developing, encouraging, and promoting the vision to the entire congregation.

4. The Senior Pastor along with the church board is responsible to oversee all paid and non-paid personnel.

5. The Senior Pastor is subject to annual performance review from the elders. He will provide necessary

communication for both his own annual performance review as well as the annual review of the youth pastor.

Teaching/Preaching/Discipleship

1. The Senior Pastor is responsible to oversee coordination of the worship service and any special services planned

by the leadership.

2. The Senior Pastor will be the primary teacher for the worship services of the church and shall oversee the filling

of the pulpit on all Sundays that he is not present.

3. The Senior Pastor will oversee an align all the various teaching ministries of the church, both doctrinally and

strategically, with the approval of the church board. This includes but is not limited to men’s and women’s Bible

studies, Sunday School (adult, youth, and children), and other small groups.

4. The Senior Pastor will seek the approval of the church board for the annual schedule of pulpit responsibility,

vacation, seminars, and ministry activities outside of Merson Church.

5. The Senior Pastor will have a passion for evangelism/discipleship that will include community outreach,

missions, and the maturing of believers.

6. The Senior Pastor will equip the saints for the work of ministry, working with the youth pastor and other church

leaders to develop/discern their spiritual gifts.

Personal Growth and Renewal

1. The Senior Pastor will have energy and be involved yet will balance his church commitment with time needed

for personal renewal and his walk with God, along with appropriate time for his family and personal hobbies.

This may include Pastor’s fellowship, seminars, and conferences.

Pastoral Duties

1. The Senior Pastor will perform communion, baptisms, weddings, baby dedications, funerals, hospital visitation,

etc. in conjunction with other members of the pastoral staff and elders as needed.

2. The Senior Pastor will need to be able to respond quickly to crisis situations that arise in the church family.

3. The Senior Pastor will disciple, evangelize, and counsel people of all ages using biblical principles in accordance

with Merson Church Bylaws and Statement of Faith.

4. The Senior Pastor will participate in the church board meetings.

Character Sketch of Merson Church

July 7, 2025

1. We are an independent, non-denominational, Bible believing church with a come-as-

you-are casual manner. We accept all who attend our country church.

2. We believe the Pastor is the spiritual leader of the church, and we have a church board

composed of the Pastor (and others on the pastoral staff), Elders, Trustees, and

Deacons.

3. We encourage our members to participate in believer’s baptism by immersion and in

the Lord’s Supper.

4. Our church has a balance of ages, and as such we offer a variety of ministries for our

congregation to participate in.

5. We believe that believers should be growing in their faith by reading and studying the

word of God. Therefore, we welcome different Bible translations to be used by the

congregation, visiting ministers, and our Pastor.

6. We believe in encouraging our congregation to worship our Savior through praise,

prayer, song, and thanksgiving. In this regard, our church uses modern praise songs

along with traditional hymns. Singing is accompanied by various instruments such as

drums, piano, keyboard, guitars, trumpets, flute, etc.

7. We believe in reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are a

missionary minded church supporting some 45 different missionaries and 5 gospel

organizations. We also promote our women’s Bible study group, our Saturday men’s

group, as well as our VBS, Sunday school, and children and teen ministries.

8. We believe in being a welcoming church. Therefore, we greet those who attend our

services, and are willing to show hospitality to our guests and are willing to offer prayer

for them via our prayer chain and Wednesday evening service.