LEAD PASTOR, Organizational Strategy

LEAD PASTOR, Organizational Strategy

OVERVIEW

The Lead Pastor provides leadership for Preston Trail’s mission of helping people find and follow Jesus, shaping the church’s long-term trajectory, organizational health, and future impact. This role carries primary responsibility for aligning vision, strategy, and execution— ensuring Preston Trail is positioned to expand its Kingdom influence across North Texas and beyond. This role serves as one of two Lead Pastors and reports to the Elder team. The Lead Pastor will also serve on the Executive team, alongside the other Lead Pastor and Executive Pastors.

To learn more about the role and submit an application for consideration, please visit prestontrail.org/pastor-search

About Preston Trail

Founded in 2002 by pastors Paul Basden and Jim Johnson, Preston Trail Community Church exists to help people find and follow Jesus. From its first service in a Frisco movie theater to today’s thriving congregation, Preston Trail is known for:

• A teaching style marked by authenticity, biblical depth, and practical application.
• A welcoming, “no perfect people allowed” culture—grace over judgment, invitation over exclusion.
• A commitment to making disciples, racial reconciliation, community engagement, and global missions.
• A track record of healthy staff culture and strong partnership between its elders and pastors.
• Leadership modeled through humility, collaboration, and shared authority.

The Shared Leadership Model

As Preston Trail looks toward the retirement of its two founding pastors in 2027, the Elders have affirmed continuing a two-pastor model, believing this structure best honors the church’s history and positions it for the next generation. The Lead Pastors will serve in complementary lanes. Both are accountable to the elders and the broader Executive team.

While they share responsibility for overall vision, culture, and teaching, each will carry distinct areas of focus:

• Lead Pastor (Strategy): Organizational strategy, health, and expansion
• Lead Pastor (Formation): Spiritual formation, equipping, and shepherding

Each Lead Pastor has full ownership within their lane while sharing accountability for the overall health, direction, and mission of the church. The Lead Pastors operate in deep alignment, making high-impact decisions collaboratively and exercising clear oversight within their respective areas of leadership. Where there is overlap between roles and alignment cannot be reached, the Executive team will provide final discernment and direction to ensure unity and mission alignment, engaging with the Elders when necessary.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Expansion

• Define and drive the strategic direction that expands Preston Trail’s reach, influence, and Kingdom impact
• Communicate an expansion vision that can be turned into executable strategy by the Executive Pastors
• Lead campus expansion and long-range planning
• Align the entire organization to the church’s highest strategic priorities, ensuring every ministry and campus advances the mission at scale

Organizational & Financial Oversight

• Partner with the Executive Pastor to provide executive oversight of the church’s financial strategy and sustainability, ensuring resources are stewarded to maximize mission impact and long-term growth
• Oversee budgeting, donor engagement, and organizational sustainability
• Provide clear updates and recommendations to the Elder team

Influence & Communication

• Represent Preston Trail with key ministry and community partners
• Preach regularly as part of the teaching team

SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES with Lead Pastor (Formation)

• Discern and articulate God’s vision for the church, providing unified spiritual and strategic leadership that guides every season of ministry
• Serve as a primary teaching voice, shaping the theological direction and spiritual formation of the church through clear, compelling, and culturally relevant communication
• Shape and align an annual teaching strategy that integrates Scripture, culture, and discipleship, in collaboration with the Series Planning team
• Model and cultivate spiritual and emotional health, marked by authenticity, accountability, and vulnerability
• Shepherd the church by cultivating a culture of care, discipleship, and spiritual maturity—ensuring the congregation is pastored well while growing in depth and breadth
• Develop and release leaders to multiply Kingdom impact—growing disciples and extending gospel influence across ministries, campuses, and communities
• Champion and protect Preston Trail’s values, culture, and unity
• Ensure the church operates as a unified, mission-driven organization through alignment of strategy, leadership, and execution in partnership with Executive Pastors
• Maintain a visible, relational presence within the church and broader community
• Co-lead the Executive team and collaborate closely with the Elder team for accountability, guidance, and mutual support

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Master of Divinity (or equivalent) required
• 10+ years of senior or executive pastoral leadership
• Demonstrated success in leading complex organizations through change and growth

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

A visionary, Kingdom-minded leader with the spiritual authority, relational depth, and strategic acumen to lead a complex, growing church into its next chapter.

• Strategic and forward-thinking, with the ability to translate vision into meaningful, sustained impact
• Pastor at heart, combining deep care for people with a passion for mission and Kingdom expansion
• Secure, collaborative, and emotionally intelligent, able to lead with humility and shared authority in this unique two-pastor model
• Spirit-led and grounded in Scripture, with theological conviction and cultural awareness
• Grace-oriented and discerning, engaging people with truth, wisdom, and compassion
• Models healthy rhythms in life and leadership, sustaining long-term effectiveness and integrity
• Naturally engages those far from God, carrying a genuine burden for evangelism and reach
• Lives with intentional spiritual discipline, maintaining a consistent rule of life that fosters intimacy with God

To learn more about the role and submit an application for consideration, please visit prestontrail.org/pastor-search