Lead Pastor

Lead Pastor Profile

Character

We’re looking for someone whose character reflects Jesus. No one is perfect, but a godly man possesses self-awareness, admits his failures, and practices spiritual disciplines in order to become more like Christ. He leads from humility and listens well. We’re looking for a man of integrity who’s gifted in leadership and constantly growing. Our ideal candidate practices vulnerability and loves people. He will fulfill the biblical qualities described in the New Testament (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:1-4).

Theology and Biblical Presuppositions

The candidate must affirm our statement of faith:

1. The Bible is God’s word to us.
2. There is one true and living God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. We are all separated from God because we have rejected his love and authority.
4. God has graciously acted in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to restore us to Himself.
5. Jesus established the Church and filled it with the Holy Spirit to continue his rescue mission on earth.
6. Jesus will return personally and visibly to decide the eternal destiny of all people, based on their response to Him.

In particular, we want our Lead Pastor to embrace: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

The candidate must also embrace “soft” complementarianism, since women serve as home church leaders, directors, and–on occasion–the teaching team.

The Culture of Oasis

See the Church Profile for details, including our mission, vision, values, strategy, and governance. Oasis is committed to the cell model and embraces soul care/biblical counseling.

Ministry Skills of the Lead Pastor

1. Communication: the ability to effectively preach biblical messages in an engaging way that appeals to believers and nonbelievers.
2. Missional: a strong desire to see outsiders come to know Jesus.
3. Soul care: the ability to lead others to recognize God’s invitation in the midst of their problems.
4. Prayerful: a commitment to seek God’s face daily
5. People-oriented: a commitment to connect with others and demonstrate warmth, humility, and love
6. Organization: the ability to plan and lead services, collaborating with the worship team to ensure services are meaningful and spiritually enriching.
7. Leadership: the ability to manage church operations, including budgeting, financial planning, and personnel management by fostering an encouraging work environment.
8. Conflict: the desire and ability to effectively resolve conflict in loving conversation, guided by biblical expectations

Position Description

Title: Lead Pastor

The lead pastor of Oasis will lead the congregation to fulfill their God-given mission through biblical preaching, pastoral care, personal discipleship, prayer, and effective team-building.

Key responsibilities:

1. Provide spiritual leadership and biblical guidance to the congregation.
2. Develop and deliver engaging, Bible-based messages during worship services and special events.
3. Plan and lead services, collaborating with the worship team to ensure services are meaningful and spiritually enriching.
4. Provide pastoral care for members of the congregation, including biblical counseling, visiting the sick, and offering support in crises.
5. Facilitate and encourage spiritual growth through the development and implementation of home churches and one-on-one discipleship.
6. Oversee staff by supervising the ministry director, who directly supervises staff members.
7. Build relationships within the local community and participate in missional activities.
8. Oversee the administration and management of church operations, including budgeting, financial planning, and personnel management.
9. Foster a positive, collaborative work environment with robust leadership development.
10. Perform other pastoral duties, including weddings, funerals, baptisms, and dedications.

The lead pastor will be supervised by the directors.

The salary range is $65,000 - $90,000 (including salary, housing, and retirement, depending on education, experience, etc.).

Minimum Requirements

Candidates must have a robust friendship with Jesus illustrated by godly behavior. Serious candidates must have a strong marriage with their family’s full support. He must be a person of prayer, missional, thoroughly biblical, a lover of people, and an effective preacher. Oasis prefers candidates to have a Master of Divinity, 7-10 years of ministry experience, and a commitment to soft complementarianism. If he has not completed Potter’s Wheel 1, this five-day intensive will be required.

Brief Overview of the Search Process

Oasis has hired a consultant (Glen Elliott) to guide us in the search process. The church will use a trained interview team who will review the application, watch video sermons, and conduct the first two video interviews. The chairperson will schedule the video interviews.

The candidate may be offered a second interview, and the team would like to meet the candidate’s wife during the video interview. The current lead pastor will participate in this second interview and be available for one-on-one conversations.

If the candidate is offered a third interview, this will occur with the Directors of Oasis. The Directors will determine the manner and number of interviews (video, in-person, etc.).

If the candidate has been identified as someone they wish to seriously consider, an onsite visit(s) will occur (details to be determined including preaching, group meetings, etc.) for the purpose of deciding on the candidate and allowing the candidate to decide if he is interested.

Once an offer is made or during a later onsite visit, details of employment will be negotiated (salary, benefits, starting time frame, details of the succession, etc.). During this time there will be discussion and agreement on the current lead pastor’s future with the church. He would prefer to serve as an unpaid “pastor emeritus,” however, he will not serve on the leadership team.

When a decision has been finalized by both parties the candidate will be presented to the congregation for approval.

A date will be agreed upon to finalize the succession (the official “baton pass”). Oasis would like there to be a six month to one year (plus or minus) transition overlap with the new pastor and the current lead pastor before the new pastor becomes the solo lead pastor.

Once the new pastor is officially the solo lead pastor, the current lead pastor will take a three to six month sabbatical (pending conversations with the new pastor).

Link to Application