Senior Pastor Search
Position Overview
Bethel Church in Kingston is looking for a Senior Pastor to be the spiritual leader of a congregation of 300+ in-person and online worshipers. This man will also oversee the pastoral, administrative and volunteer staff to conduct our Sunday services, as well as our weekly ministries and missions’ programs. Like many Canadian churches post-pandemic, Bethel is in the process of rebuilding and looking for a Senior Pastor to help us strengthen our community of believers, in part by deepening our knowledge of the Word and equipping us to be a light in a post-Christian society. The Senior Pastor will work along with the governing groups to revise Bethel Church’s strategic plan, which includes vision, mission, organizational values, and initiatives. The incumbent will help us accomplish our goals through his in-depth understanding of the Bible and Christian doctrine, which is evident in his personal walk, as well as in his teaching and leadership work.
Pastoral Role Within the Organization
The governing groups at Bethel are the Board of Directors and the Elders’ Council. These groups, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, serve the interests of the membership, the wider congregation, and local and international partners (See Governance page for more details about these groups). The Senior Pastor is, by church policy, an Elder, a full member of the Elders’ Council, an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and Bethel House’s Leadership Team (Bethel House is a Ministry that provides stable, secure, drug-and-alcohol-free transitional housing for men who are in recovery). The Senior Pastor conceptually oversees and is responsible for all the people involved in ministry at Bethel, and may do so through the following roles that report directly to him:
- Pastor – Family Ministries and Life Groups
- Pastor – Youth
- Church Administrator
- Communications and Media Coordinator
- Worship Coordinator
- Bethel House Ministry Team
- Missions’ Committee
Key Responsibilities
The position comprises four main areas of responsibilities and has built-in time for personal spiritual and professional growth. These divisions are as follows:
Worship Services
- The Senior Pastor oversees the worship services, ensuring through paid ministry staff or lay leaders, a robust, inspiring worship experience as part of our public services.
Preaching/Teaching
- The Senior Pastor develops and deploys a vigorous preaching and teaching ministry and will be the main preacher/teacher, who on average, preaches 75% of the Sundays per year. The preaching/teaching approach would be one that builds believers and equips workers. Our congregation includes people at different places in their faith journey, ranging from those seeking spiritual conversations to those who are committed Christ-followers; thus, the preaching/teaching must consider these diverse backgrounds and experiences.
- The Senior Pastor will also mentor other members of the pastoral team in their preaching/teaching abilities, and strategically utilize guest speakers/teachers.
Baby Dedications, Baptisms, Weddings
- The Senior Pastor oversees these activities and works with the pastoral team and leadership groups to review policies and procedures, as necessary (in Ontario in the local church, only credentialed clergy can obtain a license to marry.)
Evangelism
- The Senior Pastor is responsible for developing and deploying church-wide strategies for presenting the gospel message to the unsaved, such that they would clearly be presented with opportunities to submit their lives to Jesus Christ through both the Sunday worship service and targeted weekly programs. This includes ministry that helps all individuals at Bethel develop their personal gifts for sharing their faith and ministry that leads people to Christ.
Discipleship
- The Senior Pastor oversees and participates in discipleship initiatives that allow the congregation to mature, starting with timely ministry to new believers through to more spiritually mature followers of Christ. Our goal is to have an abundance of our church population involved in holistic, small, “growing in discipleship” groups. We have, therefore, established a variety of life groups for adults, as well as programming for children and youth. (See Ministries and Missions page for more details about our programs) As a church, we would like to grow in our understanding of our individual spiritual gifts and then help members and adherents develop a personal practice of regular, ongoing, practical, need-oriented service, moving many beyond just the giving of “treasure,” but expanding their action to include their “time and talents.”
Leading Staff and Key Lay Leaders
- The Senior Pastor oversees, manages, and supervises pastoral and administrative staff, as well as key lay leaders (e.g., Worship Coordinator). This involves understanding the scope and function of each role; providing each with clear ministry and practical role objectives; and leading, overseeing, mentoring, and coaching the performance of individuals who hold these roles toward accomplishing objectives.
- In collaboration with the staff and leadership teams, the Senior Pastor identifies areas of need that require additional paid or volunteer staff. The Senior Pastor also transitions people out of the above noted positions.
Pastoral Care and Counseling
The Senior Pastor oversees a robust care and counselling environment at Bethel. His responsibilities include the following:
- Developing a general pastoral care system and/or arranging for professional counselling.
- Providing for the spiritual and relational health of those in the “first circle” around him. This includes providing effective pastoral care and/or, if necessary, arrange for professional counselling to that circle of leaders – e.g., members of the paid pastoral and administrative staff, members and family of the Board of Directors and Elders’ Council, and key lay leaders in the church family.
- Overseeing or indirectly providing effective pastoral/professional counseling resources that would be available to the whole church family.
Missions: Locally and Globally
- The Senior Pastor, in collaboration with the Missions’ Committee, oversees the relationship between our supported mission partners, both missionaries and agencies.
- The Senior Pastor is also a key liaison and spiritual director of Bethel House that provides stable, secure, drug-and-alcohol-free transitional housing for men who are in recovery.
- The Senior Pastor, in collaboration with the Missions’ Committee, will understand and enhance our partnerships such that the relationships utilize Bethel resources in the most effective way. In addition, the Senior Pastor has discretion to recommend new partners or transition away from existing partnerships.
Representing Bethel Church
The Senior Pastor is responsible for representing Bethel Church or assigning a delegate(s) to
- The Senior Pastor represents Bethel Church or assigning a delegate(s) to positively engage within the Associated Gospel Churches of Canada (AGC), of which Bethel is a member
- The Senior Pastor attends to and integrates the church with various areas of interest of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.
- The Senior Pastor networks effectively within Kingston and the region at the local church level and with fellow pastors.
- While prayer, study, worship, and collaboration are embedded within the Senior Pastor role, we also believe it’s important for the Senior Pastor to carve out time to devote to his own personal spiritual growth, to seek out opportunities to enhance his professional knowledge, and/or develop new skills. Professional and spiritual needs will be discussed regularly with the Elders’ Council.
The Man God Has Planned for Us
The vision of Bethel Church in beautiful, historic Kingston, Ontario is, “Responding to the Heart of God; Transforming the Heart of the City, the Nation, and the World.” We are not only in transition because of our last Senior Pastor recently retiring after fourteen years-service with us, but also, like all churches, we are emerging into the local church’s new post-Covid reality. We are searching for our next Senior Pastor – the man God has planned for us to help us seek out and lead us toward His preferred future for us.
Your General Outlook
You are a man who enjoys working collaboratively and innovatively with others to identify attainable goals, share ideas and problem-solve. While we recognize the need for objective, logical approaches in decision-making and the value of thorough planning, you are a senior pastor who is willing to make final decisions yet demonstrates adaptability and flexibility as circumstances demand. You are a man who values the process as well as the product as we work together to fulfill our vision of “Responding to the Heart of God; Transforming the Heart of the City, the Nation, and the World”; live out our values of teamwork, excellence, authenticity, relevance and solidarity; and strive to make disciples who are diligently seeking God, biblically measured, prayerfully engaged, relationally healthy, and fully committed to the whole gospel for the whole world. As our Senior Pastor, you will be a proactive initiator who is adept at following through with projects and commitments. You will resolve conflict biblically and wisely.
Your Motivation
As Bethel’s ideal candidate, you will not only help us maintain that which we are doing well as a church, but also continue to develop and improve existing ministry models, as well as implement new, creative ideas and approaches. Where you see potential for change and growth, you will skilfully lead us to get where we can be so that strategic goals are accomplished.
Your Leadership Style
As our Senior Pastor, you will be committed to servant leadership, successfully guiding the church to fulfill its mission and increase in fruitfulness by using your gifts to meet expectations, build unity and consensus in the Body, as well as inspire others to participate in ministry opportunities. You enjoy engagement with others and work collaboratively with them to not only help them develop their personal potential, but also contribute collectively to the growth of the church.
Your Preferred Participation Style
As our Senior Pastor, you will be confident that God has called you into this role as the primary leader of the ministry and so will be comfortable with making decisions. Because you are committed to prayer and responding to the clear leading of the Holy Spirit, you are humbly assured that God is directing you and other leaders in ministry initiatives. You can assess and utilize the abilities and spiritual gifts of others and delegate responsibilities to accomplish strategic goals.
Your Ministry Giftedness
You are exceptionally gifted in clearly and effectively preaching and teaching biblical truth to small and large groups so that they are moved to agreement and application. You consistently present the gospel with the result of people trusting Christ as Saviour. You are a strategic planner and enjoy developing plans with other leaders in the church, anticipating future needs of the church and formulating orderly strategies to realize those needs. You possess an ability to influence others to accomplish tasks by inspiring, encouraging and energizing the church in a common direction. Through effective interpersonal communication and by establishing significant relationships with individuals and small groups of diverse generations, ethnicities, backgrounds and social groups, you will first and foremost model Christ-likeness as you coach, disciple and mentor others, and will encourage others to share in this process.
Your Ministry Values
As our Senior Pastor, you recognize the potential in people and situations and seek to enable others to reach their full potential in Christ. You enjoy building significant relationships with people and working alongside them. You are a skilful leader who can influence the process of ministry at Bethel and is comfortable with making final decisions. With the Holy Spirit’s help, you see the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of others and, where possible, provide for those needs.
As a seasoned, gifted, passionate Senior Pastor, you are shaped and led by God as follows:
Primary Character Traits:
- Approachable, personable, friendly
- Adaptable, flexible
- Initiator
- Highly relational
Primary Ministry Competencies:
- Gifted preacher/teacher of the Word of God
- Strategic planner, visionary
- Discipleship focus/mentor
Leadership Style:
- Spirit-led, prayerful
- Motivates, encourages, inspires
- Collaborative
- Servant’s heart
- Builds unity and connection
Applicants will:
- Be from an accredited school, have a Bachelor of Theology degree as a minimum requirement, but preference will be given to a candidate with a Master of Divinity or a Doctor of Theology degree.
- Have a minimum of 10 years of ministry experience as a Senior Pastor or a member of a pastoral team of a large church; at least 5 years in a multi-staff environment.
- Be credentialed or able-to-be-credentialed by the Associated Gospel Churches of Canada. (Visit www.agcofcanada.com for information on the credentialing process).
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada or qualified to apply for the same.
How to Apply
Click “Apply Here” to complete the application form and submit your application package.
Your application packages should include the following:
- A cover letter detailing how you align with the job requirements
- An updated curriculum vitae (CV)
- Links to two (2) samples of your preaching.
Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled and candidates who are invited to a final interview will be asked to provide a list of professional references.
