SENIOR PASTOR PROFILE
CrossLife seeks a Senior Pastor who embodies the qualifications of an elder as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, aligning with the EFCA Statement of Faith and CrossLife's governance documents. The church seeks a man of God who can lead with vision, shepherd with compassion, and equip the congregation to live out the gospel in a changing world. The Senior Pastor of CrossLife Church will have key responsibilities in three main areas: shepherding the congregation, overseeing the church's operations and ministries, and building and maintaining working relationships within and beyond the church as follows:
Shepherding:
The Senior Pastor will act as a spiritual leader and guide for the CrossLife congregation. This involves:
- Nourishing: Preaching and teaching the Word of God, administering communion, assessing the fitness of others to preach, performing baptisms, and officiating marriages.
- Protecting: Guarding against heresy and ensuring biblical truth is upheld in all church teachings.
- Tending: Recognizing and ministering to the wounded and hurting through personal engagement, preaching, and encouraging the congregation to live out the “one-another” commands.
Oversight:
The Senior Pastor will lead and manage various aspects of the church's functioning, ensuring alignment with its mission and vision. This includes:
- Mission & Vision: Leading the congregation to remain faithful to its mission of making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:28-29), refreshing the vision as needed, and aligning the church’s ministries with God’s plans.
- Staff Management: Leading and unifying staff, ensuring collaboration, growth, and effective stewardship of their ministries.
- Leadership Development: Identifying and training future leaders (e.g., elders, deacons, and teachers) to strengthen the church’s ministries.
Working Relationships:
The Senior Pastor will cultivate strong relationships with various individuals and groups both inside and outside the church. This includes:
- Internal Relationships: Working with the elders to ensure spiritual and organizational governance, collaborating with staff, and supporting deacons in their areas of oversight. The Senior Pastor will also care for and lead the congregation in unity and faith.
- External Relationships: Engaging with EFCA leadership, local community leaders, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School to extend the church’s impact.
The ideal candidate will have the following attributes:
- Personal background: Experience in diverse cultural and socio-economic contexts and cross-cultural understanding.
- Education: Master of Divinity or equivalent from a theologically aligned seminary and a commitment to lifelong learning.
- Experience: Active evangelism and discipleship, vocational leadership in a multi-staff church, experience in church renewal and non-ministry roles (preferred), and EFCA ordination or willingness to pursue it.
- Doctrine: Full agreement with EFCA’s Statement of Faith and CrossLife’s governance documents.
- Personal characteristics: A life centered on prayer, passion for preaching, family ministry, missions, personal witness, discernment, and godly wisdom in leadership.
CrossLife anticipates that the Senior Pastor's ministry will result in:
- A congregation maturing in knowledge and obedience to Christ.
- A unified body actively living out the Gospel.
- A motivated church advancing God’s Kingdom locally and globally.
- A leadership team aligned in heart and mission.