Exciting Ministry
As a result of the upcoming recently announced retirement (Spring, ’09) of our Lead Pastor, Jim McMillan, who is completing nearly two decades of blessed and successful ministry with this congregation, the Elders, Deacons, and church family here at Southside Bible Fellowship is seeking God’s choice to serve as the next Lead Pastor of our unique church family.
In accord with all the scriptural qualifications of the pastor and teacher (Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9; et. al), the Lead Pastor serves as part of the Elders group, which contains three assistant lay pastors who concentrate on the overseeing and coordination of the congregational teaching, international missions and local outreach evangelism. All the Elders are eager to support the man whom God will choose to lead us into the future ministry of this church.
The Lead Pastor should be a man of God, gifted as a dynamic teacher of God’s Word, especially able to relate the reality and power of the Word to the needs and challenges of everyday life in this complex society in which we minister. A man of high energy level with an ironclad resolve for supporting evangelistic outreach, he should be a clear and effective vision caster, able to reach across generations and cultural differences to engage God’s people to carry out the Great Commission and serve each other in the Spirit of God’s love.
This position enjoys the counsel and assistance of not only the Elders, but a group of dedicated servants among our Deacons, who excellently care for the temporal needs of the church and our church building. Our uniqueness is truly seen in the “team family” approach to all things.
We are seeking a leader who is comfortable not only in delegating tasks, but also in sharing responsibility and oversight in a number of fine, existing ministries to children, youth, and adults. He will also benefit from the support and assistance of a vocational Pastor of Children and Youth. We pray that our Lead Pastor will not only be our Lead Shepherd, Teacher and Counsel, but also our friend and Brother in Christ.
Our uniqueness also makes us a body of believers deeply and thoroughly marked and distinguished by God’s undeserved kindness, mercy, love of the brethren and the Spirit of the Word, while never neglecting “the letter.” We are an evangelical, Christ-centered, Bible believing, born-again family of believers built upon the Baptist tradition, but also very open to the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
That “uniqueness” perhaps makes us a balanced group: we are traditional, yet also contemporary, young and also old, very “Berean” (Acts 17) but not legalistically restricted, “holding fast” to the Word, but not diluting Christ’s forgiveness, mercy and the immensity of God’s grace in our lives and toward a dying world.
Preferably, the successful applicant would have an earned degree from an accredited seminary, with accompanying experience on the pastoral staff of another ministry. Most importantly, though, he must be a born-again, yielded, devoted servant and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose “heartbeat” is to glorify Him in his personal, family, ministry and leadership roles and in his relationships with others.
If this description resonates with your heart and spirit, then we eagerly want your résumé!
Contact: Pastor Search Committee by completing the Contact Us Form to the Attention of the Pastor Search Committee.