Senior Pastor position opening announcement

[MCM180]

Hello all,

Grace Bible Presbyterian Church, located in Sharonville, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, is seeking a godly man to serve as Senior Pastor. The Bible Presbyterian denomination actively holds the Westminster Confession of Faith as an explanation of its standard of theological belief. Grace BPC currently has about 200 in attendance each week in our congregation. We have an immediate opening for Senior Pastor to help lead our church.

Responsibilities

• Faithfully proclaim the gospel to church members and the lost world.
• Order & conduct Sunday morning and evening worship services, and Wednesday night prayer service.
• Administer the sacraments of Baptism & The Lord’s Supper.
• Function as chief administrator for church programs & staff.
• Moderator of Session, Board of Deacons & Congregational Meetings.
• Encourage and equip church body to develop and use their spiritual gifts.
• Visit members of the congregation, including the sick & shut-in.
• Conduct church membership classes.
• Conduct training classes for Elders & Deacons.
• Conduct weddings & funerals as requested.
• Support the operating budget of the church, and avoid soliciting or expending unauthorized funds.
• Serve on Presbytery & Synod levels of the Bible Presbyterian Church.
• Provide counseling (and work with an additional Christian counselor) when needed.
• Compose articles relating to ministry for use in the church’s monthly newsletter.

Requirements

• Seminary graduate preferred
• Adhere to Reformed Theology
• Ordained by the Bible Presbyterian Church denomination, or willing to be ordained.
• Extensive previous pastoral and leadership experience preferred.
• Experience in leadership and development of new ministries.
• Committed to biblical doctrine, missions and evangelism, edification of the saints, and church discipline.

Personal Qualities

• Maintain a vital and growing personal walk with the Lord through Bible study, prayer and meditation.
• Maintain proper priorities at home, be spiritual leader of his wife and children
• Be loyal to God, family and the church.
• Financially support the ministry of GBPC, while maintaining wise stewardship over personal finances.
• Develop personal evangelism opportunities both within and outside of the church.

Compensation
Salary, including benefits, commensurate with experience.

As you feel led by the Holy Spirit, we invite you to send your resume and cover letter to: [email protected]. We realize that confidentiality must be upheld throughout the entire process. We do not want to jeopardize your current position. We, therefore, request that you do not contact Grace Bible Presbyterian Church directly. All communications will be dealt directly with the Senior Pastor Search Committee only, and all information stays within the confines of the committee until the final candidate is recommended.

For more information about our church, please visit our website at Grace Bible Presbyterian Church | "For the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ" Rev. 1:9.

 

[N. Eshelman]

Requirements
Seminary graduate preferred
Adhere to Reformed Theology
Ordained by the Bible Presbyterian Church denomination, or willing to be ordained.
Extensive previous pastoral and leadership experience preferred.
Experience in leadership and development of new ministries.
Committed to biblical doctrine, missions and evangelism, edification of the saints, and church discipline.

You would re-ordian a man coming into the BPC?

 

[Andres]

Could you explain what this means?

The Bible Presbyterian Church is unique among American and European Reformed churches, We are free to walk under the Presbyterian principle that God is the Lord of the conscience, so our local congregations all have a flavor of their own in worship and ministry activities. The Scriptures provide our only regulations when it comes to worship. BP worship is marked by a vibrancy that comes from each communicant bringing his or her own offerings before the Lord with a full heart, within the bounds of the Word of God.

 

[Edward]

Responsibilities

Faithfully proclaim the gospel to church members and the lost world.
Order & conduct Sunday morning and evening worship services, and Wednesday night prayer service.
Administer the sacraments of Baptism & The Lord’s Supper.
Function as chief administrator for church programs & staff.
Moderator of Session, Board of Deacons & Congregational Meetings.
Encourage and equip church body to develop and use their spiritual gifts.
Visit members of the congregation, including the sick & shut-in.
Conduct church membership classes.
Conduct training classes for Elders & Deacons.
Conduct weddings & funerals as requested.
Support the operating budget of the church, and avoid soliciting or expending unauthorized funds.
Serve on Presbytery & Synod levels of the Bible Presbyterian Church.
Provide counseling (and work with an additional Christian counselor) when needed.
Compose articles relating to ministry for use in the church’s monthly newsletter.

Sounds like the ruling elders need to step up to the plate and carry some of the load.

 

[MCM180]

Responsibilities

Faithfully proclaim the gospel to church members and the lost world.
Order & conduct Sunday morning and evening worship services, and Wednesday night prayer service.
Administer the sacraments of Baptism & The Lord’s Supper.
Function as chief administrator for church programs & staff.
Moderator of Session, Board of Deacons & Congregational Meetings.
Encourage and equip church body to develop and use their spiritual gifts.
Visit members of the congregation, including the sick & shut-in.
Conduct church membership classes.
Conduct training classes for Elders & Deacons.
Conduct weddings & funerals as requested.
Support the operating budget of the church, and avoid soliciting or expending unauthorized funds.
Serve on Presbytery & Synod levels of the Bible Presbyterian Church.
Provide counseling (and work with an additional Christian counselor) when needed.
Compose articles relating to ministry for use in the church’s monthly newsletter.

Sounds like the ruling elders need to step up to the plate and carry some of the load.

Possibly. Some of these are to be done in concert with the REs (visitation, encouraging & equipping, counseling). Some are Sunday morning worship functions.

Otherwise, can you help me (me being a very new RE) see in which of these areas we should step up? Or is it just that the list looks pretty long?

 

[MCM180]

Could you explain what this means?

The Bible Presbyterian Church is unique among American and European Reformed churches, We are free to walk under the Presbyterian principle that God is the Lord of the conscience, so our local congregations all have a flavor of their own in worship and ministry activities. The Scriptures provide our only regulations when it comes to worship. BP worship is marked by a vibrancy that comes from each communicant bringing his or her own offerings before the Lord with a full heart, within the bounds of the Word of God.

What exactly do you want to know? I ask because it seems pretty clear to me. (Though I can't speak to how unique it is or how different the BP as a whole is from other Reformed churches. I didn't write it, for what it's worth.)

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Christian,

The passage can mean many things so some clarity is all that is being asked. For example, when I read, I wondered...

- is there a presbytery?
- if Scriptures are the regulation for worship how does that reconcile with all congregations having their own "flavors" of worship?
- by "worship marked by vibrancy" do you mean tongues, ecstatic utterances abounding, anyone free to just start testifying during the worship service?

See how easy it is for someone who is not present to read all manner of things into the statement? Can you elaborate on what exactly is meant by giving examples behind the words used?

 

[MCM180]

Christian,

The passage can mean many things so some clarity is all that is being asked. For example, when I read, I wondered...

- is there a presbytery?
- if Scriptures are the regulation for worship how does that reconcile with all congregations having their own "flavors" of worship?
- by "worship marked by vibrancy" do you mean tongues, ecstatic utterances abounding, anyone free to just start testifying during the worship service?

See how easy it is for someone who is not present to read all manner of things into the statement? Can you elaborate on what exactly is meant by giving examples behind the words used?

Patrick,

Thanks for the clarity.

There is in fact a presbytery (the BPC is a presbyterian denomination, though a small one). Is it common for presbyterian denominations not to have presbyteries? (This is an honest question, since you're wondering if there is one. I would've assumed presbyteries exist within presbyterianism, but perhaps that's not correct.)

The Scriptures give some regulation, but certainly not all things (specific order of worship, particular hymnals or psalters to use, etc.) are prescribed. The BPC does not prescribe these things, so some churches may sing psalms exclusively, others may not (as an example). Some may have a specified liturgy followed weekly, others may not.

It didn't occur to me that "vibrancy" would include those particular things. Vibrant means energetic or enthusiastic, which doesn't imply ecstatic. One could sing Psalm 23 or preach the truth of God's Word vibrantly. Those things have happened at Grace BPC. The things you mentioned have not occurred at Grace BPC in my time here, and I'd be rather surprised if they did at other BP churches.

More broadly, I suppose anyone could read anything into anything, and I'm pretty sure I can't do a whole lot about that with words of my own…there'd be an infinite loop.

 

[MCM180]

Ordained by the Bible Presbyterian Church denomination, or willing to be ordained.

You would re-ordian a man coming into the BPC?

I think I probably used the wrong word. The denominational form of government says:

"When an ordained minister of another denomination seeks admission to the Bible Presbyterian Church, the Presbytery to which he applies shall require him to give evidence of possessing the qualifications, in regard to piety, faith, and learning, which are demanded of candidates for ordination as given above; and it shall require him to answer affirmatively the questions appointed for the ordination of candidates in section 12 of this chapter."

Those questions are:
(1) Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice?
(2) Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of Faith of this Church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures?
(3) Do you approve of the government and discipline of the Bible Presbyterian Church?
(4) Do you promise such subjection to your brethren as is taught in the Word of God?
(5) Have you been induced, as far as you know your own heart, to seek the office of the holy ministry from love to God, and a sincere desire to promote his glory in the Gospel of his Son?
(6) Do you promise to be zealous and faithful in maintaining the truths of the Gospel, and the purity and peace of the Church; whatever persecution or opposition may arise unto you on that account?
(7) Do you engage to be faithful and diligent in the exercise of all private and personal duties, which become you as a Christian and a minister of the Gospel; as well as in all relative duties, and the public duties of your office; endeavoring to adorn the profession of the Gospel by your conversation; and walking with exemplary piety before the flock over which God shall make you overseer?
(8) Are you now willing to take charge of this congregation, agreeably to your declaration when you accepted their call? And do you promise to discharge the duties of a pastor to them, as God shall give you strength?

So I suppose that's not a re-ordination, but a man coming into the BP from another denomination would demonstrate to the presbytery his fitness to be ordained in the BP. (Similar to the process in the OPC as I understand it.)

Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Edward]

A 200 member church is a particularly large burden for a pastor. It's small enough that it probably can't support an assistant and doesn't have much staff. By 300 or 400 members, the pastoral staff should be large enough to have at least one assistant. And at 100 or smaller, the burden on the pastor is going to be much smaller. So at the 200 member level, the session needs to be particularly sensitive as to how they can take some of the burden from the pastor's shoulders. It looks like the expectation is for him to run 3 services a week - that in itself is going to be a full time job. So here would be some suggestions on where the burden can be lifted a bit:



Compose articles relating to ministry for use in the church’s monthly newsletter.

Now, understand that I have no knowledge of the Book of Church Order of your denomination, so to the extent that my suggestions vary from the BCO, ignore them.

- Order & conduct Sunday morning and evening worship services, and Wednesday night prayer service.
The pastor will need to prepare the sermon for the two Lord's Day worship services. And if required, read the scripture. He might also want to pray. He should also have final approval of the order of worship and any songs and Confessions used. But others else can put the order of worship together, and an elder can lead the service and provide prayers, etc.

-Function as chief administrator for church programs & staff
How big is the staff? Is there no one on the session (or even a retired man or a woman on the mommy track) who could provide needed administrative skills subject to the direction and control of the session?

-Moderator of Board of Deacons .
Your BCO might provide otherwise, but our Diaconate elects its own leadership. And while the pastor calls congregational meetings to order, the congregation then elects a moderator for the meeting.

-Visit members of the congregation, including the sick & shut-in.
While the pastor should regularly visit the sick and the shut in, the session (and perhaps even the diaconate) should do so. (In addition to having a pastor on call, our deacons sign up for emergency calls and visitation with a cell phone that's passed to the deacon on call for that week).

-Conduct church membership classes.
The pastor should enter an appearance, but there is no reason that elders and other church leaders couldn't conduct the bulk of the classes.

-Compose articles relating to ministry for use in the church’s monthly newsletter.
Should be an option, not a duty.

This one is problematical for other reasons:

-Conduct weddings & funerals as requested.
It could be read as requiring him to conduct a wedding that he didn't feel was appropriate.

 

[Steve Curtis]

All the well-intentioned critiques and advice aside, I pray that your search directs you to the man whom God would have assume the pastoral leadership of your church!

 

[MCM180]

Edward,

Thanks for the note. I think the burden in real life may be somewhat less than it appears.

We do have an assistant pastor, and an emeritus pastor, both good and godly men who'll help with many of the items listed. Elders do the Scripture reading on Sunday morning and the prayer of confession, plus a few other things. We have a music director who chooses the music. And our order of worship is pretty standard, so the ordering isn't likely a lot of time each week.

The church staff isn't that large - secretary, sexton, assistant pastor, and music director (if I'm not forgetting someone).

Visitation is to be done by elders & deacons as well as the pastor.

Elders could do church membership classes. Primarily it's been the confirmation classes for young people, and it's nice to have the young people have a direct connection with the pastor, but the same would be true for the elders. We'll do that this year while we're searching; it could continue. We could also supply articles for the newsletter. I don't think it'd be a problem if someone beside the pastor did it occasionally, or even regularly.

And we'd never compel our pastor to perform a wedding, but I see where the wording doesn't make that clear.

Anyway, I do thank you for the input. It's very helpful to think through how the particular practices of our church have become what they are. As we seek and in God's timing find a new man, these duties can be re-evaluated.

Yours in Christ,
Christian

 

[MCM180]

All the well-intentioned critique aside, I pray that your search directs you to the man whom God would have assume the pastoral leadership of your church!

Thank you, brother!

 

[DMcFadden]

As to Nathan's question about re-ordination . . .

In my exposure to other denominations, it has been my impression that most denoms have a "process" for accepting the ordination of one ordained by another group. In some cases, this can be as simple as an oral exam where questions are put to him. In other cases, it involves taking classes from an approved denominational seminary, writing papers, being assigned a pastoral mentor, preparing extensive written answers to questions, etc. I believe that most groups require at least a 2 yr. period of membership in the new group prior to accepting an alien ordination. One denomination known to me requires a 2 yr. membership in a church of the denomination and then a process that averages 18 months. My guess is that the more confessional the group, the more hurdles to acceptance (unless the group from which one departs is very similar doctrinally and confessionally).

As such, it is not a re-ordination, but the acceptance of one's prior ordination. When I was a Baptist, we had a process pretty similar to a first ordination examination (paper + psych eval + interview before standing committee). The difference was that instead of "recommending" that the congregation proceed with ordination, we recommended that the "executive minister/lead minister" [title for the head of the judicatory] accept the prior ordination."