A. Principal Function
The Senior Pastor will provide leadership and guidance in the areas of spiritual oversight, vision, and direction to the church. He will do this with the support of, and in unity with the Leadership Team, according to the mission, vision, and values of Lighthouse Community Church.
B. Minimum Qualifications
1. Personal
Possess a growing relationship with Jesus Christ as demonstrated through a dependence upon God’s Spirit and God’s Word for direction, wisdom, and guidance through a commitment to Spiritual Disciplines.
Possess the qualifications of an Elder as found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, and as described in Lighthouse Community Church By-Laws Article IV. A.2.
Model grace and truth in relationships within his family, the community, and the church body.
2. Professional
Possess a minimum of a Bachelors Degree from a regionally accredited evangelical college or divinity school in Biblical Studies, Theology, or Pastoral Ministry.
Minimum of 3 years of similar ministry experience ( e.g. pastor, associate, student ministry etc.) in which preaching / teaching, ministry oversight, leadership, and team building were required.
Be ordained in a church or denomination whose statement of faith is in keeping with the Statement of Faith expressed in the Constitution of Lighthouse Community Church.
3. Philosophical
Model a commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment in personal and church life.
Embrace the Statement of Faith expressed in the Constitution of Lighthouse Community Church.
Make a personal commitment to membership at Lighthouse Community Church as expressed in faithfulness to the Church Covenant.
C. Responsibilities
1. Preaching/ Worship Leadership
The Senior Pastor shall provide leadership and guidance to the Worship Team and the Worship Leader to develop corporate times of worship that create a God-centered and Christ-exalting environment in which believers and unbelievers are led to discover the joy of a life committed to Jesus Christ. The Senior Pastor will assist the Worship Leader and Worship Team with developing special worship services and events.
The Senior Pastor is expected to proclaim God’s Word accurately and relevantly in order to transform the lives of believers and un believers alike. The Senior Pastor will be responsible to preach the majority of the weekend services. When he is not preaching, it is anticipated that he will worship with the Church family, except when the Senior Pastor is out of town.
2. Spiritual Maturity
The Senior Pastor shall provide leadership and direction in building spiritual maturity among the Christ-followers at Lighthouse Community Church. This will be accomplished through teaching, mentoring, and modeling biblical spiritual disciplines, especially among those in ministry leadership.
3. Evangelism and Missions Leadership
The Senior Pastor will provide leadership to the church to remain on mission with God by teaching, mentoring, and modeling a passion to see all unbelievers come to faith in Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.
4. Strategic Leadership
The Senior Pastor, with appropriate insight from the church leadership, will provide the primary vision-casting for the church. He will collaborate with other leaders to discover God’s direction and vision for the church and institute strategic initiatives to fulfill God’s vision for the church.
The Senior Pastor will work with key ministry leaders and with the Leadership Team to establish both short term and long range goals and regularly evaluate the progress towards these goals.
5. Administration
The Senior Pastor will provide general oversight of all paid personnel, both ministry and support staff. The Senior Pastor will work with the Leadership Team to ensure that all financial and legal obligations of the church are met by the appropriate and responsible church officers.
6. Community Leadership
The Senior Pastor will lead the church to be active in the community by participating in activities sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the Ministerial Alliance, and other similar bodies, The Senior Pastor will lead the church to be Kingdom-focused by encouraging Lighthouse members to regularly pray for all the churches and pastors in the community.
The Senior Pastor will maintain denominational relationships with the local Southern Baptist Association, the Illinois Baptist Association, and the Southern Baptist Convention.