Vancouver, Washington
Living Water Church is seeking a Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling to serve as an integral member of the Elder Team. Alongside fellow elders, the Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling is responsible for leading the execution of the church mission of forming passionate followers of Jesus by proclaiming the gospel of the glory of God. As a member of the Preaching Team, he preaches the Word of God on rotation, oversees the new-member assimilation process, Community Groups, and the discipleship and biblical counseling ministries. The Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling also supervises staff responsible for music and production.
The Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling reports directly to the Elder Team.
Roles & Responsibilities
• Serve as a member of the Elder Team, participating in vision, mission, and strategy planning; organizational development projects; ministry planning; shepherding; and prayer
• Study, prepare, and preach sermons (i.e., 17-20 Sundays per year) that are gospel- centered, expositional, doctrinally rich, reformed, and experiential
• Guard the doctrine of the church, including our basic beliefs and our theological distinctives as far as they agree with the Word of God
• Administer the ordinances of Baptism and The Lord’s Supper
• Help drive the vision, mission, and ministry strategies of Living Water Church
• Design, develop, and implement an assimilation process that leads to membership,
ongoing discipleship in community, and joyful service and outreach
• Design, develop, and implement a church-wide discipleship-focused Community Group
ministry
• Design, develop, and implement—along with fellow elders—an effective process for
general member care, discipleship, and biblical counseling
• Serve as a member of the Staff Team, participating in staff activities, e.g., weekly staff
meetings, after-action reviews, ministry planning, and daily staff prayer
• Supervise staff responsible for music and production
• Participate regularly in a Community Group either by attending or leading
• Perform other pastoral duties as required, e.g., prayer for the sick, weddings, funerals,
etc.
Education & Experience
• The Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling must be above reproach, meeting and maintaining the spiritual, personal, and character qualifications of an elder (1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:6–9) and must exhibit the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) in all interactions inside and outside the church.
• Minimum 5 years fulltime pastoral ministry
• Undergraduate degree required; a degree in a program or field related to biblical studies,
ministry leadership, etc. preferred
• Master of Divinity preferred
Doctrinal Affirmation
• Affirm the basic doctrinal positions outlined in the Living Water Church Member Affirmation of Faith (http://livingwaternw.com/beliefs)
• Substantially subscribe to the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith
Competencies
• Servant Leadership. The Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling must be able to lead in a variety of contexts (e.g., individual, small groups, large groups) in such a way that Jesus Christ and the gospel are central. He must be mature, a self-starter, able to set priorities and take initiative. He must be wise and discerning and know when to be decisive, sensitive, tender, and firm.
• Relational. The Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling must have a heart to care for people. That drive should manifest itself in the appropriate use of time.
• Administrative. While seeking mainly to shepherd people, the Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling must also have the skills and ability to effectively manage the various administrative tasks associated with the position.
• Teaching & Equipping. The Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling must be a fruitful, biblical teacher and champion of the Living Water Church vision, mission, and strategy. His teaching should effectively “equip the saints for the work of ministry.”
• Communication. The Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling must be able to communicate clearly, concisely, and in a loving and biblical manner.
• Peacemaking. The Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling must be able to tactfully and winsomely unite people with varying perspectives and opinions to advance unity and love and to achieve common goals.
• Preaching. The Pastor of Discipleship & Biblical Counseling must be an effective preacher, able to rightly handle the Word of God and joyfully engage in gospel-centered, expositional, doctrinally rich, reformed, and experiential preaching.
To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and resumé to [email protected], ATTN: Elders of Living Water Church.
Handout: Job Description – Pastor, Discipleship & Biblical Counseling[43].pdf