Grace Bible Church Canal Winchester, Ohio
Canal Winchester , Ohio United States
Overview:
The Senior Pastor, along with the other church elders, is to provide spiritual and pastoral leadership to the congregation of Grace Bible Church as we aim to glorify God by making more and better disciples of Him. His distinctive priority is to preach in an expository manner deriving the authority of what he preaches from God’s Word. This preaching expounds, illustrates, and applies Scripture for the sake of lives transformed in the likeness of Christ, staying true to the meaning of the text.
The Senior Pastor is to have the heart of a shepherd (1 Peter 5:1-4), committed to protecting the flock with a fearful sense of God’s love for the church, His bride. Further, he is to be a man of God who has a deep love and zeal for the Scriptures, demonstrates a rich prayer life, has a fast reliance on the Holy Spirit, and bears the attributes of a disciplined, joyful follower of Christ.
Qualifications:
➢ Confidence in God’s Call to this role (Eph 4:11; 1 Tim 3:1; Acts 20:24; 1 Cor 9:16-17)
➢ Competency to do this job (2 Tim 2:15; 1 Cor 12:18; 1 Tim 5:17; Rom 12:7-8)
➢ Character of humble growth (Phil 3:10-14; Rom 7:14-8:4; Gal 5:22-25; 1 Tim 3:1-7)
➢ Confirmation of the role by those he serves (Acts 6:3, 13:1-4; 1 Thess 2:4-12)
➢ Care-giving as a shepherd for Jesus’ flock (Jn 10:10-16; Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:2-4)
➢ Consistency (perseverance and passion) for the task (Gal 6:9; Lk 9:51, 62; 2 Tim 4:7)
➢ Chemistry of unity with Elders (Jn 17:21; Rom 12:3-8; 2 Tim 1:2, 2:2; 1 Pet 5:1)
It is further expected that the senior pastor is:
➢ Ordained with recognized credentialing authority
➢ A seminary graduate with pastoral experience
➢ In agreement with the Doctrinal Statement, all Beliefs, Values, Policies and Procedures of Grace Bible Church (http://www.gracebiblecw.com/what-we-believe)
➢ Committed to growing:
– As a personal follower of Jesus Christ
– As a committed husband and father (if applicable)
– As responsible for management of lifestyle, schedule, and relationships and has a teachable attitude
➢ Willing to be accountable to the collective (complete & together) Elder Board
➢ Committed to personally discipling other men in small group settings and 1-on-1
➢ Committed to co-leadership with the Executive Pastor and co-shepherding with all Elders. We adhere to a ‘plurality of elders’ so that the Senior Pastor does not become a ‘lone ranger’.
Relationship with the Elder Board:
➢ The Senior Pastor is automatically a member of the Elder Board upon beginning employment with Grace Bible Church (also see elder job description in by laws).
➢ While an equal member of the Elder Board, he is also accountable to the full collective Board when they meet in formal session. (He is not under the authority of individual members. He is their pastor and spiritual leader as with the entire congregation.)
➢ He is the de-facto primary staff co-leader, along with the Executive Pastor of the Church by virtue of God’s call, spiritual gifting, recognized credentials and abilities, affirmative vote by the Membership of Grace Bible Church, and significant time commitment (full-time employee).
➢ Direct supervision of all other staff will be defined by the Elder Board.
➢ The Senior Pastor must use discretion as to what information and input should be filtered to and through the entire Board for good management, unified understanding, and wise counsel.
➢ He shall receive a formal (written and verbal) annual review. There will also be more regular reviews throughout the year as needed. (There should not be any ‘surprises.’ That would be a sign that ongoing communication has failed.)
➢ The Elder Board is responsible to see that HR Policies are being applied (such as Vacation time and Benefits). This Board also recommends Salary adjustments, usually coinciding with the Congregational Annual Business Meeting, although exceptions to timing may occur.
Some specific functions:
➢ Foremost: Expository Preaching and Teaching of the Word of God. (Preaching approximately 70% of the time on Sundays)
➢ Develop and disciple Preaching/Teaching team.
➢ Oversee ministries defined by the Elder Board
➢ Leadership: Initiative toward God’s Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, and ongoing direction.
(This will include macro-management, not micro-management. Delegation is mandatory. Partnership with the Elder Board in leadership is necessary).
➢ Healthy relationships with other pastoral staff and with the Elders.
(This can be said for the entire church; however, noted here as a specific function and responsibility to ensure a unified Board, mutual accountability, and shared leadership)
➢ For personal health and as representative of Grace Bible Church, participate as available and using discretionary wisdom with:
– Area Ministerial Associations
– Other like-minded spiritual associations
– Broader social and community associations
➢ The Senior Pastor and or Executive Pastor is also a non-voting ex-officio member of all ministry teams and committees.
II. Overview of Grace Bible Church
Grace Bible Church in Canal Winchester, Ohio was established in 1977, exists to exalt the God of the Bible and to exhort our flock to trust in Him completely. We have a high view of God and the glory of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Sunday worship service average in person attendance is around 300 people not including the live stream. Pre-Covid attendance hovered around 350 people, there are 219 registered active adult members, and we are financially solvent.
As stated in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 5:17 and Titus 1, we agree that Christ wills that the church be led by a plurality of qualified men called elders, who shepherd the local church by leading, feeding, and overseeing the flock. We also have staff ministers who assist in shepherding the church. We believe, according to 1 Timothy 3:8-13, that there are to be qualified servants in the church called deacons, whose duties include facilities, finance, and other assignments as given by the elders. We also believe that all congregants should seek and be equipped to exercise their spiritual gifts for the benefit of Christ’s church.
For further insight into our area and our church body, see the following links:
– Church Website:
www.gracebiblecw.com
– Canal Winchester Community Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MyN0d_aBWY
III. Central Statements that Define Grace Bible Church
Mission Statement
Grace Bible Church is a non-denominational church that exists for the ultimate purpose of glorifying God by making more and better disciples of Him.
Values Statement
1. God’s Word: Growing in obedience and knowledge of God’s Word (James 1:22)
2. Worship: Drawing closer to God in Worship (Matthew 22:36-38)
3. Prayer: Depending on God through Prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
4. Outreach: Committing to both local and global Outreach (Acts 1:8)
5. Community: Equipping and challenging one another in Community (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Constitution and By-Laws
Follow this link to view our Constitution and By-Laws (includes our full doctrinal statement): https://storage.snappages.site/Z8MVBP/assets/files/GBC-Constitution-By-Laws-2021-copy.pdf
What We Believe About Salvation
We believe that salvation is a gift of God and is given apart from any merit of man (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that none may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
This gift is received by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance (Luke 24:47; 13:3; Acts 26:20), confession of Christ (John 4:29; Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9), and trusting in Him alone for eternal life.
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
Man is totally depraved, and he cannot extricate Himself from his condition of slavery to sin and spiritual death. It is all of God who reaches down to dead, blind, and captive sinners and gives them the enablement to believe, repent, and to publicly confess His name (Ephesians 2:1-10).
We believe that once salvation is received, it cannot be lost (John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 5:9-10; 8:1, 31-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 7:25; 13:5; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24). We believe that God’s Spirit gives assurance of salvation to the obedient believer (John 10:28, 29; 2 Timothy 2:13; 1 John 3:24).
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).
We believe that God declares righteous those who, through faith in Christ, repent of their sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Isaiah 55:6-7) and confess Him as sovereign Lord (Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Philippians 2:11). He is entirely just in declaring the repentant sinner righteous because He imputes Christ’s righteous life to his account (Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30). On the cross God treated Christ as if He had lived the sinner’s life so that He could eternally treat the repentant sinner as if he had lived Christ’s righteous life (2 Corinthians 5:21).
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
We believe that genuine regeneration is demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct. Good works are the proper evidence and fruit of salvation (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:10).
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
A true believer will manifest good works as he submits more and more to the control of the Holy Spirit in his life through faithful obedience to His Word (Ephesians 5:17-21; Philippians 2:12b; Colossians 3:16; 2 Peter 1:4-10). This daily obedience is the process of sanctification—increasingly being conformed to the image of our Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). This sanctification process is climaxed in the believer’s glorification at Christ’s coming (Romans 8:17; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 3:2-3).
“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).
IV. How to Apply
To apply, email pastorsearch@gracebiblecw.com and include:
– Resume (prefer one page, maximum of two)
– Cover Letter (one page – who are you and why are you applying?)
– Testimony of Salvation (one page)
– Links to a few of your sermons
References, background checks, and a personal doctrinal statement will be required at a later stage of the process. We will respond within a week to let you know that your application has been received.
pastorsearch@gracebiblecw.com