General Information

Job Title:

Lead Pastor: First Christian Reformed Church

Job Description:

About the Lead Pastor

The Lead Pastor will guide the congregation towards the fulfillment of FCRC’s mission: to glorify God by making “More and Better Disciples” cultivated by living the life of a Jesus follower. The vision is to see everyone intentionally building caring relationships with one another, and with the unchurched and unbelieving, for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

The Lead Pastor’s responsibilities include:

  • Preaching: Responsible for the bulk of the preaching (60-75%). Sermons should be gifted and engaging, able to craft and deliver biblical and relevant sermons that effectively speak to both new and maturing Christians. Preaching is expected to be doctrinally sound and effective.
  • Corporate Worship: Responsible for overseeing and helping create engaging worship services, in collaboration with the Pastor of Worship & Liturgy.
  • Leadership: Guide and empower the Staff and work together with the Governing Council in a way that unifies the staff and congregation around a preferred vision of the future. Provide guidance and direction to staff. Be a unifying and visionary leader.
  • Pastoral Care: Assume timely pastoral care for those seeking baptism, profession of faith, marriage, healing, encouragement, and spiritual direction. This responsibility is shared with the Pastor of Discipleship, and Ministering Elders. Be a good shepherd with the ability to connect with and care for the congregation. Be available for personal care needs.
  • Managerial/Administrative: Act as the day-to-day operational manager for FCRC Hanford as established in the Guiding Principles. This includes supervising all staff with accountability to  the Governing Council/Ministering Elders.
  • Public Presence: Represent the congregation in the community and denomination.

Position Qualifications:

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Lead Pastor:

Qualifications and Characteristics

  • Love for the Lord and Call to Ministry: Able to give testimony to his love for the Lord and call to pastoral ministry. Enjoy a deepening and dynamic relationship with the Lord.
  • Theological Depth: Have a deep passion to understand and teach the truths of God’s word from a Reformed perspective. Be dedicated to deepening faith through strong doctrine and Biblically-based teaching. Adhere to a conservative/Reformed theology. Be able to sustain examination at the Classis level, demonstrating an understanding of Reformed theology and CRC nuances.
  • Relationship Skills: Genuinely love people and engage with both seekers and the saved to create and sustain positive relationships. Have a high emotional understanding of people that can connect and enjoy being around his sheep.
  • Evangelism: Maintain a discipline of personal evangelism.
  • Resilience: Be persistent and resilient while pursuing the realization of the church’s vision. Have the emotional health and spiritual maturity necessary that allows him to humbly and patiently serve God’s Kingdom with resilience in spite of inevitable disappointments.
  • Leadership & Management: Enjoy the challenge of leading the corporate body as an organization. Be an organizational leader with experience developing strategic initiatives and managing change. An effective manager with a proven history of supervising staff members. Be a team-builder/coach with experience fostering unity and guiding ministry leaders. Must be a strong leader.
  • Experience: Preferably have 7+ years of ministry experience. Experience in leadership, supervising staff, and in a church of similar size is desired. Experience with multi-generational congregations (3-4 generations) is ideal. Longevity in previous roles is valued.
  • Education: Must be ordained in the CRCNA or ordainable as a Minister of the Word & Sacrament in the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA). This typically requires at least a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from an accredited seminary. Candidates with an MA from an accredited seminary may also be considered, though it may require Synodical review or distance learning for ordination requirements. Ordained individuals from other historic Reformed denominations (URC, ARC, PCA, EPC) will be considered.
  • Denominational Background: Ideally, a pastor with a strong CRC background, understanding CRC polity, tradition, and doctrine.
  • Communication: A gifted and engaging communicator.
  • Visionary: A wise and discerning visionary who champions and helps shape the church’s vision and mission.
  • Collaborative & Flexible: Works collaboratively with the council and staff.

Expectations

  • Support the mission and vision approved by the Governing Council.
  • Support Christian day-school education.
  • Promote a culture of grace, accepting people as they are while nurturing them towards Christlikeness.
  • Maintain an on-site presence with office hours.
  • Proactively coordinate with staff and ministry leaders.
  • Be accountable to the Governing Council and Ministering Elders per the church’s governance structure.
  • Lead and participate in weekly staff meetings.
  • Provide routine and accounted for visitation with church membership.

Theological Views (Aligned with Church Stance)

  • Conservative/Reformed theology.
  • Complementarian view of gender roles in leadership.
  • Amillennial eschatology.
  • Open but cautious view on charismatic gifts (believe they exist but are not common).
  • Traditional view on marriage and conservative stance on social issues (like abortion).
  • This role offers the opportunity to build upon recent healing and unity and lead the church forward in growth, community outreach, and deeper love and grace.

Application Deadline

Job Type:

Full Time

Salary Range:

TBD

General Information

Church/Organization Name

First Christian Reformed Church

Contact Name & Contact Info

(713) 300-9665
resumes@vanderbloemen.com

Industry

Church

Denomination

Christian Reformed Church (CRC)

City, State

Hanford, CA

Description of Organization

First Christian Reformed Church (FCRC) in Hanford, CA is actively searching for a Lead Pastor to guide their congregation. Located in the Central California community of Hanford, which has an approximate population of 58,470 as of 2022 and offers a dynamic blend of rural and city living, FCRC is a Christian Reformed Church (CRC) holding to a conservative/Reformed theology. The church’s mission is to glorify God by making “More and Better Disciples” cultivated by living the life of a Jesus follower, and its vision is to see everyone intentionally building caring relationships with one another and with the unchurched and unbelieving for the sake of the Kingdom of God. FCRC is described as being blessed with financial means and stability, characterized by generosity, hospitality, and a regular stream of visitors. It is a multi-generational congregation, often with four generations worshipping together, dedicated to deepening faith through strong doctrine and Biblically-based teaching. The church places high value on community and strengthening discipleship through its Life Groups and has a strong relationship with the nearby Hanford Christian School. After a season of transition initiated by the retirement of the previous Lead Pastor in 2022 and guided by a Specialized Transitional Minister, FCRC is seeking a unifying, visionary leader who is a gifted communicator, strong leader, and good shepherd. This role offers the opportunity to build upon the healing and unity fostered by the interim pastor and lead the church forward in pursuing its hopes for growth in all age ranges, increased community outreach and impact, and deeper love and grace within the congregation.

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