Job Overview

We are looking for a pastor who loves Jesus deeply, teaches the Bible with clarity and depth, and genuinely cares for people. This person will preach God's Word in a way that is both faithful to Scripture and relevant to everyday life—speaking truth with grace and consistently pointing people to Jesus.

Our ideal pastor enjoys walking alongside others: visiting, listening, praying, and offering biblical encouragement. We value someone who not only nurtures the spiritual health of our church family but also leads us in reaching out to our wider community with love and truth. We believe the church is not a place to stay comfortable, but a people sent to live out the Gospel.

We are looking for a leader who casts vision, works well with staff and the consistory, and helps guide others into deeper discipleship. This person will encourage the use of spiritual gifts within the body, helping the church grow in faith, mission, and service.

Rooted in the Reformed tradition, our new pastor will hold firmly to sound doctrine and live it out with humility, grace, and authenticity. Above all, we are praying for someone who is spiritually mature, emotionally grounded, and committed to building a healthy church where people know God, love one another, and serve the world around them.

Job Description

LEAD PASTOR POSITION DESCRIPTION

TRINITY CHURCH, PELLA, IOWA

The Trinity Church Lead Pastor will lead the church and shepherd the congregation in fulfillment of God's vision for Trinity through biblical preaching, spiritual leadership, and other responsibilities.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Accountable to the Trinity Church Consistory and under the care of Trinity Church Elders. Serve as President of Consistory.

Collaborate with and lead staff members on program development and worship activities to cultivate unity and shared purpose.

Collaborate with committees on programming and activities as needed.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Preaching and Worship

• Faithfully teach from Scripture through expository preaching that communicates the gospel with Spirit-empowered clarity and boldness. (Romans 10:14)
• Equip believers to apply biblical truth to their daily lives, transform lives through gospel-centered preaching, and lead new believers to Christ through the impact of this good news. (Romans 1:16)
• Deepen discipleship and a mature understanding of Christian beliefs through preaching, within Reformed theology, occasionally using Reformed catechisms and other doctrinal standards in sermons as appropriate to summarize the truths of scripture. (2 Timothy 4:1-2)
• Envision and lead worship services that communicate a primary idea throughout each service using a variety of components and formats, utilizing prayers, creeds, and confessions as appropriate and celebrating special days of the year meaningful to Christians. (Psalm 122:1)

Spiritual Leadership and Prayer

• Demonstrate spiritual and theological maturity, witness to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and provide spiritual leadership through words and actions. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
• Hold firm to the trustworthy Word of God, providing sound doctrine, and rebuking false teaching. (Titus 1:9)
• Guide the Elders, Consistory, staff members, and the entire church body in making important decisions, seeking God's wisdom through prayer and grounding those decisions in biblical principles. (James 1:5-8)
• Create a culture of prayer throughout Trinity Church that leads to a deep dependence on Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Acts 6:4)
• Lead staff members, committees, and the congregation in having prayer-centered ministries. (Acts 1:14)

Discipleship and Care

• Model a lifestyle of discipleship through ongoing spiritual growth, prayer, and learning while guiding others through sound biblical teaching. (Luke 9:23-24)
• Nurture and protect the body of believers, fostering spiritual health and unity within the church using a servant-hearted, Christ-centered approach. (Acts 20:28)
• Collaborate with Elders and the Pastor of Calling to oversee and provide pastoral care to congregational members through calling, visitation, and prayer. (James 5:14-16)
• Provide pastoral counseling for individuals, couples, and families with a focus on marital and premarital counseling while also addressing grief, life transition, and spiritual concerns in alignment with biblical principles and providing referrals as appropriate. (1 Peter 5:2-3)

Evangelism and Mission Advancement

• Lead and inspire the congregation toward evangelism and mission advancement by preaching, teaching, and modeling a lifestyle of sharing the gospel locally and globally. (Matthew 28:19-20)

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS/ EXPERIENCE/ TRAITS/ CHARACTERISTICS

Qualifications

• Is ordained in the Alliance of Reformed Churches or is willing to become ordained in the Alliance by enrolling in Pathways. (pathways.arc21.org)
• Fully supports and will hold to Trinity's beliefs and affirmations. (www.trinitypella.org/beliefs and www.trinitypella.org/affirmations)
• Fully supports and will hold to the Unifying Beliefs of the Alliance of Reformed Churches. (www.arc21.org/unifying-beliefs)
• Has earned an M.Div. degree from an accredited seminary that holds to Reformed theology, or has completed equivalent theological education.

Experience

• Has served as a pastor of an evangelical Christian church for at least five years, faithfully preaching God's truth from scripture.

Traits/Characteristics

• Has a deep personal faith and powerfully inspires and convicts others to boldly share the good news of Jesus.
• Has strong relational skills, connecting with people from all walks of life and modeling Christ-like love.
• Is able to disciple and mentor others, raising up leaders within the congregation who can multiply the mission of the church.
• Is compassionate and approachable, listens well, and builds trust within the congregation but is also able to lovingly communicate hard truths when needed.

EXPECTATIONS

Congregation

• Walks closely with the church family, guiding and encouraging members to live out the church's vision and mission through a shared love for Jesus and a heart for others.
• Sets the tone for and actively demonstrates how to help people love and follow Jesus, through teaching and interaction with others.

Staff Members

• Is in regular contact with staff members to ensure the team is working toward the same goals.
• Attends to the spiritual health of staff members, encouraging them to grow in their faith and equipping them to minister to others effectively.

Outside the Church

• Emphasizes the importance of outreach and evangelism, ensuring that reaching the lost remains a central priority in the church's mission.
• Is passionate about missions, training congregational members and motivating them to become involved.
• Resides in the local community, and engages with church members and with people from the local community outside of church activities.

Other Ministries

• Has some involvement with the various other ministries of Trinity to provide guidance, ensuring these ministries are consistent with Trinity's overall vision and to be present, meeting congregational members where they are.