Job Overview

The Evangelical Free Church of Lena, Illinois (Lena Free Church) is a vibrant, loving family in Christ of around 150 people (and growing!), affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America. Our mission statement is: We are a Family in Christ that Lives for God’s Glory, and we strive to do that through the avenues of Worship, Word, and Witness. Our congregation comes from a wide area in northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin and we are committedly intergenerational. In the last year we have experienced renewal as a body and are in a period of growth both in depth and breadth. Casey Dwyer, our Senior Pastor, and his wife Danielle came to serve us in June of 2023. We strive to give God glory as we share the truth of who Jesus is in the world, in our lives, and in our church family. Soli Deo Gloria!

Job Description

Responsibilities:

• If he is married, he will care for his wife and family as a shepherd (1 Timothy 5:8).
• He will regularly pray for the congregation.
• He will exercise oversight over the worship ministry, which includes organizing teams, making schedules, setting a theology and philosophy of worship, aligning with the Senior Pastor’s direction for themes/series, recruiting, equipping, and shepherding participants, and setting budgets. He will also work with the Tech Team to support and equip them, and the Youth Ministry Team to foster and advance youth involvement in worship. He will be willing to lead regularly in the service to provide consistency and shepherding, as well as train up others.
• He will exercise oversight over the pastoral care ministry, which includes spearheading benevolence and visitation (alongside the Senior Pastor), working with the Discipleship Coordinator to shepherd small groups and various men’s and women’s ministries, and working with the Senior Pastor to implement new campaigns in pastoral care, such as a counseling center. We expect this element of his work to grow and adapt with time, as his first goals will revolve around the worship ministry.
• He will report to the Senior Pastor and be accountable to the Elder Board.
• He will participate in ministry leader meetings, elder meetings, and weekly staff meetings.
• He will preach and teach periodically as he is equipped and mentored by the Senior Pastor.

Qualifications:

• A committed follower of Jesus.
• Meets the qualifications of Christian character found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
• Adheres to the EFCA statement of faith without reservation.
• A shepherd’s heart.
• Has a working knowledge of sacred music, with experience both leading and planning services.
• A spirit of teamwork and a love for people.
• Organizational/administrative skills.
• Some theological education preferred (BA, MA, MDiv). We are committed to helping him further his education in this regard as the Lord leads.
• He will obtain licensure in the EFCA within one year of acceptance of this position, and ordination in three years.

Our Commitment to him:

• To foster a spiritually healthy environment for him and his family, one where he can use his gifts and grow.
• To foster his interests and passions, as well as his need for interests outside of his role at the church.
• To insist on a healthy schedule with time for sabbath rest weekly and PTO.
• To foster his unique pastoral gifts, equipping him to serve with greater fruitfulness.
• To hold him accountable in love and mutual submission.