Job Overview

Situated centrally in Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, the Al Ain Evangelical Congregation (AAEC), is a church of approximately 250 members. Al Ain Evangelical Congregation is a place for everyone. A multicultural, inter-denominational, evangelical, Bible-believing church.

Our vision is threefold: 1) to lead people to a personal relationship with God through the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to seek to fulfill the Great Commission. 2) To teach and preach the message of the Word of God, the Holy Bible.

3) To provide for the spiritual care and nurture of members through worship, instruction, fellowship and service.

AAEC is seeking candidates for the position of Lead Pastor in pursuit of leading the church with God's mission. We are an English-speaking expat community situated on a church compound with diverse people groups. The Lead Pastor will serve as the primary spiritual leader and will be accountable to the Elder Board. The Lead Pastor's salary is expected to be partially funded by Al Ain Evangelical Church while also being self-funded by either a sending agency or otherwise. Visit www.aaec.ae for further insights about us.

Job Description

Lead Pastor Job Description – AAEC

Vision and Direction ● The requirement of Ephesians 4 – raising up people for the work of ministry, discipleship direction and training ● Yearly vision casting with the congregation and follow-up throughout the year ● Celebrating key milestones and church events ● Developing sermon series for the year that align with vision and direction ● Overseeing health of the various congregation ministries

Spiritual Leadership The Pastor of the Al Ain Evangelical Congregation provides spiritual leadership to the congregation and staff. ● Staff Although we do not have a large staff, there is a significant amount of turnover that happens in the congregation and also the staff. There is a continual need to raise up people to assist in the ministry. The leadership includes biblical training, ministry oversight and development training to the staff. ● Elder board and Ministry council AAEC is an elder led church with the pastor as a member of the elder board. There is periodic turnover within the elder board, so identifying and training of new elders is a continual process. The ministry council consists of the elders and leaders from all ministries. The pastor liaises with the ministries. ● Leadership training o Identifying and providing opportunities for people in conjunction with ministry leaders. ● Counseling o Premarriage and marriage counseling o Other counseling, hospital visits, family visits, etc. ● Other o Teaching for first communion, baptism, baby dedication o Marriage and Funerals Administrative responsibilities ● Oversee staff – This involves weekly meetings with staff and key ministry people ● Work with elders regarding hiring and review of staff ● Liaison with government agencies overseeing the church ● Assisting with the handling of governmental requirements for marriages, funerals, and expatriation of people to home countries ● Input into budgeting and liaising with finance committee Service Responsibilities ● Speaking, preaching series formulation, facilitating guest speakers, etc. ● Coordination with worship, prayer ministry, usher / welcome ministries, etc. ● Weekly service layout ● Special services – Advent, Christmas, New Year's eve, praise and testimony services, youth and family services, etc.

Evangelical Church Al Ain Compound The English service was the first service on this compound, and it is now one of 46 congregations that meet weekly on the compound. We work with the compound leadership and provide significant input into other congregations – assisting them in their ministry, providing assistance to lay pastors, etc. ● We often have other compound responsibilities – assisting in government relations, etc. ● We share the compound with the Kanad Hospital and maintain close relationships with them — prayer times, etc. ● Relationship with the other pastors on the compound – training, fellowship, encouragement, etc.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS The greatest requirement for a person in the role of Senior Pastor is a strong personal commitment to Jesus Christ and a love for His church. The person must demonstrate commitment to ongoing spiritual development and maturity and be led of the Holy Spirit. In addition, the following requirements are also applicable: ● A degree in Biblical Theology from an accredited institution ● Must possess the elder requirements listed in I Timothy 3:1-7 ● Be fluent in English, both spoken and written ● Be at least 45 years old at the time of applying ● Be willing to sign a 2 year renewable contract subject to approval ● Be comfortable leading a diverse, multi-cultural congregation ● Must be able to articulate a clear calling to the pastoral leadership of AAEC ● Exhibits the gifts of wisdom, leadership, and discernment ● Must be someone of impeccable personal integrity and moral purity ● Reads people and situations well in addition to having the ability to discern gifting in others and the role that suits them best ● Be passionate about shepherding the congregation as well as reaching the unchurched ● Approachable, good self-awareness, authentic, and a good example ● Values input, getting "buy-in" to decisions, yet is decisive ● Shows self-confidence yet is humble and has a servant's heart ● Radiates genuine warmth, attracts people, and is sensitive to others ● Is energetic, has the stamina for a demanding position yet balances work with a strong walk with God, appropriate times for family and personal time for refreshing and recharging ● An engaging, biblical preacher who is enthusiastic about the power of the Word of God to transform people's lives ● Proven experience in planning services and teaching sermons that are relevant and sensitive to our diverse community ● Be willing to share preaching duties with other leaders and guests ● Liaise closely with the Elder Board in order to lead and guide administrative and congregational matters ● Oversee a multicultural staff (including paid and lay leadership) ● Equips and encourages members in their spiritual development and growth through prayer, teaching and personal relationships ● Is sensitive to theological differences within the framework of a Christ-centred, Bible believing community

B. EXPERIENCE ● 8 years of pastoral experience required, of which 3 years must have been in a similar role ● Experienced in performing weddings, funerals, baptisms and baby dedications ● Well versed in conducting counseling sessions

AAEC Statement of Faith 1) We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of man and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith, life and conduct. 2) We believe in one God, creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 3) We believe in the full deity of Jesus Christ; that He was born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and, as such, is God perfectly manifested in the flesh; that He died on the cross, a perfect and complete sacrifice, in our stead and for our sins according to the Scriptures. He arose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven where at the right hand of the Majesty on high, He is now our High Priest and Advocate. 4) We believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit whose ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict of sin and regenerate the sinner upon believing in Christ, at the time of regeneration baptizing the believer into the one body of which Christ is the head; and to indwell, guide, instruct, fill and empower the believer for godly living and service. 5) We believe that man was directly created by God in His own image, that all men are sinners by choice and by nature and as such stand condemned before God. The entire human race is, therefore, lost and only through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, and regeneration of the Holy Spirit, can salvation and spiritual life be obtained. 6) We believe that the atoning death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground of justification and salvation for all who believe, and that only such as receive Jesus Christ by personal faith are born of the Holy Spirit and, thus, become children of God. 7) We believe in the personal, visible, bodily and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ to complete His saving purpose and to fulfill the biblical promises, and that this blessed hope has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. 8) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all the dead, of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, and of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting punishment. 9) We believe that the Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ, of which He is the head. 10) We believe the local church is a congregation of believers associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ governed by His laws and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word. This will include winning people to Christ, establishing them in the Word of God and discipling them to reach others. 11) We believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances to be observed by the church during this present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation. 12) We believe that all the saved should live in such manner as will honor and glorify and not bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord, and that it is commanded of God to remain separate from false doctrines and sinful pleasures, practices and associations. 13) We believe in the existence of angels who worship God and minister to believers. We also believe in the existence of Satan, the devil, a fallen angelic being who with his demons opposes God, His people and His work. We believe that Christians today can have victory over Satan and his evil schemes through their identification with Christ who defeated him powerfully and conclusively at the cross.