Full-time Senior Pastor

Job Description

First Baptist Church, Sylvania GA

First Baptist in located in the rural town of Sylvania, GA located in the heart of Screven County. We are a traditional Baptist church that is the pillar of our community. We have a strong base with attendance fluctuating from 180 to 280 on Holidays. We are 22 miles from Georgia Southern University which is in Statesboro, GA.

The Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, Sylvania, GA must meet the spiritual, personal and character qualifications as found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 and exhibit the fruit of the spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-23.

The Senior Pastor will hold to the doctrinal beliefs of the Southern Baptist Convention as described in the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. The Senior Pastor will strive to lead First Baptist Church Sylvania to maintain its support of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Georgia Baptist Convention and Middle Baptist Association.

The Senior Pastor shall serve as the chief under-shepherd and overseer of the church, feeding, leading, and nurturing the sheep. The pastor's main responsibilities will be to communicate God's Word, minister to spiritual needs and provide biblical leadership for the church.

The Senior Pastor will endeavor to lead the church to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-34 and Luke 10:27). Candidates are expected to stand firm for the sanctity of human life, the sacredness of marriage between one man and one woman, and the fundamental freedom to express our faith in the public arena.

Qualifications and Experience:· Christ-centered, Bible-based, prayer-driven, born-again Christian

· Ordained minister of the Gospel required, and of Southern Baptist churches preferred

· College degree in Pastoral Ministries, Divinity, Christian Education, (or an equivalent degree) from an accredited seminary, Master or higher preferred

· Demonstrate a commitment to expository preaching

· Exceptional written and oral communication skills

· Five years of documented church leadership experience preferred

Duties & Responsibilities:· Proclaim the Word of God in a regular pulpit ministry

· Spend significant time in prayer and Bible study

· Lead and guide pastoral staff

· Provide leadership and vision for the church, defining strategic goals as the key leader

· Direct plans for ministry and church growth

· Motivate, equip, and nurture the congregation through example, preaching and teaching of God's Word and spiritual counseling

· Lead the contact/visitation of hospitalized, sick, home-bound, or grieving church members

· Officiate at weddings and funerals upon request

· Participate in evangelism efforts through preaching and giving invitations during worship services, revival or other special services, visitation, and other outreach activities

· Provide counseling within the parameter of expertise, and make referrals to competent individuals/agencies when needed

· Maintain and implement a plan for regular contact with church members

· Moderate all business meetings of the church

· The Senior Pastor is expected to maintain church office hours for the benefit of all church members/non-members and the related business of the church.

· Meet annually with the Personnel Committee of the church for review and evaluation of the performance of pastors and paid staff. The Senior Pastor is directly responsible to the congregation in the performance of ministry.

· Serve as the spiritual and administrative leader of the church and work in a spirit of cooperation with the deacons, trustees, and other ministries to meet the needs of the congregation and administration and management of church operations.

· Must have the ability to make the gospel relevant to people's lives through clarity in preaching.

· Work with various standing and special committees in accomplishing their respective duties

· Lead in observance of the ordinances of the church

· Cooperate with local, state, and denominational leaders in matters of mutual interest and concern; keep the church informed of denominational developments; represent the church in denominational and civic matters

Application Requirements and Process:

All interested and qualified persons must submit an initial candidate package consisting of the following information:

§ A current resume that includes a summary of relevant ministry, professional, and educational experience.

§ Copies of ministerial license and ordination certificate.

§ Official transcripts for all degrees and graduate studies. Transcripts must be sent to First Baptist Church Sylvania directly from the institution by email to:

First Baptist Church Sylvania [email protected].

§ Names of four references (at least two clergy and one layperson) with contact information (email address and phone number).

§ Two sermons preached within the past 6 months. Please provide a link to access sermons (i.e., YouTube, Facebook, church website). Sermons may also be submitted on a USB drive via mail to FBC ADDRESS ***(Attention: Pastor Search Committee).

§ A statement of how you believe the church would benefit from your leadership and your vision for equipping FBC Sylvania to thrive through the advancement of our mission and your vision.

§ Provide any additional information you would like to share with the Pastoral Search Committee.

Final candidates will be notified and asked to provide additional information later in the selection process. Final candidates must consent to a full background check including criminal history, a drug screening test, and a credit and financial history review (performed through outside agencies for complete confidentiality). Please direct all inquiries to [email protected].