Discipleship Pastor

Discipleship Pastor

DISCIPLESHIP PASTOR
Associate Pastor position / Pastoral staff / Full-Time
Status: CLOSED

View and download a printable version of Discipleship Pastor job description here:
Discipleship Pastor – Assoc

To apply for this position, please submit your resume to:
Senior Pastor Billy Arnold
Subject line: Discipleship Pastor—Resume


Overview
The purpose of LifeWay Church is to make disciples who make disciples. We want to help real people find real life in Jesus Christ through real relationships with His Word and His people.

Because of this goal, LifeWay Church is structured for leaders to “equip God’s people to do His work…,” that is, to empower LifeWay members to be as active as possible in the work of the church community. The work of the church—including worship, teaching, discipleship, and communicating the gospel to the world, as well as the practical organizational support needed to facilitate that work—is carried out by the many members of the LifeWay community, rather than a select few leaders at the top of an organization chart.

To that end, the purpose of the Discipleship Pastor is to coordinate and lead the discipleship of LifeWay Church members and equip them to disciple others. This work entails ensuring that LifeWay members are given opportunities to increase their biblical knowledge, develop sufficiently sophisticated theology, deepen their love for God, engage in meaningful community, and help people find real life in Jesus Christ.

Role & Responsibilities

Modeling Biblical Priorities

  • Commit to regular time with God
  • Consistently attend LifeWay weekend services
  • Set appropriate boundaries with time and relationships to protect character and integrity
  • Develop personal evangelism opportunities outside the church
  • Participate in intentional discipleship relationships within the church
  • Financially support the ministries of LifeWay by giving faithfully
  • Adhere to and encompass the qualities and characteristics required of LifeWay employees as defined by the staff handbook

Strategic Development and Communication

  • With senior pastor, determine and maintain focus on LifeWay vision and strategic direction
  • Develop and maintain focus on specific strategy to ensure the consistent, high-quality discipleship of congregation members of all ages
  • Select and/or develop curriculum to facilitate consistent, high-quality discipleship
  • Teach during congregation-wide services periodically

Leadership of Staff and Lay Ministers

  • Advise senior pastor on hiring paid ministry staff overseeing age-specific discipleship
  • Recruit and develop lay ministers to facilitate discipleship for smaller groups throughout the congregation
  • Manage paid and lay ministers, provide encouragement and clear path for growth
  • Clearly communicate with teaching team (under senior pastor) and age-specific ministry leaders to coordinate teaching calendar and the execution of teaching and discipleship content
  • Develop and execute training for lay discipleship ministers and professional ministry staff

Assimilation, Shepherding and Pastoral Care (with senior pastor and associate pastor of missions)

  • Participate in the assimilation, shepherding and pastoral care of congregation members
  • Manage weekly communications cards and reports for attendance, prayer requests and special needs
  • Communicate with staff and lay ministers to reach out to new visitors and those in need of
    pastoral care
  • Manage lay Welcome Team
  • Host regular welcome lunch for new visitors
  • Manage the teaching of welcome and LifeWay informational classes

Administration

  • With senior pastor, central support director and discipleship leaders, develop and coordinate church calendar
  • Meet regularly with core lead pastoral team to address strategy and pastoral care
  • Manage appropriate discipleship-related budget lines
  • Manage your work appropriately and professionally
  • Other appropriate duties as assigned

Priorities/Work Breakdown (Monthly)

  • Strategic planning
  • Leadership coaching and development
  • Curriculum development
  • Discipleship-related training and management
  • Internal communication (senior pastor, group leaders, lay ministers, etc.)
  • Teaching (Sunday mornings/classes)
  • Administration

Qualifications and Education Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Seminary training preferred, but not required
  • 5+ years professional or non-professional pastoral, discipleship or management experience
  • Agree and teach consistently with LifeWay’s statement of faith

Preferred Skills/Qualities

  • Pastoral/relational disposition
  • Passion for missions
  • Strategic development skills
  • Training and coaching skills
  • Verbal and written communication skills
  • Biblical and theological knowledge
  • Organization skills
  • Comfort with delegation, people management and coaching others
  • Meets biblical character criteria of an elder