Senior Pastor

Role - Senior Pastor

Reports to - Trustee Board

Hours - Full Time, 37.5 hrs per week

Salary - Competitive Salary

Sunday working is expected as part of the working week

Who we are

We are a vibrant Pentecostal church, pioneered 14 years ago to serve a community with challenges and many opportunities. As we enter into an exciting new season, our focus is on growing in maturity, deepening discipleship, and becoming firmly established as a trusted and active presence in our community. This is a unique opportunity to join a Spirit-filled church family at a pivotal moment of growth and vision.

Purpose

As the Senior Pastor of Seaton Community Church (SCC) you will provide spiritual, visionary, and organisational leadership to the church, guiding the church into a mature and outward-focused community of faith. You will lead pastoral care, preaching, discipleship, leadership development, governance collaboration, and community mission, with a heart for transformation in an area with great potential and need in line with our mission statement - Transforming lives, Transforming Community, By God.

Core Values

• Integrity
• Service
• Authenticity
• Compassion

Core Areas of Responsibilities 

1. Values, culture, vision and strategy 

• Seek God’s will and direction together with leadership, take responsibility for defining and upholding values, setting vision and strategic direction in line with our mission.
• Foster a culture of discipleship & leadership development.
• Develop and communicate a clear vision for community impact and church spiritual maturity, with church health being the key measure
• Agree to all aspects of the Code of Ethics for Trustees and Leadership Teams,  included in Appendix A.

2. Lead, inspire and empower 

• Communicate and model SCC vision, mission and values clearly, passionately, powerfully and creatively - with staff, leaders and church family
• Recruit, train, lead and mentor staff, volunteers, leaders and ministry leaders
• Develop leadership structures appropriate for a maturing church
• Work so that staff and leaders are clear about their roles and objectives, motivated to perform and feel connected to each other and the church
• Motivate healthy teamwork, good communication and mutual respect, in and between the various teams
• Be devoted to prayer and worship, ensuring these permeate your life and the life of the church

3. Preaching and Teaching 

• Working with the Leadership team and Trustees, you will set the teaching priorities and grow the internal teaching team
• Develop and utilise a network of speakers and partners within the Church Family and beyond
• Teach regularly on Sunday and other times, providing spirit-led, biblically sound preaching and teaching that encourages spiritual growth and transformation 

4. Spiritual formation and pastoral care 

• Take ownership and responsibility for the overall spiritual health, pastoral care and wellbeing of the church family
• Pray with and for the church community regularly
• Partner with the staff team & leadership team to set a strategy for spiritual formation / discipleship and you will be integral in how this is practically delivered
• Partner with the staff team and leadership team to set a strategy for pastoral care and you will be integral in how this is practically delivered
• Provide visitation, counselling and support to individuals and families within the church community
• Give oversight of pastoral teams and small groups
• Conduct weddings, funerals, baptisms and baby dedications
• Oversee the teaching of baptism, pre-marriage and other discipleship courses

5. Evangelism and Outreach

• Lead efforts to reach the unchurched, marginalized and spiritually seeking
• Encourage personal evangelism and corporate outreach initiatives
• Together with staff you will promote involvement in local and global mission

6. Administration and Governance  

• Partner with the SCC Trustees, keeping the trustees and leadership informed, presenting the vision, strategies, challenges, required support and resource requirements as well as monitoring and reporting progress
• Oversee the effective working of all SCC ministries in an integrated manner
• Provide input into the SCC finances and budgets responsibly and honestly, liaising with the Trustees and Treasurer
• Working with the trustees and leadership, you will oversee the management of staff and legislation (including safeguarding, health & safety, etc), escalating as needed

Person Specification

• Committed, spirit filled, mature believer with a strong relationship with Jesus Christ
• Passionate and dedicated leader with a clear calling to lead and inspire a growing church
• A heart and calling for pastoral ministry and community transformation
• Spiritually discerning and grounded in prayer
• High level of integrity, humility and servant leadership
• Compassionate and approachable who relates well to people, all ages, all backgrounds and all cultures
• Strong communication and teaching ability
• Committed to biblical truth and spirit-led leadership
• Sensitive to the guidance of the holy spirit, with a good understanding of spiritual gifts and their role in the church community
• The fruit of the spirit are reflected in your life
• Commitment to mission and evangelism: Everyone, everywhere, every day
• Demonstration of faith in Jesus, including willingness and ability to share your faith
• Life-long learner: able and willing to reflect on yourself; eager to improve your skills and strengths
• Emotionally healthy, emotionally intelligent and mature, modelling healthy accountability
• Resilient and adaptable, with capacity to lead in a growing church

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Agreement with and commitment to Pentecostal theology and practice
• Ministerial credentials with a recognised pentecostal body or equivalent theological training
• Minimum of 5-10 years in senior ministry leadership or relevant role
• Strong leadership, communication and relational skills
• Demonstrated experience in preaching, pastoral care and church leadership
• Proven Leadership ability, managing staff, teams, volunteer and church operations
• The successful applicant must have the right to work in the UK. Evidence of eligibility will be required as part of the recruitment process.

Desired Experience

• Experience with addiction recovery or community transformation ministries
• Working in urban mission contexts
• Creative problem solver who enjoys bringing fresh ministry ideas, communications and outreach ideas and seeing them through to completion

This post is subject to an Occupational Requirement under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9. The successful applicant must be a practising Christian, as the role involves spiritual leadership, teaching, and representing the Christian faith.

SCC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. The successful applicant will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and adhere to our safeguarding policies and procedures.

The Senior Pastor must agree to teach, preach, and lead the church in theological alignment with our beliefs as a church, see Appendix B.

To apply for this role please send a CV and a covering letter to [email protected].

Appendix A: Code of Ethics for SCC Trustees & Leadership teams 

A. Preamble 

As a minister of Jesus Christ, called by God to proclaim the Gospel, and gifted by the Spirit to lead the church, I dedicate myself to conduct my ministry according to the ethical guidelines and principles set forth in this Code of Ethics, in order that my ministry be acceptable to God, my services be beneficial to the Christian community, and my life be a witness to the world. 

B. Responsibilities to Self 

1. I will manage my time well by properly balancing personal obligations, church duties, and family responsibilities.
2. I will be truthful in my speech, never exaggerating the facts, abusing personal experiences, or communicating gossip.
3. I will seek to be Christ-like in attitude and action toward all persons regardless of race, social class, religious beliefs, or position of influence within the church and community. 

C. Responsibilities to Family 

1. I will be fair to every member of my family, giving them the time, love, and consideration they need.
2. I will understand the unique role of my spouse, recognising his or her primary responsibility is as marital partner and parent to the children.
3. I will regard my children as a gift from God and seek to meet their individual needs without imposing undue expectations upon them. 

D. Responsibilities to Congregation 

1. I will seek to be a servant-minister of the church by following the example of Christ in faith, love, wisdom, courage, and integrity.
2. I will faithfully discharge my time and energies as a Church leader with proper work habits and reasonable schedules.
3. In my administrative and pastoral duties, I will be impartial and fair to all members.
4. In my preaching responsibilities, I will give adequate time to prayer and preparation, so that my presentation will be biblically based, theologically correct, and clearly communicated.
5. In my pastoral counselling, I will maintain appropriate confidentiality, except in cases where disclosure is necessary to prevent harm to persons and/or is required by law.
6. In my evangelistic responsibilities, I will seek to lead persons to Salvation and to church membership without manipulating converts, proselytising members of other churches, or demeaning other faiths.
7. In my visitation and counselling practices, I will exercise due propriety and seek never to be alone with a person of the opposite sex unless another church member is present nearby.

E. Responsibilities to Colleagues 

1. I will endeavour to relate to all ministers, especially those with whom I serve in my church, as partners in the work of God, respecting their ministry and co-operating with them.
2. I will seek to serve my minister colleagues and their families with counsel, support, and personal assistance.
3. I will refuse to treat other ministers as competitors.
4. I will refrain from speaking disparagingly about the person or work of any other minister, especially my predecessor or successor. 

F. Responsibilities to the Community 

1. I will consider my primary responsibility to be a leader of my congregation and will never neglect ministerial duties in order to serve in the community.
2. I will accept reasonable responsibility for community service, recognising the minister has a public ministry.
3. I will support public morality in the community through responsible prophetic witness and social action.
4. I will obey the laws of my government unless they require my disobedience to the law of God.
5. I will practice Christian citizenship without engaging in political activities that are unethical, unbiblical or unwise. 

Appendix B: We believe...  

1. The Inspired Word of God

We believe that the Bible (i.e. the Old and New Testaments excluding the Apocrypha) is the inspired Word of God, the infallible and all-sufficient rule for faith and practice.

2. The One True and Living God

We believe in the unity of the One True and Living God, who is the Eternal, Self-Existent “I AM,” who has revealed Himself as one Being co-existing in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

3. The Lord Jesus Christ

We believe in the Virgin Birth, Sinless Life, Miraculous Ministry, Substitutionary Atoning Death, Bodily Resurrection, Triumphant Ascension and Abiding Intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in His personal, visible, bodily return in power and glory as the blessed hope of all believers.

4. The Fall of Man

We believe in the fall of man, who was created pure and upright, but fell by voluntary transgression.

5. Salvation through Faith

We believe in salvation through faith in Christ, who, according to the Scriptures, died for our sins, was buried, and was raised from the dead on the third day, and that through His Blood we have redemption.

6. The New Birth

We believe that this experience is also known as the new birth and is an instantaneous and complete operation of the Holy Spirit upon initial faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

7. Baptism by Immersion in Water

We believe that all who have truly repented and believed in Christ as Lord and Saviour are commanded to be baptised by immersion in water.

8. Baptism in the Holy Spirit

We believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit as an enduement of the believer with power for service.

9. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

We believe in the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of Christ in the Church today.

10. Divine Healing

We believe that healing is provided for in the redemptive work of Christ and is available to believers.

11. The Breaking of Bread

We believe that all who have truly repented and believed in Christ as Lord and Saviour should regularly participate in the Breaking of Bread (Communion).

12. The Christian Life

We believe in the necessity of holy living and obedience to the commands of Christ.

13. Resurrection and Eternal Destiny

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.