Lead Pastor

Job Description: Lead Pastor, Firwood Church 300 Middleton Road Westwood
Oldham OL9 6JH. The Firwood church website is www.firwood.church
Full time - 37.5 hours per week.
Flexible hours considered by arrangement.
Part time candidates may be considered upon request (salary pro rata)
Permanent
Salary: £25,000-£30,000 per annum (dependent upon experience)
Pension scheme available
PLEASE NOTE: The position is only open to candidates who have the legal right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this role at this time.
Accountable to:

• Board of Elders
• Trustees

Vision: Firwood Church seeks to faithfully proclaim the gospel, baptise, nurture, and disciple believers, to develop and commission leaders, to love and serve the least and the lost.

Scope: To lead the Elders, the ministry, and God's people at Firwood Church through the proclamation of the gospel, the faithful teaching of God's Word, through prayer, and in setting an example through pursuit of personal holiness and godly living.
 

Role:

• Ministry: To faithfully proclaim the Gospel and teach God's Word through contemporary expository preaching and bible study in the reformed evangelical tradition. Oversee the work and witness of the church. Provide pastoral care that loves, nurtures, and models and promotes growth in personal holiness and zeal for the glory of Christ.
• Mission: To model and motivate a commitment to the Great Commission, locally, nationally, and to the nations. Promote and oversee new and existing ministries to take the gospel to the least and the lost.
• Management: To provide biblical leadership to the Elders, church, and in the following specific areas:
   To oversee and lead the Elders and Deacons;
   To promote and oversee new and existing ministries;
   To ordinarily chair the Board of Elders, the Board of Trustees, the Diaconate, and church meetings;
   Represent Firwood Church externally, both locally and further afield, through building and establishing links with communities, churches, church leaders, and formal and informal Christian networks.

Responsibilities:

• To faithfully proclaim and teach the word of God in public meetings, small groups, and in personal meetings.
• To Shepherd the flock of God, faithfully administering the preaching of the Word, believers' baptism, the Lord's table, membership, and church discipline.
• To promote and participate in the proclamation of the gospel within Westwood, Oldham, and the surrounding community. To do the work of an evangelist.
• To establish strong relationships with local churches in order to support the progress of the gospel in our town and city.
• To promote and oversee existing ministries to provide assurance as to alignment with the gospel, Firwood Church distinctives, and to monitor and test effectiveness against the church Vision and mission.
  Expectations:
• To serve alongside the Elders of Firwood Church demonstrating the characteristics described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1, 1 Peter 5:1-3, and progressively manifesting the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
• To model accountability to fellow leaders and believers through periodic reviews of your ministry and the impact they have on the overall life and health of the church family.
• To be accountable to the Board of Elders, Trustees, and the wider church membership, providing regular reports on your roles and responsibilities.
• To relocate (if required) and to live locally to Firwood Church (within 5 miles, unless otherwise agreed with the Elders and Trustees).
   

Qualifications/Experience:

• Thoroughly equipped for gospel ministry (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and able to contend for the faith (Jude 3).
• A member of the FIEC Pastors Network, or a willingness to apply.
• Passionate for the proclamation and teaching of God's Word.
• Passionate and committed to the Great Commission and the progress of the gospel to the lost and the least.
• Experienced in leadership, preferably in a Pastor/Elder role, and committed to the development and commissioning of leaders (2 Timothy 2:2).
• Gifted and committed to pastoral care and shepherding the flock.
• Visionary, self-disciplined, and strategic.
• Demonstrating increasing Christ-likeness in your life, being transformed by the Gospel.

Duties to include:
Pastoral Responsibilities

• Prepare for and conduct worship services and lead in the observance of the ordinances.
• Lead regular church prayer meetings.
• Officiate at weddings, baptisms, and funerals of church members.
• Teaching - Regularly Preach on Sunday mornings, to lead Bible studies, membership classes, and other teaching activities.
• Undertake training for church leaders, Trustees, and Deacons.
• Conduct premarital, vocational, family, bereavement, counselling sessions as needed. Advise and signpost to other professional help/agencies where necessary.
• Work with families in emotional, spiritual, or financial crisis.
• Undertake regular visits to church and community members in their homes, hospitals, prisons, in order to provide spiritual comfort and support.

Leadership

• To chair the Board of Elders, Board of Trustees, church meetings, and provide leadership and oversight to the Diaconate.
• Work with Deacons, Trustees, church officers, and committees in performing assigned responsibilities and develop the team.
• Lead committees in vision discernment and in medium- and long-term planning.
• Ensure the keeping of minutes, membership records, etc. for all church committees, and business meetings
• Provide administrative leadership and work with committees and individuals to manage financial and administrative issues.
   

Health and Safety

• Oversee the management of the church building. Ensure all statutory health and safety checks and servicing are carried out and all appropriate record keeping is in place.
• Maintain and oversee robust processes to ensure that all safeguarding procedures and protocols are in place. Ensure volunteers and formal positions within the church are subject to safeguarding processes and procedures and the correct level of DBS checks. Firwood Church is committed to providing and maintaining a healthy and safe working environment for all its employees, and in ensuring that their work does not adversely affect the health and safety of other people such as members, visitors and contractors. In order to achieve this, aim the Church has the following key objectives:
  as a minimum, to comply with requirements of relevant legislation and statutes
  • to identify hazards (the potential for harm), assess risks (the likelihood of that harm being realised) and manage those risks
  • to ensure that employees (and others as appropriate) are adequately informed of the identified risks and where appropriate receive instruction, training and supervision
  • to monitor and review the effectiveness of the safety management systems and arrangements and where appropriate implement improvements
   

Communication

• Keep the church regularly informed of developments and activities/events.
• Develop fund raising strategies to support ministries.
• Engage in activities and events to promote and expand church membership.
   

Support and Development Opportunities
The postholder will receive:

• Support from the Leadership Team;
• Opportunities to attend appropriate conferences;
• Encouragement to join local networks of evangelical Christian leaders;
• Reimbursement for approved church expenses;
• 25 days annual leave per annum, plus bank holidays.
   

This is a full-time post (37.5 hours a week), to be worked flexibly by arrangement according to the requirements of the role, including evening and weekend working.
Part time candidates will be considered upon request salary pro rata.

Appointment will be subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS clearance.

 

Required Skills

Pastoral Responsibilities
• Prepare for and conduct worship services and lead in the observance of the ordinances.
• Lead regular church prayer meetings.
• Officiate at weddings, baptisms, and funerals of church members.
• Teaching - Regularly Preach on Sunday mornings, to lead Bible studies, membership classes, and other teaching activities.
• Undertake training for church leaders, Trustees, and Deacons.
• Conduct premarital, vocational, family, bereavement, counselling sessions as needed. Advise and signpost to other professional help/agencies where necessary.
• Work with families in emotional, spiritual, or financial crisis.
• Undertake regular visits to church and community members in their homes, hospitals, prisons, in order to provide spiritual comfort and support.
Leadership
• To chair the Board of Elders, Board of Trustees, church meetings, and provide leadership and oversight to the Diaconate.
• Work with Deacons, Trustees, church officers, and committees in performing assigned responsibilities and develop the team.
• Lead committees in vision discernment and in medium- and long-term planning.
• Ensure the keeping of minutes, membership records, etc. for all church committees, and business meetings.
• Provide administrative leadership and work with committees and individuals to manage financial and administrative issues.
Health and Safety
• Oversee the management of the church building. Ensure all statutory health and safety checks and servicing are carried out and all appropriate record keeping is in place.
• Maintain and oversee robust processes to ensure that all safeguarding procedures and protocols are in place. Ensure volunteers and formal positions within the church are subject to safeguarding processes and procedures and the correct level of DBS checks.
Firwood Church is committed to providing and maintaining a healthy and safe working environment for all its employees, and in ensuring that their work does not adversely affect the health and safety of other people such as members, visitors and contractors. In order to achieve this, aim the Church has the following key objectives:
• as a minimum, to comply with requirements of relevant legislation and statutes
• to identify hazards (the potential for harm), assess risks (the likelihood of that harm being realised) and manage those risks
• to ensure that employees (and others as appropriate) are adequately informed of the identified risks and where appropriate receive instruction, training and supervision
• to monitor and review the effectiveness of the safety management systems and arrangements and where appropriate implement improvements
Communication
• Keep the church regularly informed of developments and activities/events.
• Develop fund raising strategies to support ministries.
• Engage in activities and events to promote and expand church membership.

Please submit a comprehensive CV or resume detailing ministry experience, education and relevant leadership roles. In addition a letter of intent/statement of faith advising how their doctrinal beliefs align with the church position and job description. Please also provide any links to recent preaches/sermons/writings to demonstrate this. Submit the information to the Church Secretary Christine Lowe email: [email protected]