Wester Hailes Baptist Church was established in the 1970’s to meet the spiritual needs of the growing council housing scheme in the west of Edinburgh. It was originally a church plant from Charlotte Baptist Chapel under the leadership of Rev. Alex Hardie and became totally independent in the 1980s. Membership grew substantially, at one point to over 200 people, but as is common in many churches this has substantially reduced in recent years and currently has around 50 active members. The church has been a member of the FIEC since 2019. The congregation consists of a mix of older people and a number of families with young children, and the church has a strong tradition of children’s and youth work, and is currently seeking to appoint a youth worker to take the existing ministries further. We currently employ a female pastoral care worker with the aim of serving and reaching older people. There is a team of 3 elders and 3 deacons who are responsible, along with the pastor, for the spiritual and practical care of the church.
We have a good number of committed, faithful members who love the Lord and His people. We are looking for a man who can ensure that the people of WHBC are built up and equipped, motivated and mobilised to be used by God for extending His kingdom in our community and beyond.
Required Skills
It is an essential requirement that the Pastor be a committed Christian, with their own day to day walk with Christ. The person will have a strong desire to see the people become committed and growing disciples of Jesus Christ, and has the skills, commitment and personality to achieve this. The man appointed must:
- Have a love for God, for his people and for his Word
- Be in agreement with the Doctrinal Basis and Ethos Statements of the FIEC
- Show Christian character in his own life, in his family relationships and in his dealings with other people
- Be a gifted teacher and preacher of God’s word
- Have a heart for the lost and be able to do the work of an evangelist
- Be able to work with others, recognising and encouraging the individual gifts apportioned to each by God, the Holy Spirit .