Pastor-Elder

Job description
Emmanuel Evangelical Church Chippenham gives thanks to God for his faithfulness to us in the 20 years since starting to meet together at a local school with some 40 members. By God's grace the church family has doubled in size and a few years ago we moved into our own building in a mixed residential area to the West of Chippenham town centre, a town that is thriving and growing in size.
• Our aim is to glorify God and point to the Lord Jesus Christ as we worship together, faithfully and fervently proclaim the gospel of his grace, and engage in biblical discipleship.
• Visitors often remark that we are a welcoming and caring fellowship. We are centred on the Word of God whenever we meet, whether that's twice on Sunday, or in our various midweek meetings. Sunday School and creche run during the morning service. Fellowship lunches, and men and women's breakfasts, together with prayer meetings, Homegroups and Youth groups are greatly appreciated as we learn and grow together in love and likeness to our Lord and Saviour.
• We encourage every member ministry and many people serve the Lord and one another in various ways.
• Weekly outreach into our local community includes 'E-tots' with pre-schoolers and their carers, and 'Knit and Natter' among older women. Our concern for the world around us extends beyond the locality as we prayerfully and financially support mission partners in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
• We practice believer's baptism and celebrate the Lord's Supper as an open table.
• Currently three elders lead, teach and pastor the fellowship while several gifted men from among us preach regularly both at Emmanuel and in local churches. Seven deacons have responsibility for different ministries.
• We are actively involved as members of the FIEC and our local South West Gospel Partnership.

We are asking the Lord for a salaried, full-time Pastor-Elder to work with the current team of Elders to pastor and teach our church family in line with Scripture and lead us in outreach to Chippenham town which is growing significantly with new housing developments.

Required Skills

We are seeking a man of God to share spiritual oversight of our church family and mutual accountability in line with Scripture. In addition to meeting the qualifications in Scripture for this role, we are looking for someone with a passion for God, devoted to prayer and able to lead our fellowship by example with experience of being a pastor or part of a ministry team in a church setting.
• This man will be warm and approachable, with experience and a gift for caring for the Lord's flock as an under-shepherd, providing guidance in challenging circumstances and encouragement for ministry and service by every believer. We want to see all our church family grow in their faith, and for the Lord Jesus to be glorified by all of us and our local community.
• This role includes regularly preaching the Lord Jesus Christ in an engaging way, and teaching from the Scriptures in various other contexts, not least in one-to-one pastoral situations. So, our expectation is that the man will have had some appropriate formal theological training and be experienced in preaching
regularly. Additional experience of working in a secular setting would be ideal.
• We are seeking someone who loves people and has a real heart for lost souls, with an ability to lead the church family to reach out with the good news of Jesus to their friends, family, neighbours and colleagues and to encourage us to play our part in God's global mission.

The role requires the right to work in the United Kingdom and is subject to character references, a successful DBS clearance, and eligibility to serve as a trustee in a charitable organization. Remuneration will be commensurate with experience.

If you are excited by the opportunity to serve the Lord with us and think the Lord might call you to join us in Chippenham, we are very keen to receive confidential expressions of interest in the first instance.