Spring Meadows SDA Church - Pastor - Associate

The associate Pastor is appointed by the conference to assist a Senior or Lead Pastor as they together oversee the affairs of a local church or district.

Skills, Education, and Experience Required:

• Expectations
  • Spiritual maturity: The associate pastor is expected to model a deepening relationship with Christ through prayerful dependence, studying scripture, having a missionary mind-set, intentionally creating relationships through vibrant leadership, all of which produces living the fruits of the Spirit – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control
  • Financial stability: The associate pastor is expected to model stewardship to God and His church by teaching and personally giving to both tithe and the local church budget.
  • Give and receive Accountability: The associate pastor is to model by example life-long learning by actively participating in regional Pastoral Cluster groups. These groups read eight books a year, fellowship and play together in a way that brings bonding and support rather than competition and criticism.
  • Excellence, not perfection: The associate pastor is to lead the church to do their very best in all ministries, producing efficient and effective ministries for their members and surrounding community
  • Enthusiasm: The associate pastor is expected to create an atmosphere of enthusiasm for Christ and His church, generating “Missional Momentum” and attracting in a contagious, effective way the local communities.
  • Growth: The associate pastor is expected to grow those under his/her care through old and new ways with the goal of increasing our sisterhood of churches and Christ’s kingdom in RMC 50% by 2021.
• Education: Minimum BA in Theology or Religious Studies, preferably working toward anMDiv.
• Experience:
  • As requested by Senior/Lead Pastor.
  • Developed one or more specialized skills which enable specific training of members.
• Competencies (skills and personal characteristics that an individual should possess in order to be successful in this position)
  • Service Orientation – actively look for ways to help people in and out of the church(es)
  • Instructing – Teaching others how to use their spiritual gifts, passions and talents
  • Speaking/preaching – The ability to talk to others to convey information effectively
  • Planning/organizing – Ability to schedule and plan future events
  • Analytical – Able to think through issues
  • Problem-solving – Ability to hear all sides of an issue and come to a collaborative conclusion
  • Job motivation/initiative – Be able to work alone
  • Time management – Ability to assess priorities
  • Technology – Ability to easily use Microsoft Office or similar on any type of computer
• Membership in a local, Florida Conference church O Must be a Seventh-day Adventist member, in good and regular standing, within six months, if transferring from outside this region o Must be willing to contribute tithes and offerings to the local church.
• The Associate pastor is ordained / commissioned or is preparing for ordination / commissioning and by virtue of, is qualified to function in all rites and ceremonies.

Job Responsibilities:

• The associate pastor is to be one of the congregation’s spiritual leader and advisor.
• The associate pastor is to watch and learn from the Senior/Lead or Associate Pastors, then train others in their duties and plan with them for all lines of church work and activity, especially in their specialty area of ministry.
• The associate pastor is expected to plan for and lead out in spiritual services as agreed upon with the Senior/Lead Pastor, such as Sabbath morning worship and prayer meeting, but may not officiate at the communion service and baptism, unless ordained as a local church elder.
• The associate pastor is expected to cooperate with the locally elected church officers.
• The associate pastor is not nominated or elected by the church but appointed by the conference committee, which may be changed at any time.