Other Details

Countryside Baptist Church

Senior Minister

Job Description

The Senior Minister (SM) at Countryside Baptist will be responsible for preaching, the worship service, counseling, pastoral care (visitation), administration of the ordinances, ministering to the bereaved and officiating at weddings and funerals. The SM is expected to be interested and involved in the total life and programs of Countryside Baptist Church.

The SM is the church staff’s chief administrator. The SM gives direction and supervision to the total program of the church and to this end should keep in close touch with all other staff members and with all organizations and leaders of the church. However, many of the duties of administration can be delegated to staff or volunteer leadership. The SM functions as leader of the staff and will be held accountable for building effective staff relationships and for delegating ministries performed by paid staff.  The SM should enable each staff member to utilize their gifts in the ministry of the church.

The SM is accountable to the church, corporately, who calls him to be their minister. The SM is also accountable to the Church Council and personnel committee.

The primary responsibilities of the SM are:

• Worship & Preaching: Prepare and deliver biblically sound sermons for Sunday services, midweek Bible studies, and special occasions. He will lead the corporate worship and seek excellence in communicating the Word of God.
• Personal Integrity: He will provide a strong moral example, maintain a personal prayer life and cultivate a positive home life.
• Vision: He will work to establish clear policies, goals and help plan strategies and develop programs to implement the strategies.
• Pastoral Care: He will provide pastoral care for persons in crisis such as illness, death and unemployment. He will visit members in homes, hospitals and nursing facilities as needed. He will perform funerals, weddings, baptism, infant dedications (blessings) as requested.
• Programs: The SM is an ex-officio member of every committee and group in the church. The SM is expected to attend committee and group meetings as he feels necessary. The SM will work with the chairpersons to help them fulfill their duties and responsibilities.
• Community: The SM is expected to participate in community, denominational and ecumenical organizations relative to the work of the church. The SM will lead the congregation in reaching out to others in the community needing Christ.
• Communication: The SM is expected to communicate with the staff and committees to coordinate the activities of the church. Communication must also extend to the congregation. Situations sometimes develop in the congregation due to misunderstandings or inadequate communication. In the event that these situations occur, it is the role of the SM to be a mediator to resolve the differences.
• Education: The SM will participate in his own continuing education.
• Stewardship: The SM will provide leadership for stewardship.
• Evaluation: The SM will meet as needed with the personnel committee to engage in mutual evaluation of ministry, to discuss opportunities for continuing education and issues of self-care.