Other Details

The First Baptist Church of Ada seeks applicants for the position of full-time pastor to replace the incumbent who is retiring at the end of 2025 after more than thirty years of service to the church (and who plans to remain in the fellowship).

About

The First Baptist Church of Ada is an independent Baptist church (formerly ABCUSA) founded in 1866, which embraces the Bible as the divinely inspired and inerrant Word of God in its entirety and receives the New Testament in particular as full authority for all church doctrine.  As an independent congregation, governance is vested in the membership of FBC Ada – who are represented by the church board consisting of the pastor, deacons, deaconesses, and trustees.  The church is financially sound and meets in a well-maintained, mortgage-free building that includes a sanctuary, fellowship hall, classrooms, and offices for the pastor and secretary.  Over the past twelve months the average attendance at Sunday morning services has been approximately 57.

The church is located in the village of Ada – a small, rural community in northwestern Ohio with approximately 5000 residents that is also home to a private university with an enrollment of around 3000 students.    Larger communities nearby include Lima (approximately 15-20 miles away) and Findlay (approximately 20-25 miles).

Position Summary:

The pastor provides spiritual guidance to the church in coordination with the deacons and supervises church administration with the assistance of a part time secretary/treasurer and elected trustees.    This is a full-time position typically requiring 40-50 hours per week.  Salary range of $36-60K plus benefits.

Key Responsibilities:

Pastoral expectations include:

• providing Biblical preaching at Sunday morning and other special services.
• working in coordination with the Board of Deacons to direct the spiritual life of the church.
• organizing worship services with the assistance of worship leaders, musicians, and other participants.
• supervising teaching in child and adult Sunday school classes with the assistance of the Christian Education Committee and teachers.
• providing visitation, counseling, and spiritual guidance for the congregation.
• leading outreach to the community.

Desired Qualifications:

• A commitment to preaching the Word of God faithfully.
• A life that reflects the principles of a Godly leader enumerated in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
• Formal seminary training that aligns with the FBC Ada Statement of Faith and is suitable to meet the need for biblical preaching, teaching, discipling, and counseling.
• A passion for spreading the Gospel of Christ to the community, and for supporting both local and global missions.
• The ability to oversee the physical and financial resources of the church in coordination with the Board of Trustees and Secretary/Treasurer.

Before applying, candidates should review and confirm agreement with the Constitution, including the Statement of Faith, which can be found HERE.