Other Details

Emma Church (Topeka, IN) – Lead Pastor

The Big Picture

Emma Church (Topeka, IN) (https://www.emmamc.org) is seeking a full time Lead Pastor to guide them into new seasons of faith, mission, and fruitfulness. Emma Church is a healthy, friendly, Bible-based, Jesus-focused congregation located in a beautiful rural area of northern Indiana with the potential of reaching nearby communities like Shipshewana, LaGrange, and Ligonier. The area is mostly farming oriented, boasting the 2^nd largest population of horses of any county in the nation while the area 4-H fairs are a huge regional draw, though there is also a large RV production industry booming as well! As a member of the Evana Network, Emma Church embraces covenant identity, biblical accountability, mutual resourcing, and mission partnership with many other local, regional, and distant Evangelical Anabaptist congregations.

 The most recent pastor served for 25 years and a transitional minister has been in place since January 2025 to work through immediate changes and give fresh perspective while searching for permanent leadership. Emma’s office staff includes a new part-time Office Manager, quarter-time Christian Education Minister, and part-time Janitor. Emma is led by a rotating team of Elders and Church Council who guide the overall vision and organizational priorities of the congregation and ministries. Emma’s 20,700ft² building sits on 1.25 acres, in addition to the 1 acre Emma Church Park across the street. Emma Church is financially strong, relationally healthy, and spiritually vibrant with a love for one another and joy walking with the Lord. They are excited for the Lord to show His faithfulness to new generations and eager for a new lead pastor to walk with them towards the Lord’s purposes together and ask that you carefully read the following description and prayerfully consider whether or not He is calling you to be part of Emma Church’s next chapter with us together.

 Qualifications

This is representative though not exhaustive regarding the character, education, and skills which the most qualified applicants will possess. The ideal candidate…

• is led by the Holy Spirit and demonstrates fruit of the Spirit as a confessing and baptized, mature follower of Jesus Christ who senses or has received a call to pastoral church leadership.
• is a lifelong learner who has acquired a bachelor’s degree or further in a Christian ministry related fields from an accredited institution and has skills, aptitude, or gifts for teaching, discipling, exhorting, etc.
• has gained 3+ cumulative years of relevant ministry experience serving/leading multigenerational teams or community groups.
• can think with a big picture lens on matters of relational values, goal mindedness, financial responsibility, and Kingdom impact while applying that vision to small steps and plans.
• values a historical Anabaptist practical and theological perspective and agrees with the Evana Network Personal Covenant.

 Responsibilities

This is a full-time, salaried position averaging 40 hours weekly (with periods of seasonal intensity) including generous compensation calculated through the Everence Pastoral Salary Guidelines among other benefits. Emma Church is looking for a person who will be able to serve with the Elders to provide our congregation with spiritual leadership, by seeking the will of the Lord through preaching, teaching, counseling, and crisis ministry. This is accomplished as the Lead Pastor…

• Faithfully handles the word of God through biblical preaching and teaching while serving as the primary Sunday morning voice of exhortation about 44x annually.
• Embraces opportunities for congregational and community care including regularly visiting immobile members, leading requested funerals, and assisting community needs as they arise.
• Discerns and guides the overall future congregational and organizational vision and strategies for reaching the lost, maturing believers, and advancing the Kingdom of God both near and far.
• Appropriately takes on or refers counseling needs from the congregation and-or community at large and sees the concerns and heartfelt needs of the congregation in a shepherdlike way.
• Fosters community enthusiastically as a relationally mature leader who favors neither old nor young, ornate nor plain, established nor recent among members, visitors, or strangers; and who blesses that which is life-giving or gently corrects that which brings harm to the body.
• Motivates and equips members to discover or utilize their own material and spiritual gifts and resources for the sake of the Gospel both inside and outside church programs as a voice of wisdom and leadership in all related boards, committees, and teams either by virtue of the pastoral office or when requested.