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Pastor of Discipleship and Community Life

Date Posted: July 31, 2025
Hours Per Week: 40
Risen Church
Hayward, CA, USA
Job Type: Associate Pastor,Discipleship Pastor,Discipleship Pastor Family Pastor Senior
Other Details

Meet Risen Church

Hey there!

We are Risen Church, and our mission is to: “Share Christ and Make Disciples.” The Great Commission is our true north and we believe that God powerfully uses His church to display His saving love and rescue. We see the Bay Area as our unique mission field. We are eager to “bring the good news–the gospel of God in Christ, to the Bay Area.” Everything we do is about living out our redeemed identity in God’s image, for the sake of His glorious mission. Full disclosure, we don’t have all the answers, and we’re not perfect. We’re just imperfect people learning Jesus’ way together.

About the Pastor of Discipleship and Community Life

We’re looking for a passionate leader to champion and grow our church’s discipleship and community life. This person will work closely with the Lead Pastor, staff, elders, and our amazing volunteers to create an evangelistic, disciple-making, unified community and culture.

The Pastor of Discipleship and Community Life’s responsibilities include:

Practice and Teaching

  • Preach biblical, engaging, and impactful sermons 1-2 times a month.
  • Lead worship services on non-preaching Sundays (welcoming, announcements, Scripture, communion, benediction).
  • Teach important classes like Get to Know Risen, Membership, Baptism, Discipleship classes, and Leadership Training.

Discipleship and Community Life

  • Lead the whole discipleship journey—from Evangelism and Connections to Community Groups, Men’s and Women’s Ministries, Family Ministry, and Discipleship Groups. This has a great impact on the kind of community life we are seeking to create, grow, and multiply at Risen.
  • Recruit, mentor, train, and develop leaders and apprentices for all discipleship ministries.
  • Help Community Groups multiply by finding and training new leaders and involving new members.

Shepherding

  • Provide compassionate and biblically-based counseling for individuals, marriages, and families in the church.

Quality and Characteristics

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Pastor of Discipleship and Community Life:

Personal Qualifications

  • A passionate follower of Jesus who’s actively living out His way by loving God, others, and neighbors.
  • Totally on board with Risen’s Mission, Core Principles, and Statement of Faith.
  • Lives out Risen’s staff values: “Not for ourselves,” “Say it to my face,” “Gospel rebounding,” “Our brother’s keeper,” and “Keep getting better.”
  • Models servant leadership, prayerfulness, faithfulness, repentance, gospel identity, resilience, gratitude, generosity, and biblical stewardship.
  • Always in a growing relationship with Jesus (spiritually, personally, relationally, familially, professionally), and helps others grow too.
  • Great with people, a real team player who knows how to absorb differences and offenses, and get along with all kinds of people.
  • Demonstrates a deep desire and ability to study and teach God’s Word in a way that connects with the diverse Bay Area community.
  • Able to be flexible, adaptable, change, and pivot within a growing church.

Professional Qualifications

  • At least 3 years of relevant ministry experience.
  • Excellent communication skills (writing, speaking, interpersonal).
  • Comfortable and effective in speaking publicly and leading large groups in prayer.
  • Strong leadership, organizational, interpersonal, and relational skills.
  • Sensitive to different ethnic, cultural, and generational backgrounds, creating an inclusive vibe.
  • Shows good judgment, discretion, and tact.

What it’s like to live in Hayward, CA

Hayward, CA offers a dynamic and diverse living experience in the “Heart of the Bay.” Its prime location provides excellent access to major job centers like San Francisco and Silicon Valley, supported by convenient BART and highway access. The city boasts a mild, Mediterranean climate and a rich multicultural fabric, making it a welcoming and inclusive place to live. Hayward is known for its strong community feel, family-friendly atmosphere with numerous parks and recreational opportunities, and ongoing downtown revitalization. While generally more affordable than other Bay Area cities, it still presents a higher cost of living compared to national averages.  Hayward’s strategic location, diverse community, and continued efforts in urban improvement make it an appealing option for those seeking a Bay Area lifestyle with a more grounded, community-oriented feel.