Lead Pastor, VC Pickerington

Job Description

Job Description

The Lead Pastor of VC Pickerington serves as the primary spiritual, missional, and organizational leader of a growing and diverse congregation in the southeastern Columbus region. This leader will provide vision, pastoral leadership, biblical teaching, and strategic direction while cultivating a healthy disciple-making church that reaches its community and advances the Kingdom of God.

VC Pickerington is situated in a rapidly growing suburban community and serves people from Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, Canal Winchester, Lithopolis, Baltimore, and surrounding areas. The congregation reflects the diversity of its community and is uniquely positioned to engage families, emerging neighborhoods, and people from a variety of backgrounds. The Lead Pastor will help strengthen this foundation by developing leaders, equipping ministry teams, fostering spiritual growth, and building meaningful connections throughout the community.

Working collaboratively within the broader Vineyard Columbus network, the Lead Pastor will faithfully steward shared values, ministry practices, and organizational systems while building the leadership culture, governance strength, and ministry capacity needed for the next season of ministry. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of a vibrant congregation and expand its influence through outreach, discipleship, leadership development, and community engagement.

About us:

Vineyard Columbus exists to develop multiethnic communities of disciples who experience God, love one another, and partner with Christ to heal the world.

As a church, we are committed to being a great friend to our city and to building communities that reflect Christlike unity while celebrating the diversity of our congregation and staff.

Beyond weekend services at multiple locations across Central Ohio, we serve our neighbors through the Vineyard Community Center, which provides free health clinics, food assistance, ESL classes, Value Life resources, and other practical support—all opportunities to share the love of Jesus in tangible ways.

Who we're looking for:

We are seeking a spiritually mature, mission-driven leader who combines strong pastoral gifting with proven organizational leadership. The ideal candidate is passionate about helping people encounter Jesus, developing leaders, engaging the surrounding community, and building healthy ministry systems that create lasting Kingdom impact.

This pastor is a gifted communicator of Scripture, a relational shepherd, and a leader of leaders who equips others for ministry rather than carrying ministry alone. They are energized by reaching people beyond the church, cultivating belonging in a diverse congregation, and helping individuals take meaningful next steps in discipleship and mission.

The ideal candidate is both a builder and a catalyst. Someone who has experience creating momentum, leading through change, strengthening organizations, and mobilizing people around a compelling vision.

Most importantly, this individual demonstrates humility, emotional maturity, cultural intelligence, and a deep commitment to the mission and values of Vineyard Columbus.

Desired qualifications:

• Meets the biblical qualifications for church leadership as outlined in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
• Demonstrates spiritual maturity, emotional health, integrity, humility, and a life marked by the fruits of the Spirit.
• Strong biblical and theological foundation with an understanding of Kingdom theology and Vineyard distinctives.
• Proven experience leading teams, ministries, churches, or organizations through growth, revitalization, or significant change.
• Experience launching, rebuilding, or creating momentum within a ministry, congregation, or community initiative is highly valued.
• Gifted preacher and communicator who teaches Scripture in a way that is biblically grounded, engaging, and relevant.
• Demonstrated ability to develop leaders, build healthy teams, and create systems that support ministry effectiveness and multiplication.
• Passion for evangelism, outreach, discipleship, and community engagement.
• Strong relational intelligence with the ability to build trust, navigate conflict, and lead with both conviction and compassion.
• Experience serving in diverse, multiethnic, and multigenerational ministry environments.
• Bachelor's degree, theological training, or equivalent ministry experience.

We offer:

Vineyard Columbus values hard work, sustainable rhythms, and the pursuit of healthy and well-balanced lives. Our staff are supported in their ministry by a great team environment and generous benefits. Benefits for pastoral roles include:

• Low-cost medical, dental, vision and insurance available, including an HSA plan with employer contributions
• Paid time off for personal, sick, and parental leave
• Equivalent of 13 days off per calendar year for holidays and staff refresh days
• Annual Spiritual Direction and Professional Counseling benefit
• Annual prayer retreat benefit
• Housing Allowance
• Gym membership or equivalent subsidy
• Tuition reimbursement and professional development benefits
• Employed-paid life insurance, and short-term and long-term disability coverage
• 403(b) Retirement Plan including immediate eligibility for employer match