Senior Pastor

The pastor, as God’s appointed shepherd to Bluff Hall Evangelical Free Church has as his first responsibility a personal relationship to God as outlined in Romans 12:1-2. As a man of God, his second responsibility is to his family. As shepherd to the church, he shall devote his time to the work of the church, administration of the ordinances and preaching the Word. He shall, with great patience, be ready to reprove, rebuke and exhort in order to maintain spiritual unity and rightly divide the Word of Truth (1 Tim. 3: 1-7; 4: 12-15; II Tim. 2:15; Titus 1:7-9). He shall be in agreement with the stated mission of the church: The mission of this church shall be to bind together followers of Jesus Christ for the purpose of sharing in the worship of God, in preaching of the gospel, and in making His will dominant in the lives of people, individually and collectively, as that will is set forth in the life, teachings, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. He shall be in agreement with the core values of the church: Biblical preaching and worship is the catalyst for transformation in individual lives in the church. Loving church family relationships will impact every aspect of church life. Through discipleship, we will function as a unified community of servants for fellowship and outreach. He shall uphold its Constitution and Bylaws. The pastor shall have charge of the spiritual welfare of the church with the assistance of the deacons and deaconesses. He shall, as a true ambassador of Christ, preach the Word of God without fear or favor. He shall administer the sacraments/ordinances, care for and give pastoral counsel to the troubled and distressed when the desire for such services has been duly brought to his attention, and seek to win people to Christ. He shall have charge of all the services of the church and shall administer and perform all such duties as belong to the pastor in the Evangelical Free Church of America. RESPONSIBILITIES: The pastor shall provide a pulpit ministry that incorporates the expounding of Scriptures in all doctrine, presentation of a clear message of salvation and exhorting the church constituency to act upon scriptural teaching in their daily lives (II Tim. 2:2). The pastor shall spend much time in prayer and personal Bible study in order that he may experience spiritual growth and educational development in his personal life and ministry. He shall set regular study hours during which he shall not be disturbed, except for emergencies. The pastor shall set regular office hours to be available for personal counseling of the members and friends of the church and to conduct church business and receive phone calls. The pastor shall be responsible for administering the ordinances of baptism and communion at the regularly scheduled and special services. The pastor shall make personal ministry and evangelism a priority for all men and women, equipping and involving them in vital ministries within and outside the church. He shall have personal emphasis on visitation of sick and aged offering communion to those as needed. The pastor shall hold a pastor’s instruction class for Jr. High age students or others approved by the pastor and to direct the work of Christian education along with the board of Christian education. The pastor shall perform his duties as set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws, through the delegation of these responsibilities to its various lay leaders and church staff. He shall be an ex-officio member of all boards and committees of the church, having advisory capacity without vote in such boards and committees. If at all possible the pastor shall be present at the business sessions of the congregation and boards. He shall give quarterly and annual reports to the church. Furthermore, he encourages members’ participation in the regular services of the church. The pastor shall be responsible for holding a membership class for prospective members, covering with them the Statement of Faith and distinctives, as set forth in Article IV & V of the Constitution and Bylaws, the organization of the church and any other areas related to the Christian life and the church. The pastor is encouraged to attend conferences and be free to accept leadership roles in the denomination, the regional, district and other Evangelical organizations, providing such activities do not hinder his ministry to the congregation. The pastor is expected to regularly meet with the deacons in the spiritual interest of the church and community. The pastor is expected to be visible within the community and supportive of area church sponsored activities. The pastor shall be responsible for all church office administration activities including church correspondence, developing and copying the weekly bulletin and monthly newsletter and mailing of the newsletter. The pastor is responsible to the congregation through the deacons. About this Church Bluff Hall Evangelical Free Church is located in rural Payson, Illinois. The village of Payson is located about five miles from the church. Payson is a beautiful small town with a population of approximately 1,100. It is a quiet, peaceful village that was founded in 1835 and remains a community built on faith, rich farmland and hardworking, friendly people. Bluff Hall Church has grown into a vital part of the Payson community, serving as a hub for spiritual and social activities. The church describes itself as “a body of believers committed to Jesus Christ, to the gospel and to one another,” with a mission to teach and live out Christian values while fostering loving relationships. Its vision is to impact and renew Payson and beyond through the transformative message of Jesus Christ. #J-18808-Ljbffr Evangelical Free Church of America