Senior Pastor

Senior Pastor Position at That Neighborhood Church

That Neighborhood Church (TNC) seeks a spiritually mature, relationally gifted, and mission-minded Senior Pastor to lead the church into its next season. Building on fifteen years of trusted ministry in North Toledo, the Senior Pastor will provide biblical teaching, pastoral care, organizational leadership, community engagement, and partnership development that strengthen TNC's spiritual health, neighborhood impact, and long-term sustainability.

This is more than a Sunday preaching role. The Senior Pastor is expected to become part of neighborhood life, relate meaningfully across racial, economic, educational, and spiritual backgrounds, develop leaders, cultivate ministry and financial partners, and help people encounter the transforming love of Jesus.

Core Responsibilities

Spiritual Leadership, Preaching, and Discipleship

• Serve as the congregation's primary spiritual leader and shepherd, leading through prayer, dependence on the Holy Spirit, and obedience to God's Word.
• Prepare and deliver Gospel-centered, biblically faithful, practical messages accessible to people from varied backgrounds.
• Keep reaching people who do not yet know Jesus central to TNC's mission, while building clear pathways for salvation, discipleship, service, and leadership.
• Equip members to share their faith, disciple others, and use their gifts; oversee baptisms, communion, weddings, funerals, and other pastoral responsibilities.

Pastoral Care and Relational Ministry

• Provide compassionate pastoral care, spiritual guidance, prayer, and crisis support, especially for people navigating re-entry, addiction recovery, poverty, trauma, grief, family instability, or church hurt.
• Build trust through consistent presence, patient listening, healthy boundaries, and appropriate referrals to professional or community resources.
• Cultivate a church culture of grace and truth, dignity and accountability, restoration and hope.

Vision, Staff, and Organizational Leadership

• Work with church leaders, staff, and ministry leaders to clarify and communicate vision, priorities, measurable goals, and sustainable ministry systems.
• Honor TNC's history and founding mission while guiding the congregation through transition and necessary change.
• Work with the Elders, Lead team, and staff to develop a clear vision for the future of TNC.
• Promote healthy communication, cooperation, unity, financial stewardship, transparency, and accountability.

Children's, Re-entry, and Community Ministries

• Champion ministry to neighborhood children as central to TNC's mission; support after-school and Kids Church staff, pursue relationships with parents and caregivers, and ensure child-safety practices are followed.
• Strengthen TNC's relationship with the VOA re-entry program and develop relevant worship, discipleship, mentoring, and pastoral-care opportunities for people rebuilding their lives after incarceration.
• Maintain a visible, relational presence in the neighborhood and identify practical ways the church can respond to community needs.

Partnership Development and Financial Sustainability

• Treat partnership development as an ongoing pastoral and organizational responsibility essential to TNC's mission and sustainability.
• Build, strengthen, and steward relationships with churches, donors, businesses, schools, nonprofits, civic leaders, foundations, ministry partners, and other supporters.
• Regularly communicate TNC's vision, needs, stories, and measurable impact through personal meetings, church visits, written updates, presentations, and other appropriate channels.
• Invite partners to pray, serve, give, advocate, and collaborate; develop new sources of financial and in-kind support while faithfully caring for existing relationships.
• Work with church leadership to develop and oversee a responsible annual budget, encourage biblical generosity, and evaluate partnership and revenue-development goals.

Leadership Character and Qualifications

• A deep and growing relationship with Jesus Christ and alignment with TNC's statement of faith, mission, values, and ministry approach.
• Biblical qualifications for pastoral leadership as described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-4.
• Integrity, humility, emotional maturity, relational warmth, courage, strong listening skills, and a servant's willingness to participate in everyday ministry.
• Several years of pastoral or significant ministry leadership, including clear biblical preaching, staff or team leadership, volunteer development, and mentoring.
• Demonstrated ability to serve across diverse backgrounds and build trust with people affected by poverty, addiction, incarceration, rejection, trauma, or institutional failure.
• Experience developing partnerships and financial support through churches, nonprofits, community organizations, businesses, donors, or foundations.
• Formal theological education through a Bible college, seminary, denominational program, or an equivalent combination of training and ministry experience.
• Willingness to complete required background checks.

First-Season Priorities

• Build trust with the congregation, staff, volunteers, neighbors, VOA participants, partners, donors, and supporters.
• Build a healthy transition relationship with the founding pastor and church leaders; learn TNC's history, culture, strengths, and challenges before making major changes.
• Create a partnership plan covering communication, outreach, financial goals, and leadership reporting.
• Help church leaders set a focused, sustainable vision for TNC's next season.

The next Senior Pastor will inherit a strong foundation, trusted community relationships, established ministries, and a congregation committed to demonstrating the love of Jesus in practical ways. TNC seeks a leader who will honor that foundation, embrace its neighborhood-centered calling, strengthen its people and partnerships, and lead the mission toward a healthy and sustainable future.

To be considered for this position, please complete the application to include your testimony, resume and other background information related to the position.

If the district office has reviewed your application and they think you may be a potential match for the position, that the hiring manager will reach out to you for next steps.

This position requires licensing with The Christian & Missionary Alliance. To learn more about The Alliance and requirements for licensing, please visit our website.

Please do not contact the church directly.