Pastor of Ministry Development

Our Mission

We exist to facilitate the Love of God becoming the primary influence in people's lives.

The Opportunity

Common Ground Church is a growing, mission-driven, non-denominational church passionate about helping people encounter Jesus, experience authentic community, and become fully devoted followers of Christ. Over the past five years, God has established a healthy foundation built on biblical preaching, intentional discipleship, servant leadership, and a thriving volunteer culture. We believe our greatest days of ministry are still ahead.

We are seeking a gifted pastor who will help build the next generation of ministry by developing leaders, strengthening discipleship, caring for people, expanding our teaching ministry, and helping shape the future direction of Common Ground Church. This is not an associate pastor position. It is a senior pastoral leadership opportunity for someone who loves people, teaches God's Word faithfully, develops leaders intentionally, and enjoys helping a healthy church become even healthier. 

The Pastor of Ministry Development will serve as a key ministry partner to the Lead Pastor, helping translate vision into ministry execution while strengthening the spiritual health, leadership culture, and discipleship strategy of Common Ground Church. A significant emphasis of this role will be providing pastoral leadership and discipleship for adults ages 25–45, helping build a thriving community of young adults, young families, emerging leaders, and future ministry influencers while strengthening discipleship throughout the entire church.

Who We Are

At Common Ground, we are: Motivated by Mission, Focused on Giftedness, and United in Excellence

We believe:

• Life change happens through relationships.
• Grace produces transformation.
• Leadership is development.
• Healthy systems exist to support ministry.
• Excellence honors people and removes distractions from the Gospel.

Our discipleship culture is built around helping people: Connect • Grow • Serve • Give

Grace is our brand, and people are our business. 

Our Philosophy of Ministry

One of the defining values of Common Ground is leadership multiplication.

We believe pastors are called to do more than lead ministries—they are called to develop people.

Every member of our pastoral staff accepts responsibility for identifying, developing, coaching, and releasing leaders into their God-given calling. We believe the future of Common Ground depends upon pastors and ministry leaders who understand that their greatest success is not measured by what they accomplish personally, but by the leaders they develop and empower for ministry.

We are looking for a pastor who finds genuine joy in helping others discover their gifts, grow in maturity, and flourish in the ministries God has prepared for them.

Position Summary

Working alongside the Lead Pastor, this pastor will provide shepherding, leadership development, discipleship oversight, teaching, strategic ministry leadership, and organizational support while helping translate vision into effective ministry throughout the church. This role is intentionally designed to grow over time. As Common Ground continues to mature, responsibilities will expand according to demonstrated gifting, character, leadership capacity, and the evolving needs of the church.

Primary Areas of Leadership

Pastoral Leadership & Shepherding

Help care for the spiritual health of Common Ground by providing:

• Pastoral care
• Prayer and encouragement
• Biblical counsel
• Spiritual guidance
• Staff and volunteer care
• Leadership encouragement
• Support during seasons of challenge and transition

The successful candidate will possess a genuine shepherd's heart while helping people take meaningful next steps in their relationship with Christ.

Teaching & Discipleship

The Pastor of Ministry Development will serve as an active teaching voice within Common Ground Church.

Responsibilities include:

• Participating in the regular Sunday teaching rotation (growing to one-third of Sunday services over the first couple of years)
• Teaching core biblical classes and discipleship environments
• Developing discipleship pathways and leadership training
• Equipping ministry leaders and volunteers
• Helping people grow toward biblical maturity

Teaching opportunities and responsibilities are expected to increase over time as gifting, trust, and ministry opportunities develop.

Ministry Development & Leadership Multiplication

Provide leadership by:

• Identifying emerging leaders
• Coaching staff and ministry leaders
• Developing volunteers
• Building healthy leadership pipelines
• Strengthening Difference Maker University
• Expanding Christlife discipleship environments
• Mentoring future pastors and ministry leaders

Success in this role will be measured not simply by ministries managed, but by leaders developed.

Ministry Alignment & Church Health

Working alongside the Lead Pastor, the Pastor of Ministry Development will help translate vision into ministry execution by:

• Aligning ministries around the mission and values of Common Ground
• Strengthening discipleship systems
• Identifying leadership opportunities
• Removing unnecessary organizational barriers- CHANGE TO POSITIVE CREATING NECESSARY ORG TO SCALE FOR FUTURE….
• Encouraging collaboration across ministry teams
• Supporting a culture of unity, clarity, and spiritual health

Strategic Leadership

As a member of the senior pastoral leadership team, this pastor will contribute to the long-term direction of Common Ground by:

• Participating in strategic planning
• Evaluating ministry effectiveness
• Helping identify future staffing priorities
• Strengthening organizational health
• Supporting vision implementation
• Contributing to decisions that advance the mission of the church

Operational Leadership

This role also provides leadership in key operational areas that support healthy ministry, including:

• Staff coordination
• Ministry planning
• Organizational systems
• Budget collaboration
• Administrative follow-through
• Ministry communications
• Facilities coordination as needed

Operational responsibilities exist to support ministry—not replace it.

Leadership Development & Mentorship

Common Ground intentionally develops pastors.

We recognize that no pastor arrives fully developed in every area of ministry. The successful candidate will receive intentional coaching and mentoring from the Lead Pastor and senior leaders in areas including:

• Preaching and communication
• Pastoral ministry
• Leadership development
• Strategic thinking
• Organizational leadership
• Ministry philosophy
• Personal and spiritual growth

We are not merely hiring for current competency. We are investing in future pastoral capacity.

Future Growth

Common Ground intentionally views this position as a long-term investment in senior pastoral leadership. As the church grows, responsibilities will expand according to demonstrated gifting, character, leadership capacity, and the congregation's evolving needs. This role may ultimately develop toward greater teaching responsibility or broader executive leadership. Rather than predetermining that path, Common Ground is committed to discerning and developing each leader according to God's gifting, demonstrated effectiveness, and calling.

Qualifications

Required

• A growing and vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ
• A life marked by biblical maturity, humility, integrity, and servant leadership
• Alignment with the mission, theology, values, and culture of Common Ground Church
• Demonstrated pastoral leadership experience
• Strong teaching and communication ability
• Experience in developing leaders and volunteers
• Emotional maturity and relational intelligence
• Strategic thinking and organizational ability
• A collaborative spirit and strong work ethic

Preferred- 

• Five or more years of pastoral ministry experience
• Experience serving in a growing church
• Experience developing discipleship systems
• Strong organizational and systems-thinking skills

Why This Role Matters

Common Ground is entering a season in which we need a pastor who can faithfully develop people while also helping to build a healthy, scalable church. We are seeking a leader with the rare ability to integrate shepherding, biblical teaching/discipleship, and organizational leadership into one cohesive ministry.