The Senior Pastor of Woodlands Church provides overall leadership to the church and faithfully and effectively teaches the Word of God. We are seeking to discover who God has called and appointed to this position. Our current Senior Pastor of 33 years will retire in the spring of 2023.
SPECIFIC MINISTRY ASSIGNMENTS
PRIMARY ASSIGNMENT: OVERALL CHURCH LEADERSHIP
PRIMARY ASSIGNMENT: TEACH THE WORD
PRIMARY ASSIGNMENT: CHURCH WIDE PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS:
Works in and assists with the leadership of church ministries where he has special interests, experience and passion.
CHARACTER
The Senior Pastor fulfills the biblical mandates of an overseer, from 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:1-9. He must be “above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable ...not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”
The Senior Pastor’s character is marked by humility and graciousness. He has an approachable presence and relates well to people from different walks and stages of life. He is able to diffuse difficult and tense situations, and he chooses his battles wisely.
COMMITMENTS
The Senior Pastor is committed to the centrality, inerrancy, and relevancy of the Bible. His preaching history demonstrates the high value he holds of the Bible as the authoritative source for knowledge, truth, and life. His preaching is theologically sound, and also focuses on understandable application.
The Senior Pastor has a history of personal spiritual growth, including a strong dependence on prayer. He demonstrates discipline in cultivating his personal relationship with the Lord. He opens his life to trusted close advisors for accountability. His close walk with the Lord allows him to be led by the Spirit.
If he has a family, the Senior Pastor is committed to discipling and leading them. His calling as a pastor does not cause him to lose sight of this commitment to his family. Per the biblical mandate of 1 Timothy 3:2-4, he is faithful to his wife and must manage his family “in a manner worthy of full respect.” His family is fully supportive of his calling.
The Senior Pastor is passionate about the mission of the Church. He is committed to evangelism and discipleship in “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the far corners of the world”.
The Senior Pastor has a desire to be in the role for at least 10 years. His primary commitment is the leadership and care of Woodlands Church, not other personal ministry pursuits.
The Senior Pastor is committed to leading Woodlands Church to focus on its mission rather than specific programming or structures. He demonstrates confidence and clarity in biblical convictions along with flexibility in ministerial philosophies and methodologies.
EXPERIENCE
The Senior Pastor has a denominational background that is in doctrinal alignment with the EFCA. Additionally, his church and ministry philosophy is compatible with Woodlands’ Church culture. He also helps shape and grow the culture as he leads the church into the future.
The Senior Pastor has experience with the complexities and stressors of leading a larger organization. This might be in a multi-staff church or comparable experience in another organization. This experience includes working with a complex staff team, stewarding extensive resources, and interacting with a broad base of constituents.
CULTURE
The Senior Pastor is committed to embracing our mid-sized, Midwestern community and accompanying culture.
EDUCATION
The Senior Pastor minimally has a Masters of Divinity (or equivalent) and a ministerial credential.
SKILLS
The Senior Pastor has strong leadership skills that include the biblical characteristics of overseer, shepherd and equipper.
The Senior Pastor is gifted in biblical preaching and teaching. His sermons demonstrate consistent rigor of preparation, are targeted for his audience, and are Gospel-centered.
The Senior Pastor leads through teamwork, is a team player and consensus builder, understands good delegation, and has a heart for and track record of leadership development.
The Senior Pastor actively listens and discerns the needs of the congregation. He casts a compelling vision for the church, communicates that vision, and then executes on that vision. He is not afraid to be innovative and take calculated risks, and also humbly make adjustments as needed.
OUR CHURCH
Woodlands Church is a vibrant, multi-generational, Evangelical Free Church located in Central Wisconsin. Over a thousand people take part in our weekend services either in our new Auditorium or online. As the largest church in our area, we are known for our quality scriptural teaching, vibrant worship and commitment to our community. We value local and global partnerships, regularly contributing people and financial resources. Small groups are part of our culture not only for our adult attendees but in our strong children’s and youth ministries as well. Since our founding 50 years ago, we have been committed to ministering to college students as a church and through supporting campus ministries. We promote a culture that embraces change and innovation. Challenges the last few years have refined our church community, and we have come out stronger. Our united Elder Board and strong staff of 30 (including 7 pastors) work along-side committed volunteers to live out our purpose “To be a Christ centered community, helping people faithfully follow Jesus both locally and globally.” Learn more about us on our website: woodlandschurch.org. Our statement of faith and the priorities we strive to live out can be found on woodlandschurch.org/who-we-are/.
OUR COMMUNITY
Woodlands Church is located in the heart of Wisconsin. The population of the Stevens Point Metro area is about 70, 000 (which includes Plover: 13,000 and Stevens Point: 26,000.) We are home to the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point (8000 students) and Mid-State Technical College (2700 students). Key industries include insurance, computer software, publishing, and food and drink production. The Wisconsin River, recreational trails, golf courses, local symphony and theater groups, and “The World’s Largest Trivia Contest” are just a sample of “what to do” in our area.
In 2017, the United Way conducted the “Local Indicators for Excellence (LIFE) Report”, an assessment that provides a comprehensive overview of the quality of life in Portage County. The report committee chair, Kathy Davies, states, “We have a community in which our residents feel safe and feel a strong sense of community. We have a wealth of natural resources, and an abundance of outdoor recreation activities as well as art and cultural activities. We have high quality, accessible health care, as well as excellent K-12 schools systems and higher education institutions--UWSP and MSTC. We also have a diversified economic base, and a generous community that gives of its time, talent and resources. The list goes on and on.”
TO APPLY
Please send a cover letter, resume and links to 2 on-line sermons to the Woodlands Senior Pastor Search and Discovery Team at wspsdteam@gmail.com. We anticipate accepting applications until June 10, 2022.
We’re a church made up of people who come just as we are to connect with God in a genuine way. Whether someone is simply exploring the Christian faith or has been around the church for a while, there’s something here for them!
Our purpose is to be a Christ centered community helping people faithfully follow Jesus both locally and globally. We do that through living out our six priorities: grounded, grace-filled, going, giving, growing and gathering. We are a part of the Evangelical Church of America - an associations of over 1,500 churches who affirm the same statement of faith.
