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Denomination: Non-Denominational
Weekly Attendance: 17,000
Location: Southlake, TX
The Role: Executive Senior Pastor
Meet Gateway Church:
At Gateway Church, our heart is simple: love God, love people. Everything we do centers around bringing these two together by helping people connect with God and with each other.
We are one church body encountering God's presence together, and we have congregations planted throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex and Jackson Hole, Wyoming; multiple prisons; and local gatherings around the world. Our faith is firmly rooted in the Bible and worship, and we live out our faith by being submitted to and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
About the Executive Senior Pastor:
The Executive Senior Pastor at Gateway Church plays a pivotal role in overseeing the church's spiritual direction and leadership with daily responsibility to provide vision, oversight, and leadership to all areas of the church by working through multiple Associate Senior Pastors, Executives and Ministry Teams. This position requires a strong blend of pastoral leadership, strategic thinking, and administrative skills. The Executive Senior Pastor is responsible for providing spiritual guidance, mentoring other pastors, and overseeing various ministries within the church. They work closely with the Senior Pastor to ensure the overall vision and mission of the church are fulfilled. Additionally, the Executive Senior Pastor is expected to be a strong communicator, a skilled teacher, and a compassionate leader who can connect with people from all walks of life.
The Executive Senior Pastor Responsibilities Include:
Provide strategic oversight, input, evaluation and influence of Elders and the Senior Team.
Extend mentoring influence to develop the ministry team and specifically those directly under your oversight, but generally to others who need the benefit of your wisdom, gifts, and experience for their continued development as pastoral leaders.
Meet weekly with the Senior Pastor.
Attend and participate in the Senior Team and Executive Team meetings
Connect through accountable relationships for discipleship and growth
Effectively manage all employees by conducting weekly meetings for encouragement and action items
Support the other ministries of the church by:
Teaching Leadership and Equipping classes as needed.
Ministering in the services as a senior staff leader at the Altar, Guest Reception, and in-service oversight, as well as special service nights.
Helping assimilate people into ministry.
Provide pastoral ministry to members of the church as might be needed or requested.
Fulfill Other duties as assigned by the Senior Pastor.
What You Bring:
The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Executive Senior Pastor:
Education & Experience
Bachelor’s degree required
Seminary degree is a bonus
MBA or Masters in Organizational leadership strongly, preferred
Minimum of 7 - 10 years related experience in leading at high levels in a growing church/organization (4,000 people or more in weekend attendance)
Multisite/Church Network experience preferred
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, time-sensitive, and dynamic environment
Experience evaluating, improving, and training on new systems and processes
People person; able to work with and connect with many different types of people from all walks and backgrounds
Have a high emotional IQ, which is needed in working in diverse environments and with people who have strong opinions.
Have a strategic mind and a winsome personality that can craft a way forward and call others to buy in and follow.
Able to manage managers and create teams and a culture that reflects our values
Need to be called to the number two position and have a gift set that reflects that.
Ability to anticipate change and react efficiently and expeditiously
Personal Characteristics & Qualifications
Faith in Jesus: Has a strong relationship with Jesus Christ and is committed to living out Christian values faithfully.
Missional Alignment: Alignment with Gateway’s statement of belief, mission, and vision.
Humility: Can get things done quietly without unnecessary noise; quickly admits flaws and mistakes; is careful to make others feel comfortable; is authentic; helps others save face in difficult situations; maximizes the contribution of all; encourages the expression of viewpoints from all concerned; is modest and self-effacing; respects the views of others
Ethics & Values: Adheres to an appropriate and effective set of core values and beliefs during both good and bad times; acts in line with those values; rewards the right values in others; practices what he/she preaches; aware and adjusts to reactions of others to bring harmony and peace without being critical or closed to input or correction.
Integrity & Trust: Is widely trusted and trusts others; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn’t misrepresent him/herself for personal gain.
Managing Vision: (Believing, Belonging, Becoming, and Building) Communicates a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose; talks beyond today; talks about possibilities; is optimistic; creates mileposts and symbols to rally support behind the vision; makes the vision sharable by everyone; can inspire and motivate entire units or organizations.
Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand information and uses it for improvements in relationships and services; acts with others in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with others and gains their trust and respect
Business Acumen: Has a broad concept and knowledge of business concepts, trends, technology, functions and terminology; knows how to participate in the marketplace with proven strategies; polished professionalism in behavior and presentation.
Priority Setting: Leads by example with Godly priorities and biblical principles; has a good grasp on prioritizing tasks for self and team; helps teams direct their focus appropriately; eliminates roadblocks and distractions to accomplishing goals; does not procrastinate on less desired tasks; sets realistic schedule and stays on course with few deviations.
Perspective: Has a broad range perspective with a global thought process; is good at running “what if” scenarios & hearing from God; has had exposure to vast experiences to draw from; sees things in the correct context.
Command Skills: A natural leader who steps into the role effortlessly; takes the unpopular stance when necessary; isn’t afraid of a tough debate to get the desired results; faces adversity head-on; is relied upon for direction and leadership in crisis; Genuine and humble representative of the Social Covenant
Process Management: Proficient in project management; understands how to simplify complex processes; matches tasks with the correct people; uses available resources efficiently; monitors results against reasonable expectations.
What it's Like to Live in Southlake-Dallas Metroplex:
Living in the Southlake area within the Dallas Metroplex offers a blend of suburban tranquility and urban convenience. Southlake is known for its upscale neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a strong sense of community. Residents enjoy easy access to top-rated restaurants, shopping centers like Southlake Town Square, and recreational amenities like parks and golf courses. The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is nearby, providing convenient travel options.
The Metroplex itself offers diverse cultural experiences, from museums and theaters to professional sports teams. Overall, living in Southlake within the Dallas Metroplex provides a high quality of life with a range of amenities and opportunities for both work and leisure.
The Vanderbloemen Search Group is a retained executive search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries find their key staff.