Biblical Mandate: The pastor is a gift of God to the local church. He is the under-shepherd to Christ himself, the Head and Chief Shepherd of the Body of Christ. The office of pastor is established in Ephesians 4:11-13 where it says of Christ, "It was he who gave some to be ... pastors... to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." This is the foundation for the office of the Pastor.
Qualifications: As an elder/overseer to the local church, he must meet the qualifications of an elder in God's Word found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. A pastor must know beyond a doubt that they are called, gifted and equipped by God for the office. The pastor must be trained at a recognized School of Seminary and/or Biblical training. The Pastor must be capable of performing all duties of the Church in accordance with the applicable laws of the State of Iowa.
Accountability: As with all members of the Cornerstone Church, the pastor of Cornerstone Church is first accountable to Christ. Secondly, the Pastor is directly accountable to the Church Board. The pastor is subject to a semi-annual performance evaluation. This evaluation is be conducted by the Boards of Elders. The Board of Elders may seek input from the Board of Deacons. A written summary of the evaluation will be submitted to the pastor. To aspire to protect a reputation for professional competence, financial integrity, moral purity, confidentiality, compassion and Christlikeness
General attributes
- Preaching and Teaching: The pastor should provide a solid Bible-based preaching and teaching ministry to meet the needs of the congregation and attract new members. The pastor should strive to be an outstanding communicator by accurately taking Biblical truth and providing avenues of application so that the congregation both understands and is motivated to incorporate it into their lives. +
- Shepherding: As an under-shepherd, the pastor seeks to protect God's flock from harm. Through God's power, he strives to heal those who are bruised, bring back those who have strayed, and provide safe pasture for those who are not yet of God's flock. He provides pastoral counseling in times of crisis and ministers to the sick, dying and bereaved.
- Leadership: The pastor is out in front of the church and is the role model for the congregation. He sets the path, casts the vision, and inspires the church to move forward in the will of God. As a mentor, he recruits, motivates and trains youth and adult leaders to do the work of the ministry. He trains God's people and releases them to fulfill God's call to serve with skill and authority.
- Administration: The gift of administration is helpful in the pastor's life. He is responsible for supporting and overseeing the work of the ministries. He works closely with the church members and provides input on church publications. He also fosters and maintains a close working relationship with the Church Board, attending meetings as required and giving input as needed. He is an ex-officio member of all committees.
- Evangelism: The great commission must continually be emphasized. Through teaching, preaching, and other methods, the congregation is built up and encouraged to be involved in saving the lost through various outreaches. The pastor always presents the opportunity for salvation in the worship service and personally demonstrates life style evangelism to the church. He endorses Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth," by supporting evangelism in the community, the region, and the world (missions).
- Worship: The pastor inspires and leads the congregation to a rich worship experience by example, teaching, and exhorting. He works closely with those who lead in Praise-Worship at Cornerstone. He includes in his teaching the truth of worshiping God with tithes and offerings so God's people receive His blessing in return.
- Giving: The pastor encourages and oversees outreach through the various ministries in the church. He recommends and validates ministries, missionaries and programs that the church should support from its storehouse.
- Specific Duties and Responsibilities:
- Invest time in studying the Bible and seeking God in order to bring a fresh word to His people.
- Establish and keep regular, posted hours (approximately 15-20 hrs. per week) and leave directions on how he can be reached when not in the office.
- Take vacations and attend seminars to receive personal times of refreshing and edification. * Oversee Wednesday night and other special services.
- Oversee and provide input to the educational programs of the church.
- Perform Baptisms, Baby Dedications, Weddings, and Funerals.
- Provide counseling when requested, including pre-marital counseling.
- Work with the existing leadership team within the established philosophy of ministry of Cornerstone Church of Keokuk.
- Meet at least monthly with the leadership team for the purpose of mentoring and development.
- Supervise, give direction, and provide accountability to the staff.
- Support and promote the Fellowship ministry, to include attending extracurricular church functions.
- Promote unity in the Body of Christ at the community level by participating in ministerial associations and organizations.
- Encourage fellowship and unity in the local body by supporting small group development and participation.
- Prayerfully invite outside ministries with other emphases into the pulpit on occasion to provide balanced input to the congregation.
Pastor and elders shall review this job description and recommend changes as appropriate to the church membership within one year of his arrival and annually thereafter.
