Evangelical Free Church of Bozeman Bozeman, MT Associate Teaching Pastor Opportunity Profile July 2018

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1 Evangelical Free Church of Bozeman Bozeman, MT Associate Teaching Pastor Opportunity Profile July 2018 The time is right for the Evangelical Free Church of Bozeman ( in Bozeman, Montana to welcome a relationally driven and gifted Associate Teaching Pastor to join their team as they look to strategically build on a solid foundation for even greater ministry impact. OVERVIEW Evangelical Free Church of Bozeman (E-Free) is emerging from a season of transition, healthy organizational restructuring, and is looking forward with hope and excitement to what the future will hold. Over the course of the past year, the church has pursued an organized church-wide focus on discipleship, and hired a full-time Discipleship Pastor to spearhead these efforts. This spotlight has caused a positive influx of energy and momentum for this church of 700 as the vision for greater discipleship comes to life. Offering three worship services on Sunday mornings at 8:15, 9:45 and 11:15 a.m., you ll find services that are relationally warm and casual with a focus on biblical teaching and a 1

2 contemporary style of worship. Lead Teaching Pastor, Jim Keena, who has served at E-Free for the last 10 years, partners with a healthy and engaged Elder Board to lead the church forward in meaningful ministry. Childcare is available during services, with Sunday school for children, students and adults from 9:45 10:45 a.m. The purpose statement of E-Free is to lead people of all ages and stages to real transformation in Christ. This is a phrase that is repeated often, is well known throughout the congregation, and successfully defines why they exist. The church is rarely empty and often abuzz with activity not just on Sundays, but throughout the week. Children s ministry offers Awana on Mondays, Montana State s Cru ministry holds its large group gathering at the church on Wednesdays, while Youth and Adult Life Groups meet both in homes and at the church throughout the week. Over the course of the last few years, the leadership structure has changed at E-Free as the church has encountered various complexities. Departments felt siloed, poor hires were made and a lack of staff unity was threatening to derail ministry on a number of levels. Leadership wisely recognized and acknowledged this was not a sustainable environment. Through a season of exploration, conversation and hard work, the church has gained clarity regarding the unique giftedness of pastoral staff. The decision was made to modify the organizational structure and adopt a more shared model of leadership. This positive change has fostered health and greatly improved the climate within the church. Greater understanding of and appreciation for individual ministry giftedness has lent itself to better staff relationships. Existing elder board member, John Graves, became the Staff Leader and is now responsible for team development, ministry staff meetings, and ensures clear lines of communication. Discipleship Pastor Dan Miller joined the team last fall and is championing the efforts to move people into deeper discipleship. These positive adjustments have allowed staff to lead and serve more naturally from their sweet spots, bringing a healthier and more collaborative approach to ministry. In light of these improvements, E-Free finds itself in a refreshed season and is primed for the right person to join them, lead in key areas of teaching, and gain additional traction around strategic ministry opportunities. THE OPPORTUNITY E-Free is excited to welcome an Associate Teaching Pastor to dive into its community and to champion its mission to lead people of all ages and stages to real transformation in Christ. This position will be tasked to provide leadership in three crucial areas: Preaching a minimum times/year with the potential to increase Crafting, implementing and maintaining a strategic Adult Education format Overseeing the Care and Counseling ministry This relationally driven individual will have the opportunity to work closely with Lead Teaching Pastor Jim Keena, providing complimentary strengths to Pastor Jim. In the first years, this person will preach times per year, and the preaching role will expand as appropriate. Increasing Bible literacy and increasing a lifestyle of discipleship are goals of this church. The incoming Associate Teaching Pastor will have the opportunity to craft and implement a new vision for an Adult Education strategy at E-Free. Whether it is leading membership classes or creating Bible classes that strategically build upon one another, this individual will have an opportunity to create something fresh while also building church-wide community. 2

3 E-Free s Care ministry has historically been less formal and more responsive than strategic, however it is in the process of creating an Advisory Team comprised of highly invested and trained core volunteers to lead and serve in this area. Launching by early fall, this team will provide some organizational structure and provide greater coverage of meeting the care needs of the church. The Associate Teaching Pastor will be a leader of leaders for this group; one who will effectively motivate Advisory Team members, cast vision, assist in recruiting volunteers to be part of the larger Care team and provide ongoing communication to the congregation. Relationships are important in this church and being energized by learning people s stories while encouraging them on their spiritual journey will be critical in this role. Warmth, authenticity and transparency will go a long way in drawing people into relationship at E-Free. The church building is strategically located on the main drag in Bozeman, just a stone s throw from the Montana State University campus. Dozens of college students call the church their church home, and directors of Cru and InterVarsity attend the church. Bozeman is a gorgeous town surrounded by mountains on all sides that draws many people from across the country. It is a recreation destination and is great for fishing, hiking, skiing and camping. Bozeman's economy and population are booming. According the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bozeman area is the fastest growing community in the nation for populations under 50,000. Tourism and the high-tech industry are making a big splash, while families and businesses are relocating from larger metro areas such as Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Denver. Bozeman is second in the state for business growth and some of its largest employers are Montana State University, Oracle, Zoot Enterprises (a leader in the financial technology industry), Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital, and the Bozeman Public School District, which is a nationally recognized public school system. Bozeman s high quality of living attracts and retains excellent employees who enjoy the area's unique recreational opportunities, and cultural amenities that exceed cities twice its size. Bozeman is a wonderful place to live, work, and play. THE CANDIDATE The right person for the Associate Teaching Pastor position is someone who loves the Lord with all his heart, and others easily see this. Energized by people, this pastor will enjoy connecting with others relationally through a warm, upbeat and outgoing personality. E-Free will welcome a gifted, articulate communicator and preacher who is able to invite, motivate and spur attenders to application and action from the Word of God. The ideal pastor will possess a winsome personality and an engaging presence. With a heart for the lost, this leader wants to see people become reproducing disciple-makers who are equipped and motivated to share the love and grace of Jesus with others. Possessing a keen understanding of best practices and how to best integrate them effectively, the ideal candidate will also be able to implement clear methods to measure impact and evaluate results. The right candidate will be prayerful and humble, yet secure enough in the gifts God has given him to work closely with the Lead Teaching Pastor while also building and launching ministries successfully. As he settles into the church community, this individual will take time to get to know the church family as well as those in the greater Bozeman community. Learning their stories, building trust and inspiring confidence will be top of mind for this leader upon arrival. Being successful in this position takes a high level of relational intelligence, so it is essential that the selected candidate effectively engage individuals, taking the time to listen, and inviting feedback as plans take shape. This individual knows how to connect with others well while also possessing 3

4 the ability to recruit and motivate volunteers in a manner that produces energy and excitement around ministry initiatives. As one elder described the current state of the ministry at E-Free: We have made the necessary overhauls and changes. We are now heading down the runway and with a few tweaks and the right people in place we are ready to take off! This indeed, is the case, and with the right leader to join this energized and refreshed church, the ministry at E-Free looks exciting and bright! Preferred Candidate Qualifications Masters degree required; M.Div. preferred, MA is acceptable (with a theological focus) 5 10 years of ministry experience Heart for the lost evangelistically oriented outwardly focused. Theologically aligned with the EFCA High emotional and relational intelligence Energized by people Teachable and Humble Inquiry Process If after reading this description you have interest in the Associate Teaching Pastor position at Evangelical Free Church of Bozeman, and you feel you meet the qualifications for the role, you are invited to submit the following information for consideration: 1) Your resume or CV (in Word format only) 2) Links to various preaching and/or teaching samples 3) A current headshot photo, a family photo and a brief family bio 4) The results of any personal assessments you have completed (StrengthsFinder; DiSC; Meyers-Briggs, etc.). 5) Five references (one supervisor, two peer, one subordinate, and one of your choice). These references will be contacted later in the process with your prior approval. 6) Written responses to the following questions (prepared and attached in a Word document). We believe that one can learn only so much from a resume. Your responses will help us to gain a more complete picture of you and your leadership. Please attach written answers to the following questions (in a Word document). 1. Describe your faith in Jesus Christ. Tell us how you came to personal faith and something about your journey into full time ministry. 2. What is it about the opportunity at Evangelical Free Church of Bozeman that attracts you to this position? 3. What philosophies, values and experiences guide and shape your teaching content and style? 4

5 4. What are two or three of your core strengths? Please share two or three examples of how you used your strengths to innovate, revitalize or elevate a ministry you have led. 5. What are the key factors that you believe should be present in your next church and ministry in order for you to be most effective? Please submit your information to: Jamie Sipsma Senior Consultant NL Moore & Associates jamie@nlmoore.com