Knox Presbyterian Church SR. PASTOR OPPORTUNITY PROFILE Located on the border between a world-class university and miles of rolling Midwest farmland, Knox Church was planted 25 years ago. The people of God who are called to this community gather together for worship, celebrate Christ Jesus, and are sent out on mission... to bring to Ann Arbor a foretaste of God s new world through a Jesus-led, Gospel-centered community called to bring personal transformation, social justice and cultural renewal to this university town and to the world.
Overview INTRODUCTION TO KNOX In September 1992, EPC founder Dr. Bartlett Hess came out of retirement (at the age of 81!) to plant Knox Church. He gathered a team of associate pastors and joined Knox s founding members in a desire to see Reformed evangelical witness for Christ in the Ann Arbor area. After eight years meeting in a local middle school, Knox built a 50,000 square foot facility, located on 50 acres four miles west of the University of Michigan campus and downtown Ann Arbor. Ever since our doors opened, the building has hummed with weekly worship, Bible studies, teaching, and prayer. Hundreds of children and youth have found it to be a significant place to belong. The building is used by a local Community Bible Study, a 200-student homeschool co-op, and other groups. Knox members can also be found seeking and serving the Lord around Washtenaw County. Families host college students for lunch. Others initiate book clubs at coffee shops, visit each other in hospitals, gather in homes for Bible studies, cook and share meals in times of need, tutor vulnerable children in Detroit and Ann Arbor, lead worship services at an elder care facility. Youth invite their school friends to an indoor soccer league and grow in weekly adult-led small groups. Each fall, we welcome new university students and faculty from around the country and the world. Every spring we send some of them out to other places of kingdom work. Some of the children who were born during Knox s early years are now returning as college students and young adults. By God s generous grace, Knox celebrates our 25th anniversary in September 2017. Looking back, we are very grateful for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the life he has given us together and the ways he has allowed us to engage in kingdom outreach. Looking forward, Knox sees a time of exciting potential and transition. We have recently retired our mortgage, and our experienced and long-serving associate pastors will be moving towards retirement in the next several years. We are hopeful and eager for a new chapter of grace-centered Kingdom work. At a Glance 550 528 Worship Attendees Members Membership 47% >10 yrs. 24 World Missionaries Small $2.0m Annual Budget 25% Membership Associated With University $289k Missions Budget Mortgage 25 Groups $0Debt
Ethos SUBSTANCE OF KNOX In Essentials, Unity At Knox the Word of God is preached and taught boldly as infallible and breathed out by God. The gospel of grace for needy sinners is heralded weekly. The sovereignty of God, the Lordship of Christ, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit suffuse the worship and life of Knox. Bringing foretastes through word and deed of God s redeeming work through Christ is our missional trajectory. Knox is a Presbyterian church in the historic Reformed tradition. We hold dear the ecumenical creeds of the faith including the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. We subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith. In Non-essentials, Liberty We desire and pursue unity in as much as possible, but require unity in as little as possible. We speak humbly, yet winsomely to one another about doctrinal or missional differences. We seek clarity and a shared recognition of proper theological proportions. We affirm that there is much affection and freedom among brothers and sisters in Christ when foundational, biblical convictions undergirding each position are mutually shared and cherished. In All Things, Charity Life at Knox is lived in rhythms of one-anothering. Grace and deference are extended to friend and stranger alike. The commitment to stand side by side, to encourage each other in corporate worship, and to come alongside in ministry mark the congregants at Knox. We do not shy away, but graciously lean in to those issues that would tend to divide us, knowing that we serve the God of peace. When the messiness of life together leads to discord, there is an eagerness and willingness to reconcile. Indeed, a richly forgiven people can joyfully forgive.
Missions DISCIPLEMAKING AT KNOX All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations -Matthew 28:18-19 Global Reach Knox joyfully sends many of our beloved people into the mission field abroad. Formally, this is achieved through major missionary organizations like Serge and Missionary Training International. Informally, due to the vast global draw of the University of Michigan, small m missionaries are being built up and equipped for indigenous ministry when they return to their native people groups. Knox gladly partners with teams in nine countries across the globe, including a thriving medical education mission to Burundi, one of the most impoverished countries in the world. Under the mentorship and care of Knox leadership, the Burundi team of three young Knox families was launched in 2007. The team has grown to twelve families seeking to build up a sustainable indigenous medical services in the name of Christ Jesus. During various seasons we have sent each of our pastors to strengthen our partner missionaries and indigenous churches, including trips to teach seminary students in Turkey and shepherd the leaders of an east Asian church plant in London. Several other members and the pastors have been involved in short term missions work to Haiti, Turkey, London, India, and Russia. The trips are well recognized as an opportunities to exercise missional obedience to Christ, gain a deeper global perspective, and encourage the saints that we partner with around the world. Local Presence Local mission is undertaken at all levels of the church. Many in our congregation are working to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to our neighbors through campus organizations InterVarsity and Cru, through mercy and justice organizations in our county, and through ongoing ministry with sister EPC churches in Detroit. We are for Ann Arbor and for the greater Ann Arbor area. We are not a church for someplace, every place, or any place. We are a church for this place, the place where God has called us.
Community LIFE TOGETHER AT KNOX He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. -Psalm 1:3 Members are sincere in faith. We seek sound, challenging, biblical preaching and teaching. Knox members genuinely love and care for each other through small groups and other ministries. Sunday worship is heartfelt and joyful. Blended worship is led by a part-time music director and lay musicians with guidance from the teaching pastor. Adult education classes are taught by pastors and lay teachers who understand the gospel of grace and are gifted in teaching God s Word. These include a robust range of offerings, such as inductive Bible studies on Daniel, Mark, and Titus; topical studies on money, sexuality, and death; theological examinations of sanctification and grace; and application-driven seminars on faith in the workplace. Children are respected highly at Knox, and children s ministry is substantial and enthusiastic. Youth ministry has been vital to Knox since its beginning, with commitment to integrating middle and high school students into the church and preparing them for a lifetime of faith and ministry. Many of our young men and women take on significant leadership roles during their college years having been trained in godliness by the families and ministries of the church. Knox members are deeply involved with our university campuses, not only through our campus ministers but informally through hospitality to students and loving mentorship. Recognizing Knox as a community of faith vitality and serious Christian scholarship, many local university students have come to Knox seeking opportunities to grow as Christian leaders themselves. Knox congregants have a keen awareness of the transience of Ann Arbor, and recognize the unique opportunities to serve those who are with us for a short time. In all things, Knox places a high value on relationships across generations, with young and old learning from and encouraging one another.
Location GOSPEL OPPORTUNITY FOR KNOX But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. -Jeremiah 29:7 Ann Arbor is a vibrant college town dominated by the University of Michigan with other institutions of higher education nearby that draws a congregation with diverse cultural, political, and theological sensibilities. Over one quarter of Knox congregants are affiliated with universities in some way, whether as students, staff, or faculty members. Washtenaw County also includes several smaller towns and suburbs surrounding Ann Arbor and Detroit wherein many congregants work in education, healthcare, and engineering. Knox s university setting creates congregational transience. Yet, at the same time, nearly half of members have been in the congregation for ten years or more. Knox finds itself at an intriguing crossroads. Located in a town recently named as the most educated city in the United States, Knox is next door to a neighborhood of mobile homes and across the street from rolling fields of haystacks and pumpkins. The greater Detroit area is home to one of the oldest and largest Arab-American populations outside the Middle East. Dozens of languages are spoken in the Ann Arbor public schools. In the smaller communities surrounding Ann Arbor, families host farm stands and participate in 4H fairs. As Knox celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the University of Michigan simultaneously marks its bicentennial, and southeast Michigan remembers the Detroit riots that occurred fifty years ago. Amidst all of these contrasts, it s no wonder that researchers around the country think of this region as something of a social laboratory. From a gospel perspective, our location reminds us that the heart of God is for all people from all tribes and nations. And we marvel at how He strategically places the people of Knox for His Kingdom work, whether it s a local farmer who provides occasional pulpit supply, a twentysomething woman leading the largest family life services organization in our area, or the entrepreneur building a start-up tech company to improve healthcare to developing countries. Knox congregants pursue honest and robust engagement within the circles God has placed them. From law office to prison cell, from hospital bed to marriage bed, from classroom to stadium, we are thoroughly convinced that the gospel of grace comes to bear on all spheres of life. Even more, we seek everlasting life for those in our community and pray that God s name might be hallowed among its people.
Ministerial Profile LEADERSHIP OPENING AT KNOX And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. -Psalm 78:72 We seek a senior pastor who can lead us in furthering Knox Church s mission of bringing a foretaste of God s new world to the Ann Arbor area. As a Jesus-led, gospel-centered community, we want to advance in our calling to bring personal transformation, social justice, and cultural renewal to this university town, its surrounding region, and the world. Knox is thriving in its current ministry and is poised for significant growth. Our senior pastor must have a personal, growing relationship with Jesus, evidenced by humility, integrity, and maturity in speech and conduct, according to I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1. His ministry should be characterized by excellence in the following realms: Word & Sacrament Leadership Profound love for and commitment to the Scriptures as the inspired, infallible Word of God, with an orthodox understanding of the Bible that accords with Reformed theology Extensive record of preaching and expositing God s Word wholeheartedly, deeply, and skillfully, with a grace-oriented, gospel rich focus Proven aptitude for engaging in rigorous sermon preparation amidst a full range of pastoral responsibilities Experience as a Senior or Associate Pastor at a medium to large church, including supervision of staff members and ministry leaders Strong capacity to discern, effectively communicate, and implement God s vision for Knox church Proficiency in team-building and leadership, with demonstrated ability to encourage and collaborate with pastoral and program staff and lay leaders Community & Outreach History of winsome, godly engagement with universities and/or postmodern, pluralistic culture Commitment to local and international gospel outreach, capitalizing on God s strategic placement of Knox members in their professions and communities Ability to nurture and leverage the rich breadth of missional activity already happening at Knox, while directing energy around new, creative initiatives Keen interest in knowing, relating to, and shepherding church members and inquirers from a wide spectrum of beliefs, ages, and backgrounds Master of Divinity degree and ordination by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (or transferable ordination) are required.
Application GET IN TOUCH WITH KNOX We are currently accepting applications and referrals. Interested candidates may submit their applications and other pertinent documents online via our website at: knoxannarbor.org/pastoral-search/ Communication with the Pastoral Search Committee may be submitted at: knoxannarbor.org/pastoral-search-committee/ On behalf of the Knox EPC Pastoral Search Committee, we thank you for your interest in our church as well as the opening for Senior Pastor. We are working with great eagerness and fully anticipate God s continued faithfulness to his body of believers here in Ann Arbor. To Him be the glory in all things! Knox Evangelical Presbyterian Church 2065 S. Wagner Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 (t) 734.761.5669 (e) knox@knoxannarbor.org www.knoxannarbor.org 2017 Knox EPC