Lead Pastor - Valentine Berean Bible Church (Valentine, NE)

LancasterSearch•Valentine, NE

About The Position

Valentine Berean Bible Church in Valentine, Nebraska, seeks a full-time Lead Pastor to replace its former pastor, who passed away. The church is elder-led. Working alongside the elder board, the Lead Pastor will lead the congregation and cultivate a church-wide culture of discipleship through teaching God’s Word and overseeing the church office, staff, volunteers, and ministries. The church seeks a pastor who is growing in spiritual maturity and intimacy with Christ, maintains spiritual and physical disciplines, regularly rests, observes a weekly Sabbath, and takes annual vacation. The pastor should honor his wife as his first ministry, maintain a healthy marriage, and be accountable to a godly man or men in accordance with the Pastor’s Covenant in the church Constitution and By-laws. The candidate should demonstrate the character qualities in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, a calling to full-time ministry, a shepherd’s heart, and the spiritual gift of teaching. The church values a self-starting, shepherding, servant-minded, and teachable leader who is willing to receive an annual performance evaluation from the elder board. The Lead Pastor must agree with the church’s first- and second-order doctrines and sign its Pastor and Doctrinal Covenant; agreement on third-order doctrines is not required. The pastor should be able to communicate, cast and carry out vision, be committed to expositional preaching and disciple-making, and work in unity with staff, volunteers, elders, and the congregation. The compensation package includes a base salary of $65,000–$75,000, depending on ministry experience and education; housing and internet valued at $17,400; $3,000 for utilities; negotiable health insurance and retirement contributions; $6,000 in professional expenses; and $3,000 for continuing education and books, reimbursed separately from salary. The church provides parsonage and utilities reimbursement, with a candidate-determined housing allowance typically equal to 30%–50% of base salary. The stated total compensation package is $94,400–$104,400. Relocation costs are supported, and there may be flexibility for limited bi-vocational pursuits. Paid time off increases from two weeks after the first year to three weeks after the third year and four weeks after the fifth year. An eight-week sabbatical every seven years is offered, and one day of rest per week is strongly encouraged.

Requirements

Demonstrated calling to full-time ministry, a shepherd’s heart, and the spiritual gift of teaching.
Growing in the character qualities listed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
Ability to communicate, cast, and carry out vision; commitment to expositional preaching and training disciples.
Ability to work as a team player in unity with staff, volunteers, elders, and the congregation.
Agreement with the church’s first- and second-order doctrines and willingness to sign the Pastor and Doctrinal Covenant.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Bible or Theology.
Licensing and ordination in BFC, or willingness to obtain them.
Commitment to accountability in accordance with the Pastor’s Covenant in the church Constitution and By-laws.

Nice To Haves

Senior pastor experience in a church of comparable size.
Experience in sermon delivery, teaching, and disciple-making.
Skills in leadership, vision, team building, and working with people.

Responsibilities

Preach and teach God’s Word 38–42 Sundays per year, oversee all teaching, and provide theological oversight to protect doctrinal integrity.
Shepherd corporate worship, counseling, prayer, and pastoral care, including baptism and communion, and support people through crises, illness, and grief.
Provide day-to-day leadership of ministries, events, and facilities; promote adherence to church policy and initiate church discipline in a loving, Scriptural manner.
Provide vision and strategic shepherding in plurality with the elders, and develop and align volunteer leaders.
Disciple present and future elders and identify, mentor, and multiply ministry leaders.
Oversee and administer staff, participate in budget planning and stewardship oversight, and oversee staff hiring, evaluations, and development.
Oversee the church office, staff, volunteers, and ministries.

Benefits

Base salary of $65,000–$75,000, based on ministry experience and education.
Housing and internet valued at $17,400, plus $3,000 for utilities.
Parsonage and utilities reimbursement; candidate-determined housing allowance, typically 30%–50% of base salary.
Health insurance and retirement contribution, negotiable.
Professional expenses of $6,000, reimbursed separately from salary.
Continuing education and books allowance of $3,000, reimbursed separately from salary.
Paid time off: two weeks after year one, three weeks after year three, and four weeks after year five.
Eight-week sabbatical every seven years.
Relocation costs supported.
Some flexibility for limited bi-vocational pursuits.