Associate Pastor

Grace Baptist Church
Santa Maria, CA
Associate Pastor Job Description

Job Overview

Grace is an elder-led, congregation-ruled, Reformed Baptist church located on the Central Coast of California. Our average attendance across 2 services is 250. We are a part of Converge (formerly the Baptist General Conference). Our mission is simple: We exist to ignite a passion in every person to glorify and enjoy God everywhere and in everything. Our tagline that you will hear often at Grace is that we aim to stay busy “making disciple-making disciples.” Gospel-centered discipleship is at the heart of all our ministries.

We are searching for a full-time Associate Pastor with a shepherd’s heart who will guide and oversee our discipleship efforts, which include oversight of our small group ministries, Adult Sunday School classes, deacons, as well as lead and guide our outreach efforts in our community. The Associate Pastor will assist the Senior pastor and staff, and collaborate with them in planning, implementing, and evaluating our ministries.

Job Description

We seek an Associate Pastor who understands Gospel-centered ministry and has a heart to see people set free by the Gospel to love and serve their neighbors. He should be a friendly, out-going, Spirit-led servant who does not take himself too seriously. We desire a pastor who has the passion and experience to identify, train, equip, and mobilize leaders in our congregation to be Spirit-led, prayer-dependent, joy-filled, kingdom-minded disciples who know how to make disciples.

Supervisor/Direct Report: Senior Pastor and the Elder Board

Requirements:

 5-10 years of pastoral ministry in a local church
 A team player who works well in a team environment
 A teachable, humble heart that is willing to confess sin, continue to learn, and models servant-leadership
 A Seminary degree required (Th.M or M.Div)
 Meets the character qualifications of an elder as stated in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1
 Agreement with our Affirmation of Faith
 Self-starter who actively pursues ministry and people
 Able to teach and preach expositional, Gospel-centered messages
 Strong communication abilities (oral and written)
 Keep regular scheduled office hours and follow work rules and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook, By-laws, and Constitution


Responsibilities

 Support the Senior Pastor and staff in planning and implementing ministry
 Provide Gospel-centered counseling, prayer, ministry, and care to people as needed
 Serve as an active member of Grace by attending services, small groups, and church activities and events
 Attend weekly staff meeting
 Work alongside our Deacon Board to care for the church body
 Lead the outreach ministry to our community, especially to young families
 Assist the Senior Pastor and elders with various pastoral needs of the church body
 Oversee and lead our small groups and Adult Sunday School classes
 Help assimilate newcomers and new members into the life of the church
 Perform pastoral duties as necessary: weddings, funerals, etc

How To Apply
Please send a resume (with a picture of you + family) to Senior Pastor Benji Magness:

benji@gracesantamaria.org

Please send links to sermons preached and answer this question: What does it mean to be gospel-centered in life and ministry?

Please allow us to share with you what it is like to live in Santa Maria on the Central Coast of California:

Welcome to Santa Maria, the “Tri-tip” BBQ capital of the world. SM is a large town on the Central Coast that has a small-town feel. Santa Maria is located an hour above Santa Barbara and about thirty minutes south of the college town San Luis Obispo, home to Cal-Poly University. Santa Maria’s population is a little over 100,000.

Climate

Santa Maria’s climate, like most of the Central Coast, is mild with average temperatures in the low 70s throughout most of the year. Spring tends to be windy, summer tends to be foggy, fall tends to be warm, and winter tends to vary. Dressing in layers is highly recommended, as you may experience all four seasons in one day!

Proximity

Santa Maria is just twenty minutes away from some great beaches, including Pismo Beach. For some tourist fun, the Danish town Solvang is thirty minutes south. The quaint seaside town Morro Bay is one hour north. Farther attractions include Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea in the north, and Los Angeles and Disneyland in the south. There are plenty of areas to go hiking, fishing, kayaking, and camping.

Schools

Santa Maria boasts two school districts: Santa Maria/Bonita and Orcutt District. Both offer elementary, Jr. High, and High School campuses. There are also several Christian schools, as well as Charter schools that offer blended programs, virtual learning, and homeschool support. There is a large homeschooling community here with a co-op called Selah that offers support, activities, and testing for homeschooling families. In Santa Maria, the community college Allan Hancock College provides affordable education for all Associate Degree majors, including EMT training.

Business

Santa Maria’s main industry is agriculture. Vineyards, strawberry fields, produce, and livestock occupy much of the surrounding countryside. In addition, Santa Maria is twenty minutes away from the Vandenberg Space Force base in Lompoc where many of our residents and congregants work. Santa Maria is also home to many small independent businesses.

Amenities

Santa Maria has a good mix of brand restaurants and retail shopping, and family-owned eateries and brick n’ mortar shops. There are two libraries, a YMCA, one movie theatre, a mall, several large parks with recreational centers, and lots of wineries and u-pick farms. Youth sports such as soccer, baseball, pickleball, and basketball provide exercise and community for families.

Spiritual Climate

There are plenty of churches in Santa Maria of all faiths and religions. There is a prevalent Mormon community, Catholic community, and even a Greek Orthodox church. However, the Central Coast ranks #2 on the “never-churched” list of cities in the USA. It also ranks #9 on the “Top Post-Christian Cities in America” list. There is a desperate need for revival in Santa Maria.