Pastor of Discipleship and Leadership Development

Regent College; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading church in Toronto is seeking a Pastor of Discipleship and Leadership Development. This full-time role involves mobilizing leaders, providing spiritual formation, and implementing ministry structures to develop disciples. The ideal candidate will possess strong teaching and leadership skills, formal theological education, and experience in pastoral ministry. This position offers a flexible hybrid work structure and a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

Benefits package

Qualifications

• Experience in pastoral ministry.
• Ordained teaching elder with PCA or on track for ordination.
• Experience in starting a church plant (desired).

Responsibilities

• Organize discipleship program and curriculum.
• Establish core group in parish and catalyze activities.
• Assist with city-wide evangelism initiatives.

Skills

Teaching abilities

Leadership abilities

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Emotional capacity

Education

Master of Divinity or equivalent

Job description

Introduction

The Pastor of Discipleship and Leadership Development, reporting to the Executive Director of Grace Toronto, is a full-time role of 40 hours per week on a 2-year contract. The successful candidate will be a gospel-centred, missional and prayerful leader. He will be responsible for mobilizing leaders, providing spiritual formation, and implementing a structure of ministry that effectively disciples and develops the men and women at Grace Toronto Church. The ultimate goal is to help them become gospel-centred, maturing and multiplying disciples of Christ who glorify God in all their endeavours and enjoy Him forever. This Pastor would have a heart for the city and for people living, working, and serving in a global city context.

Primary Areas of Responsibility
He would be responsible for these primary objectives:

1) Discipleship & Leadership Development 20 hours/week
a. Organize a discipleship program to provide basic spiritual formation and to equip multiplying spiritual leaders

• Create an enrollment process for the program
• Teach most of the content and invite other GTC pastors and guest speakers to supplement the delivery of the content
• Ensure all the logistical aspects of the program are managed well
• Basic spiritual formation track
  • How to read the Bible?
  • How to share your faith?
  • How to pray?
  • How to establish basic healthy spiritual rhythms?
• Spiritual Leadership track
  • How to lead a small group?
  • How to disciple a spiritually young believer?
  • How to defend the Christian faith (learning the basics of apologetics)?
  • Learning the basics of Reformed theology (e.g. Sovereignty of God, complementarianism, Covenant Theology, infant baptism, presbyterian form of church government, etc.)

b. Organize Sunday School curriculum

• Strategically work with other TEs to establish a curriculum helpful for our congregation
• Organize the teaching rotation
• Teach some of the content

c. Architect with senior leadership annual theology conferences or major discipleship training events that will benefit the church

• e.g. Gospel and Technology Conference, Gospel and Sexuality Conference, etc…

2) Parish Ministry 4 hours/week

• Establish a core group in one of the parishes
• Catalyse missional, prayer and relational/social activities in that parish
• Intentionally connect with people in your parish
• Organize monthly events in your parish

3) Evangelism 4 hours/week

• Help run an Alpha once a year
  • help oversee the weekly meetings to ensure that they are well-managed
  • assist in recruiting volunteers to help
  • provide spiritual support for the participants
• Meet with congregants who are spiritually curious
• Assist with city-wide evangelism initiatives

4) Shepherding 4 hours/week

• Meet with congregants for pre-marital counselling
• Meet with congregants for integration and/or pastoral counselling
• Meet with prospective members and interview membership applicants
• Interview baptism candidates and administer baptisms
• Administer communion during Sunday Worship

5) Teaching and Preaching 10-15 hours/month

• Preach every 4-6 weeks at Grace Toronto
• Preach six times a year at other churches
• Liturgize once a month
• Assist in teaching membership class through the year

6) Be a participant member of the staff team 4 hours/week

• Attend staff meetings on Tuesday mornings
• Attend preacher’s lunch on Tuesdays
• Attend staff development on Thursday afternoons
• Assist with various logistical aspects of Sunday Worship

7) Participate in Session 4 hours/month

• Attend monthly Session meetings
• Complete ministry tasks assigned by Session

8) Mentorship / Spiritual Development 2 hours/month

• Meeting with senior leadership for mentorship

Requirements and Competencies

The suitable candidate will meet the biblical standards of Christian character that befits a mature Christian leader, as set out in our Employee Manual and the criteria for leaders described in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.

He will be in full agreement with our system of doctrine and practice, as elucidated in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Presbyterian Church in America Book of Church Order.

1) Skills and Abilities:

• Strong teaching abilities to deliver gospel-centered, reformed and practical content
• Experience in discipleship and multiplying leaders
• Strong leadership abilities to build teams and implement strategic vision
• Strong communicator with good interpersonal skills
• High emotional capacity and spiritual maturity to handle difficult situations
• Flexible and able to work in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment
• High initiative and strong problem-solver

2) Education:

• Formal theological education – Master of Divinity or equivalent

3) Experience:

• Experience in pastoral ministry
• Experience in starting a church plant (desired)

4) Spiritual and Emotional/Mental Demands:

• May have to work odd or long hours on occasion to manage urgent shepherding issues
• Spiritually caring for congregants who may be dealing with emotionally heavy, complex and sensitive life issues

5) Ordination:

• An ordained teaching elder with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)
• Or, currently on track to be an ordained teaching elder with the PCA by the time employment begins

Hours and Compensation: The suitable candidate would be willing to work 40 hours per week from Sunday to Thursday, with the flexibility to work on evenings (2 to 3 nights per week). This is a 2-year contract. The compensation shall be commensurate with the salary scale of ministry leadership at GT; there is also a benefits package in addition.

Location: We offer a flexible hybrid work structure where staff are required to work from the office on Tuesdays, and Thursday afternoons for team meetings and any other time in the office that facilitates collaborative work and as needed for the ministry events.

Application Deadline: The search will remain open until a successful candidate is selected.

Response Process: Please email a cover letter and resume to the Interim Executive Director, Joe Choi at [e-mail]. While all submissions are welcomed, only those invited for an interview will be contacted.