Associate Pastor

Journey Church; Camas (WA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Journey Church in Camas, WA is seeking an Associate Pastor to join a growing team and lead in preaching, pastoral care, and ministry development. This role partners with the Lead Pastor to shape ministry impact, disciple believers, and develop volunteers as part of the church’s mission to help people find and follow Jesus.

The ideal candidate will have a strong faith, a collaborative leadership style, and a track record of growing disciples and leadership capacity within a local church setting.

Qualifications

• Meet biblical qualifications for elder/pastor as described in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1
• At least three years of pastoral ministry experience
• Proven ability to preach and teach Scripture
• Experience developing disciples and emerging leaders
• Strong organizational and administrative skills
• Experience in strategic planning and ministry development

Responsibilities

• Provide pastoral leadership and support across the church's ministry areas
• Serve as trusted ministry partner to the Lead Pastor
• Develop and implement the church's strategic ministry direction
• Oversee staff and volunteer leaders; promote unity and effective communication
• Assist with baptisms, weddings, and pastoral ordinances

Skills

Pastoral leadership

Preaching & teaching

Discipleship

Staff development

Church governance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies / Theology / Ministry

Job description

Journey Church is a growing, non-denominational church located in Camas, Washington, with approximately 500 people attending Sunday services.

As we enter a new season of ministry, we are intentionally restructuring our leadership team and seeking an experienced Associate Pastor who brings vision, initiative, and a passion for developing people.

This is an opportunity for a pastor who wants to do more than maintain existing programs. The Associate Pastor will help shape how Journey Church reaches people, makes disciples, equips believers for ministry, and develops volunteer leaders.

Our mission is simple:

Help people find and follow Jesus by loving them like Jesus.

The Associate Pastor will join a collaborative leadership team and serve alongside the Lead Pastor in preaching and teaching, pastoral care, ministry leadership, staff development, discipleship, and organizational leadership.

About the Role

The Associate Pastor serves as the primary ministry partner to the Lead Pastor in the areas of preaching and teaching, pastoral care, ministry oversight, and organizational leadership.

This position provides leadership and support across the church's ministry areas, develops and equips staff and volunteer leaders, and helps ensure that ministries work together effectively to fulfill the church's mission and make disciples of Jesus Christ. The Associate Pastor also serves as the acting pastoral leader when the Lead Pastor is unavailable.

This is a ministerial/religious position. Spiritual qualifications, including adherence to Journey Church's Statement of Faith and the biblical qualifications for pastoral leadership, are bona fide requirements of the position.

Spiritual Qualifications

The successful candidate will:

• Meet the biblical qualifications for an elder/pastor described in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9, as understood and applied by Journey Church.
• Demonstrate a mature Christian faith and a pattern of ongoing spiritual growth consistent with Journey Church's Statement of Faith.
• Agree with and support the church's Statement of Faith, mission, values, governing documents, and doctrinal commitments.
• Model a Christ-like lifestyle characterized by integrity, humility, servant leadership, spiritual maturity, and conduct consistent with the church's biblical standards.
• Demonstrate a genuine commitment to discipleship, evangelism, pastoral care, and ministry to the congregation and broader community.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• The ability to build and maintain healthy relationships with staff, ministry leaders, volunteers, congregants, and community members.
• Sound judgment, wisdom, and discernment in pastoral care, leadership, and decision-making.
• Initiative, dependability, accountability, and follow-through.
• The ability to equip, develop, encourage, and mobilize individuals and ministry teams.
• Sound judgment and discretion when handling confidential pastoral, personnel, financial, and organizational information.
• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to work effectively with staff, elders, ministry leaders, and volunteers.
• Responsible stewardship and accountability in the use of church resources.
• A commitment to excellence, continuous improvement, and effective ministry.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies, Theology, Ministry, Christian Leadership, or a related field, or equivalent ministry experience and demonstrated competency .
• At least three years of pastoral ministry experience.
• Demonstrated experience providing pastoral care and shepherding individuals and families.
• Demonstrated ability to preach and teach Scripture.
• Experience developing disciples and emerging leaders.
• Strong organizational and administrative skills.
• Experience managing conflict and facilitating resolution.
• Experience participating in or leading strategic planning and ministry development.

Preferred

• Experience supervising ministry staff.
• Experience serving in an Associate Pastor or comparable pastoral leadership role.
• Experience developing small-group or discipleship systems.
• Experience leading community outreach and missions initiatives.
• Experience working within a growing church environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support and advance Journey Church's vision, mission, values, and ministry direction.
• Serve as a trusted ministry partner to the Lead Pastor.
• Assist in developing and implementing the church's strategic ministry direction.
• Provide pastoral leadership and support across the church's ministry areas.
• Promote unity, collaboration, and healthy communication among staff, volunteers, ministry leaders, and the congregation.
• Serve as the acting pastoral leader when the Lead Pastor is unavailable.

Pastoral Care

• Collaborate with the Lead Pastor, elders, staff, and ministry volunteers to provide pastoral care to individuals and families.
• Develop and maintain appropriate referral relationships for individuals requiring specialized professional or community-based services.
• Visit members in hospitals, homes, care facilities, and other appropriate settings.
• Officiate weddings, funerals, and memorial services in accordance with church policies and practices.

Preaching & Teaching

• Serve as the primary substitute preacher when the Lead Pastor is unavailable.
• Preach and teach during weekend services approximately 13 Sundays per year.
• Assist with sermon planning and teaching-series development.
• Teach Bible studies, membership classes, leadership-development programs, discipleship classes, and other educational settings.
• Develop and deliver teaching that aligns with Journey Church's Statement of Faith and ministry objectives.

Ministry Leadership, Administration & Oversight

• Provide leadership, coaching, and support to volunteer ministry leaders across areas such as small groups, men's ministry, women's ministry, missions, local outreach, Sunday morning ministries, prayer ministry, and care ministries.
• Provide coaching, accountability, encouragement, and development for ministry staff and volunteer leaders.
• Evaluate ministry effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop intentional pathways for spiritual growth and discipleship.
• Equip members to identify and use their spiritual gifts in ministry.
• Develop leadership-training opportunities and mentor emerging leaders.
• Provide vision and leadership for the church's small-group ministry.
• Oversee local outreach initiatives and mission opportunities.
• Encourage congregational involvement in community service and missions.
• Promote evangelism and community engagement.
• Assist with preparation of annual ministry budgets and provide appropriate oversight of ministry expenses.
• Coordinate ministry calendars, events, and cross-ministry communication.
• Participate in strategic planning and implementation of ministry priorities.
• Directly supervise the Worship Leader, Director of Children's Ministries, and Youth Pastor.
• Provide regular supervision, coaching, and performance feedback to direct reports.
• Conduct or participate in formal performance evaluations in accordance with church practices.
• Foster healthy communication and address ministry and staff conflicts appropriately.
• Mentor interns, ministry leaders, and emerging leaders through regular coaching and development.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities reasonably related to the position and assigned by the Lead Pastor.
• Assist with baptisms, communion, child dedications, and other pastoral ordinances and ministry activities.

What Success Looks Like

• Ministry leaders who are increasingly equipped, supported, and developed.
• Clearer pathways for discipleship and spiritual growth.
• Healthy collaboration among staff and volunteer ministry leaders.
• Effective development and deployment of volunteer leaders.
• Strong pastoral care and follow-up for individuals and families.
• Increased alignment and communication across ministry areas.
• Effective stewardship of church resources.
• Consistent advancement of Journey Church's mission to help people find and follow Jesus by loving them like Jesus.

Why Join Journey Church?

Journey Church is entering an exciting season of ministry development. We are looking for a pastor who wants to invest deeply in people, develop leaders, strengthen ministry systems, and help create a culture where people are equipped to use their gifts in service to Christ.

• The Associate Pastor will have a meaningful opportunity to contribute to the church's direction while working closely with the Lead Pastor and broader leadership team.