Associate Pastor Rock Valley Bible Church

Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; Loves Park (IL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Rock Valley Bible Church in Loves Park, Illinois, seeks an Associate Pastor to strengthen its shepherding and teaching ministries. The ideal candidate will provide spiritual leadership alongside the Lead Pastor, focusing on pastoral care, preaching, and discipleship.

Applicants should have a Masters of Divinity degree (or be in pursuit of one) and demonstrate a life that reflects biblical principles. Training or experience in counseling and youth discipleship is a plus.

Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience in ministry leadership.
• Ability to build relationships with church members.
• Desiring to grow into the role of Lead Pastor.

Responsibilities

• Provide spiritual leadership and pastoral care.
• Develop and lead opportunities for spiritual growth.
• Preach biblically grounded, Christ-centered messages.
• Assist with the organization and communication of church ministries.

Skills

Biblical preaching

Pastoral care

Discipleship

Interpersonal skills

Ministry leadership

Education

Masters of Divinity degree

Job description

Reports to: Lead Pastor. Status: Full-Time.

Rock Valley Bible Church, located in Loves Park, Illinois, is a non-denominational, gospel-centered congregation that deeply values Scripture and biblical preaching. Our mission is to enjoy God’s grace and extend His glory. We believe that God’s grace should shape not only our worship and preaching, but also our community life, treating one another as family. Our desire is to invest significantly in local and global missions.

Rock Valley Bible Church began with a home Bible study in 1998, led by our current full-time preaching pastor, Steve Brandon. We began to meet publicly on Sunday morning in March 2002. After eight years in a rental facility, we purchased our current building in 2010 at 7721 North Alpine Road in Loves Park, Illinois. The church is healthy, with an average weekly attendance of 130 people, many of whom are children. We have had only one staff pastor throughout the 25 year history of the church.

We are now looking for an Associate Pastor who will strengthen the shepherding and teaching ministries of our church. We hope to welcome a man who will walk closely with Jesus and our congregation, and share in our church’s culture and rhythms of grace. Our desire is for a pastor who will shepherd with humility and joy as he grows into long-term leadership in the church, with the possibility, should the Lord lead, for him eventually to serve as the next Lead Pastor.

The Associate Pastor will serve alongside the Lead Pastor to provide spiritual leadership, pastoral care, and ministry oversight within the congregation. This position is ideal for someone who loves Christ deeply, relates warmly to people, and desires to support a healthy church through preaching, discipleship, and outreach.

The Associate Pastor will focus especially on strengthening church community, assimilating new members into the life of the church, supporting ministry volunteers, and helping the church fulfill its mission to enjoy God’s grace and extend God’s glory.

Key Responsibilities

• Pastoral Care – Work alongside the Lead Pastor to shepherd the congregation with compassion by meeting with individuals and families, offering counsel, prayer, and spiritual guidance (Acts 20:28).
• Discipleship – Work alongside the Lead Pastor to equip the congregation for ministry by developing and leading opportunities for spiritual growth through small groups, Bible studies, and mentoring relationships (Ephesians 4:12).
• Preaching – Work alongside the Lead Pastor to proclaim the Word of God faithfully, by preaching biblically grounded, Christ-centered messages as a regular substitute in the Sunday morning services (2 Timothy 4:2).
• Church Administration – Work alongside the Lead Pastor with ministry teams in planning, scheduling, and implementing the church’s vision and goals, by assisting with the organization and communication of church ministries, events, and programs (1 Corinthians 14:40).

Note: Exact responsibilities will be dependent upon the giftedness of the Associate Pastor.

Character Qualifications

• A growing and mature relationship with Jesus Christ.
• A life that reflects biblical principles and serves as a model to the church (1 Timothy 4:12).
• A humble, teachable, and servant-hearted spirit.
• Elder-qualified (or progressing toward qualification) according to 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
• A wife who is supportive of pastoral ministry and engaged in the life of the church.

General Qualifications

• Masters of Divinity degree (or pursuit of) required.
• Agreement with the church’s statement of faith and mission.
• Aligned with the church culture.
• A demonstrated heart to shepherd people.
• A demonstrated preaching and teaching giftedness.
• A demonstrated experience in ministry leadership (e.g., pastoral, teaching, discipleship, or youth work).
• A demonstrated wisdom in decision making.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Able to build relationships with Christians inside the congregation.
• Able to build relationships with those who don’t know Christ.
• Able to assimilate new members into the life of the church.
• Desiring to grow into the role of Lead Pastor.
• Team player who works well with staff, elders, and volunteers.
• Solutions-driven.
• Self-motivated.
• Hard-working mindset (not merely wanting to punch a time-clock).

Ideal Qualifications

• Training or experience in biblical counseling.
• Experience with youth discipleship.
• Ability to oversee churchwide discipleship systems.
• Ability to lead music during our worship services (vocally or instrumentally).
• Technological proficiency (media, communication tools, or basic IT background helpful).

Compensation

Salary and Benefits: Compensation is competitive for our region and aligned with experience and education.

Next Steps for Interested Candidates

If you feel the Lord may be leading you to serve at Rock Valley Bible Church, we would love to hear from you. Please send your résumé, a brief testimony of your walk with Christ and call to ministry, and two sermon samples to [e-mail]. After reviewing submissions, we will follow up with potential candidates for further conversation and prayerful discernment.