Bishop of the Allegheny Conference

Brethren in Christ U.S.; Brethren (MI); Presencial; USD 95.000 - 130.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Brethren in Christ U.S. seeks a Bishop who will provide spiritual leadership and oversight for pastors and congregations across a regional conference. The role encompasses executive duties, leadership development, and church planting initiatives within a framework of the denomination’s MDG guidelines.

The Bishop will be nominated per MDG processes, serve on Leadership Council, and coordinate with the Regional Board of Directors. Term typically six years with biennial evaluations.

Formación

• A vital and maturing relationship with Jesus Christ and a heart for BIC U.S.
• Master of Divinity degree preferred, with openness to pursue further education.
• An ordained BIC U.S. minister.
• Possess knowledge and experience related to the work of pastors and church planting.
• Fluency in English and Spanish preferred.

Responsabilidades

• Provides spiritual leadership and pastoral oversight of all members of the conference through, and including, the pastors and lay leaders.
• Leads the Regional Conference Board of Directors and participates on Leadership Council.
• Implements denominational vision/strategy and aligns conference vision with broader mission.
• Identifies, recruits and develops church planters and strategies for church planting.
• Oversees administrative functions including regional budget and conference administration; mentors pastors and staff.
• Flexible allocation of duties in consultation with leadership bodies as needs evolve.

Conocimientos

Fluency in English and Spanish

Educación

Master of Divinity

Ordained minister

Descripción del empleo

The Bishop is a General Church Administrator assigned to a specific Regional Conference(s) of the denomination. This position exists to provide oversight, vision and leadership development for pastors and congregations of the region. The Bishop serves as an executive officer within the Regional Conference of the Brethren in Christ Church U.S.

The Bishop will be nominated and appointed according to the process given in the Manual of Doctrine and Government (MDG) of the Brethren in Christ Church U.S. The term of service is normally six years, subject to biennial evaluation.

The Bishop serves as a member of the Leadership Council and a non-voting participant of the General Conference Board (GCB). The Bishop will carry out the administrative work of the Regional Conference in conjunction with the Regional Board of Directors, and arrange for leadership personnel within the developed sub-structures of the Regional Conference.

Type of Employment:

Full-Time

About BIC U.S.

Following Jesus. Serving others. Making disciples.

A family of nearly 250 congregations across the country, Brethren in Christ U.S. (BIC U.S.) seeks to follow Jesus’ example, by loving our neighbor, compassionately serving those in need, and bearing witness to God’s Kingdom on the earth.

Visit the Allegheny Conference Website

Essential Responsibilities

It is understood that the particular gifts and abilities of a Bishop will determine the degree to which certain tasks are best accomplished through other gifted individuals, whether pastors, lay leaders, or conference staff. At the same time, the Bishop assumes overall responsibility for each aspect of this job description:

Spiritual Leadership

• Provides spiritual leadership and pastoral oversight of all members of the conference through, and including, the pastors and lay leaders
• Leads the Regional Conference Board of Directors
• Initiates and develops denominational vision/strategy through participation on Leadership Council
• Aligns and communicates conference vision and mission with denominational vision and mission
• Inspires and mobilizes the conference toward fulfillment of the church’s mission
• Serves as a resource person for preaching, retreats, etc.

Leadership Development

• Provides for and encourages a mentoring network among pastors
• Provides regular review of pastoral leadership in congregations
• Arranges for training and development opportunities, both group and one-on-one, for pastors and conference leadership
• Personally knows and “feels” the needs and aspirations of today’s pastors
• Promotes a conference wide thrust for the developing and affirming of emerging leaders
• Implements a system of member care for conference pastors and spouses

Church Planting

• Identifies, recruits and develops persons within the conference passionate about church planting
• Mobilizes congregations to contribute prayer and people to church planting ventures
• Creates strategies and deploys mechanisms that accelerate church planting
• Provides for coaching and development of church planters in a wide range of day-to-day issues
• Leads in demographic development (i.e., cells, services, sites) and long-term church planting vision

Pastoral Selection & Review

• Provides for the screening and credentialing of ministerial candidates according to the process established by BIC U.S.
• Provides leadership and experiential wisdom to the pastoral search process within congregations
• Develops, intentionally and diligently, familiarity with pastors serving across the general church with the goal of identifying personal gifts, traits and goals corresponding to particular vacancy needs
• Utilizes tools, discernment gifts and the ability to hear, see, and know congregational dynamics in order to station a pastor that will lead the congregation toward health and growth

Administrative Oversight

• Oversees the health and development of congregations in the conference
• Encourages, mentors, and coaches pastors in dealing with congregational issues
• Speaks into and intervenes, as needed, in situations of conflict and crisis management
• Oversees the administration of the conference, including management of the regional Budget
• Serves on Leadership Council with the capacity to:
• 1) trust other leaders,
• 2) engage in unfiltered constructive debate,
• 3) commit to team decisions and plans of action,
• 4) hold one another accountable for delivering on developed plans, and
• 5) focus on collective results rather than personal agendas.

Flexibility

Please note that this job description is flexible in terms of emphasis and particular assignments. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. In consultation with the GCB, Regional Board of Directors and by mutual consent, responsibilities may be shifted or shared between the General Church Administrators in accordance with gifting, training, and need.

Travel & Hours

The role of Bishop involves travel and requires the ability to move about outside the office and operate motor vehicles on a regular basis. This position recurrently requires long hours and frequent weekend work.

Qualifications & Competencies

• A vital and maturing relationship with Jesus Christ and a heart for BIC U.S.
• A Master of Divinity degree preferred, with openness to pursue further education.
• An ordained BIC U.S. minister.
• Possess knowledge and experience related to the work of pastors and church planting.
• Have a good understanding of Brethren in Christ theology.
• Ability to shape vision for a geographic region in unison with the wider vision of the church.
• Possess strong relational and communication skills. Fluency in both English and Spanish preferred.
• Ability in administration, committed to and capable of collaborative leadership.
• Ability to hear and assimilate layers of communication from various church contexts.
• Familiar with, and committed to, the use of Information Technology.

Physical Demands of the Work Environment

The Bishop position operates primarily in a church office environment and requires prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and regularly operating standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. This position requires mobility within the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.

While performing the duties of the job, the Bishop is often required to remain in a stationary position while making presentations; handle or control objects, tools, or controls; communicate, discern, and discuss within both public and private contexts. The bishop may be requested to lift and carry up to 20 pounds at a time, often carrying Audio/Visual equipment to events.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) reasonable accommodations will be made for qualified persons with disabilities.

As an employee of BIC U.S., the Bishop is expected to adhere to the Statements of Christian Life and Practice (pp. 19–21, MDG), and the BIC U.S. Employee Handbook.

Download PDF Of Job Description

Published on August 18, 2026