Lead Pastor

SBC Executive Committee; Owensboro (KY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Walnut Memorial Baptist Church in Owensboro, KY seeks a Lead Pastor to shepherd the congregation, preach weekly, and provide spiritual leadership for vision, discipleship, and missions.

The candidate will oversee pastoral care, staff development, and church governance while partnering with committees to advance the church’s biblical mission locally and globally.

Qualifications

• Demonstrates a strong foundation in pastoral ministry and shepherding.
• Proven ability to preach biblically faithful, gospel-centered messages.
• Skilled in teaching and equipping others for ministry.
• Leads staff and committees with humility, clarity, and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary preacher at weekly worship services.
• Provide overall spiritual direction and vision for the church.
• Offer pastoral care through counseling, weddings, funerals, and crisis ministry.
• Lead staff, budgeting, and governance in partnership with church committees.
• Represent the church in denominational and community contexts.

Skills

Pastoral leadership

Preaching

Teaching

Biblical interpretation

Team leadership

Education

MDiv or equivalent

Job description

Walnut Memorial Baptist Church is a Southern Baptist church with an average weekly attendance of approximately 300. We affirm the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) and operate under a congregational policy, supported by standing committees and staff. The Lead Pastor serves as the spiritual leader, primary preacher/teacher, and chief pastoral leader of the congregation.

The Lead Pastor is responsible for leading the church to fulfill its biblical mission of glorifying God by making disciples of Jesus Christ locally and globally. He should feed, lead, and protect the sheep he is entrusted to his care. He provides and leads in vision casting, pastoral care, preaching and teaching, leadership to staff and committees, and servant leadership to the congregation. He works collaboratively within a committee-based church structure and will equip the saints for the work of the ministry.

Key Responsibilities

• 1. Preaching and Teaching
  • Serve as the primary preacher at weekly worship services
  • Ensure biblical, Christ-centered, gospel-proclaiming preaching
  • Oversee theological faithfulness and doctrinal alignment across all teaching ministries
  • Lead or support teaching opportunities such as Bible studies, new member classes, and leadership training
• 2. Spiritual Leadership and Vision
  • Seek God’s vision for the church through prayer and Scripture
  • Provide overall spiritual direction for the church
  • Lead the church in spiritual growth, evangelism, discipleship, and missions
  • Equip members for ministry in various areas of service
• 3. Pastoral Care
  • Provide pastoral care through counseling, hospital visitation, weddings, funerals, and crisis ministry
  • Equip staff and lay leaders to assist in shepherding and serving the congregation
  • Maintain appropriate boundaries and biblical accountability in all pastoral relationships
• 4. Leadership and Administration
  • Serve as leader and supervisor of the ministry staff
  • Provide leadership to staff meetings, ministry planning, and evaluation
  • Work closely with committees (e.g., Personnel, Finance, Deacons, etc.) in accordance with church bylaws
  • Support effective governance while respecting congregational authority
  • Participate in budget planning and stewardship leadership
• 5. Staffing and Team Leadership
  • Hire, mentor, supervise, and evaluate pastoral and ministry staff in coordination with appropriate committees
  • Foster a culture of unity, trust, humility, and collaboration among staff
  • Encourage staff development and ongoing ministry training
• 6. Denominational and Community Engagement
  • Represent the church within the Southern Baptist Convention, local association, and community
  • Encourage cooperative missions giving (e.g., Cooperative Program, Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong)
  • Build relationships within the community to advance the gospel and church mission

Biblical Qualifications

The Lead Pastor must meet the biblical qualifications for pastoral leadership as outlined in Scripture, including but not limited to:

Faithful in marriage and demonstrates integrity in family life (1 Timothy 3:2–5)
Humble, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8)
Able to teach sound doctrine and refute error (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:9)
Not violent, quarrelsome, or greedy but gentle and peaceable (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7)
Spiritually mature, not a recent convert (1 Timothy 3:6)
Good reputation with outsiders (1 Timothy 3:7)
Demonstrates the character of a shepherd who willingly cares for God’s flock (1 Peter 5:1–4)

Education and Experience (Preferred)

Seminary degree (MDiv or equivalent preferred)
Demonstrated experience in pastoral ministry, preaching, and church leadership
Experience leading a multi-staff church or similar ministry context is strongly preferred

Personal Attributes

• Deep love for Christ and His Church
• Strong prayer life and commitment to Scripture
• Humble, servant-hearted leadership style
• Relationally warm and emotionally mature
• Able to lead change wisely and pastorally
• Strong communicator with both the congregation and leadership bodies