Worship Pastor

First Baptist Church Swannanoa; Swannanoa (NC); On-site; USD 48,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

First Baptist Church Swannanoa in North Carolina seeks a Worship Pastor (full-time) to lead biblically grounded, Christ-centered worship that aligns with our mission and doctrinal convictions. This role provides vision and oversight for the worship ministry and works closely with the Senior Pastor and Personnel Committee to shepherd volunteers and shape weekly experiences.

The successful candidate will lead music planning, service elements, and special services while cultivating a healthy

Qualifications

• Biblical pastoral leadership qualifications per 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9.
• Strong Christian character and ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Clear calling to worship ministry.
• Preference for candidates from a Southern Baptist tradition.
• Agreement with BF&M 2000 doctrinal statements of FBC Swannanoa.
• Servant’s heart and desire to lead worship in the local church.
• Demonstrated integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Musical proficiency vocally and/or instrumentally; ability to coach musicians.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; seminary training considered in lieu.
• Prior experience leading a church worship ministry preferred.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and relational skills to recruit and shepherd teams.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead Sunday services with the Senior Pastor.
• Select music and service elements aligned with preaching theme.
• Lead special services (Christmas, Easter, revivals).
• Prepare service order, song lists, lyrics, and media.
• Recruit, train, schedule, and shepherd volunteer musicians and AV staff.
• Lead rehearsals and coach musicians and vocalists.
• Mentor emerging worship leaders, including students.
• Oversee audio/visual and production to ensure quality weekly.
• Maintain music library, equipment, and worship software.
• Manage worship ministry budget.
• Serve on pastoral staff and collaborate with other staff.
• Assist in pastoral care (weddings, funerals, visits).

Skills

Pastoral leadership

Musical proficiency

Volunteer development

Team leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Seminary training considered

Tools

Audio/Visual oversight

Job description

Worship Pastor (Full-Time)

First Baptist Church Swannanoa

Position Summary

The position of Worship Pastor exists to glorify God by leading the congregation in Christ-centered, biblically faithful worship that supports the church’s mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ. This role provides vision, leadership, and oversight for the worship ministry — including music, service planning, and volunteer development — while working closely with the Senior Pastor to ensure worship aligns with the theological convictions and mission of FBC Swannanoa.

Reports To: Senior Pastor, in conjunction with the Personnel Committee

Qualifications

• Meets the biblical qualifications for pastoral leadership as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9.
• A vital, ongoing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, marked by strong Christian spiritual and moral character.
• A clear sense of calling from the Holy Spirit to worship ministry.
• Candidates from a Southern Baptist tradition are strongly preferred.
• Agreement with the doctrinal statements of FBC Swannanoa as outlined in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
• A servant’s heart and genuine desire to lead others in worship through the local church.
• Demonstrated integrity, sound judgment, and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Musical proficiency (vocally and/or instrumentally), with the ability to lead and coach musicians and vocalists.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; seminary training or relevant ministry experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Prior experience leading a church worship ministry strongly preferred.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and relational skills, with the ability to recruit, train, and shepherd volunteer teams.

Key Responsibilities

Worship Leadership

• Plan and lead Sunday morning and other services in coordination with the Senior Pastor, ensuring music and service elements support the preaching theme and overall worship experience.
• Select music and service elements with theological depth, biblical grounding, and appropriate for corporate worship.
• Lead and coordinate worship for special services, including Christmas, Easter, revivals, and other church-wide events.
• Plan and prepare service order, song lists, lyrics, and media for weekly rehearsals and services.

Volunteer and Team Development

• Recruit, train, schedule, and shepherd volunteer musicians, vocalists, choir members, and audio/visual team members.
• Lead regular rehearsals and provide coaching to develop musicianship and spiritual growth among team members.
• Build a healthy volunteer pipeline by identifying and mentoring emerging worship leaders, including students.

Administration and Technical Oversight

• Oversee the audio/visual and production ministries to ensure consistent, high-quality sound and presentation each week, including for online/livestream services.
• Maintain the church’s music library, equipment, and worship-related software and resources.
• Manage the worship ministry budget.

General

• Serve as a member of the pastoral staff and participate in overall church leadership and planning.
• Assist in pastoral care as needed (e.g., weddings, funerals, hospital and home visitation).
• Collaborate with other ministry staff to align worship with the church’s broader mission and calendar.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Pastor.