Associate Pastor

ROLE SUMMARY:

The Associate Pastor is one of four senior leaders on staff at bread (alongside the two Lead Pastors, and Director of Operations). The job requires both having responsibility for specific areas of ministry, and providing support to the Lead Pastors. The specific ministry responsibilities include overseeing the pastoral care of the congregation, pastoring the staff team, providing spiritual direction and development to lay leaders, and promoting and sustaining a culture of

deep, healthy, Christ-like relationships within the congregation. Leadership support involves occasional leading and preaching at Sunday Services, input and discernment regarding the vision for the church, and offering prayerful wise counsel to the Lead Pastors. If time, calling, and gifting allow, there is also the opportunity to lead the prayer life of the church.

Pastoral Care and Spiritual Direction:

• Be a welcoming, warm and visible

presence at bread services and events,

making concerted effort to connect with

new and existing members, and

connecting everyone into the life of the

church.

• Provide pastoral care for the adult

congregation as needed.

• Provide pastoral care for the staff team.

• Provide marriage, pre-marriage,

relationship, grief, and other counseling

needs alongside Lead Pastors where

appropriate.

• Manage the referral process for any

outside counseling needs of the

congregation.

• Offer spiritual direction, mentorship, and

supervision to key lay leaders of the

church.

• Identify, train, and release lay leaders to

serve in pastoral care roles, equipping

them with theological, emotional, and

practical tools.

• Develop a team-based approach to

pastoral ministry, ensuring that no one

carries the burden alone and does so

Supporting Lead Pastors:

• Provide occasional upfront leadership at

Sunday services, special events, and

church-wide gatherings.

• Preach occasionally at Sunday services.

• Be an active member in weekly senior

leadership meetings alongside Lead

Pastors and Director of Operations,

providing counsel and discernment

across all aspects of the church's

ministry.

• Assume responsibility for the overall

leadership of the church (with input from

the board) when Lead Pastors are away.

Prayer (optional):

• Oversee, promote and lead church-wide

prayer initiatives on a regular basis - e.g.

mid-week prayer nights, 24/7 prayer, pre-

service prayer, and, in partnership with

the Worship department 'Worship and

Prayer' evenings.

• Lead lay volunteer team in providing

inner-healing prayer ministry in line with

bread's vision and values.

• Teach a prayer course as necessary.

Requirements:

• A humble and mature faith in Jesus.

• Strong pastoral and relational gifting, a

warm and welcoming presence, a people

person from whom lay leaders want to

learn.

• Experience of, resonance with, and love

for the vision and values of bread,

Kingdom Theology, and Vineyard-style

charismatic practice.

• 5+ years experience in Pastoral Care and

Spiritual Formation, amongst both new

and mature Christians.

• A love for the city of Los Angeles and

particularly its young adult population.

• A sensitive care for those who are new to

the faith and/or have significant issues of

discipleship to navigate.

• A discernible call to full-time vocational

ministry.

• An infectious love of prayer and strong

faith in the power of God.

• Excellent leadership gifts, primarily in

relation to steadfast pastoral care, and

discipleship.

• A great team player, happy to play a

supporting servant-hearted leadership

role.

• Formal Seminary and/or Theological

training is preferred but not essential.

All Staff Requirements:

• Attendance at weekly staff meetings and

active involvement in all spiritual and

organizational elements of these

meetings.

• Regular attendance at Sunday services.

• Attendance and active participation in

annual Staff Retreat, Weekend Away and

other special services/events.