MVPC recently adopted the tagline “We are FOR Lamorinda” to express our desire to serve the local community and to make Christ known in an era and area where people question how Christianity can be relevant to their lives. The next Lead Pastor will be responsible for implementing the vision and values developed by the congregation earlier this year. The successful candidate will be a committed Christ-follower, an engaging, inspiring, visionary leader with a demonstrated ability to manage change, get things done, and work effectively with the staff and congregation.
What you’ll be doing:
- Preaching on Sundays, sharing the truth and grace of the Gospel in a manner that relates to our 21st Century lives in Lamorinda and inspires transformation of heart, mind, and action
- Developing a clear, action-specific, forward-thinking strategy for implementing the vision and values goals established in 2021
- Managing change, assessing progress, and reporting (and accountable) to the Session
- Leading staff and ministry volunteers: training, equipping, empowering, and releasing them to do ministry
- Defining and executing a Spiritual Formation Pathway, in collaboration with the associate pastors
- Ongoing outreach to, engagement with, and service to, the Lamorinda community
- Regular assessment of current ministries at the church
What you need to have:
- A demonstrated walk with God, an active prayer life, and a commitment to seeking His will and obeying His ways.
- Humility before Christ and before others
- Excellent, gospel-centered preaching skills
- Proven ability to lead and motivate others to follow (staff and congregation), particularly an ability to lead through necessary change
- Demonstrated ability to get things done, measure success, and modify accordingly
- Relational skills: must have Christ’s heart for people and an engaging personality; ability to function as a team player with high emotional intelligence, patience, compassion, humility, and excellent conflict resolution skills.
- Heart for missional ministry, demonstrated by the practice of spending time with non-believers on a regular basis.
- Work history with an organization that has experienced high growth
- History of tithing and an ease in speaking about biblical financial principles
- Understanding of Northern California culture will be a great asset to relating well with members of the congregation and community.
- Education and Intellect: A seminary education (Master’s degree), or the near completion of a seminary education, is required. This is a highly educated community, so the candidate must be intelligent, articulate, and a lifelong learner.
- An understanding of, or willingness to learn, Policy Governance is important. Information about this form of governance is available upon request.
- Some lead pastoral experience is preferable, but not required.
- The candidate must be ordained or ordainable by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC).
Moraga is a suburban town of about 17,500 people and is located approximately 20 miles east of San Francisco. It is part of a local community commonly referred to as Lamorinda (Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda). Most residents are homeowners, many with young families. The area is considered one of the best places to live in California-- it offers quiet and spacious living in a beautiful setting, and is close to the larger cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and Walnut Creek. This location provides easy access to restaurants, shopping, parks, and recreational and cultural activities. The public schools are among the highest rated in California.
Does this sound like an environment in which you would like to serve? Apply here: https://chemistry.fyi/cio