Associate Pastor - East Region

Job purpose

The office of pastor encompasses a range of responsibilities of ministry. As we look to Scripture, we believe that pastors have four primary responsibilities including: leading under the authority of Christ (Acts 20:28), caring for the body of Christ (1 Peter 5:1-4), teaching the Word of Christ (1 Timothy 3:2), and modeling the character of Christ (Titus 1:6-9). 

In order to oversee and shepherd the congregation at the Tysons location, we’ve grouped church members into geographic regions. Each Associate Pastor is responsible for the shepherding and oversight of the members within his region. This pastor will do so alongside other Church Group pastors, coaches and leaders. Our primary way of shepherding members in each region is through Church Groups, which will be a major emphasis of this role.  This role is a full-time, pastoral role within our Tysons Corner location. Individuals who fill this role must meet the qualifications for a pastor/elder/overseer as we see in Scripture (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, 1 Peter 5). The duties and responsibilities of the associate pastor are highlighted below under four primary responsibilities listed above.

Note: While this role will have opportunities to teach in a classroom setting, it does not include preaching responsibilities. Instead, it focuses on shepherding—providing care, guidance, support, and spiritual oversight within the church family. The emphasis is on relational leadership, pastoral care, and fostering spiritual growth through presence and personal engagement rather than pulpit ministry.

Duties and responsibilities (Essential Functions)

Leading under the Authority of Christ

• Identifying, mobilizing, and leading a team of Church Group pastors, coaches, and leaders within the region to oversee members, primarily through Church Groups.
• Leading, assessing, and equipping current Church Group leaders (along with other Church Group coaches) as they lead groups of MBC members.
• Identifying, training and mobilizing Church Group members and leaders to help meet physical and practical needs within the region (including benevolence needs, local outreach opportunities, and various pastoral requests).
• Provide ongoing communication to members and leaders in the region on region specific activity.
• Meeting regularly with other staff and Church Group pastors, coaches, and leaders to discuss member related issues, and for ongoing training & discussion in matters of doctrine, ministry, and culture

Caring for the Body of Christ

• Praying consistently for the leaders and members who live within the region.
• Regularly checking in on specific members in the region (along with pastoral team in region) regarding their lives and spiritual health.
• Reserving weekly time for pastoral and biblical counseling sessions for church members
• Helping to mediate disciplinary issues pertaining to members within the region, as well as providing clarity on matters related to church doctrine and strategy
• Responding to and providing support for weddings and funerals for church members as circumstances arise. 
• Conducting baptism and membership interviews and helping to facilitate the process of connecting new members to a group within the region.

Teaching the Word of Christ 

• Leading a Church Group consisting of church members within the region. 
• Training and mobilizing new Church Group leaders within region.
• Teaching and leading in various classes, workshops, trainings, and location-based studies as needed or as they are available.
• Serving occasionally in weekend worship gatherings as requested (e.g. leading a call to worship, announcements, ordinances, dedications, and commissionings)
• Constantly growing in one’s understanding of and application of the Bible and theology through personal study and reading.

Modeling the Character of Christ

• Living an exemplary Christian life by modeling the character of Christ as an example for all church members (1 Tim. 3:1-7).
• Pursuing intimacy with the Lord through daily devotion, intercession, worship, and service to others (Psalm 63:1-8).
• Making disciples of all nations through prayer, evangelism, discipling, giving, and going as the Lord leads (Matt. 28:18-20).
• Representing the doctrine, mission, vision and goal of McLean Bible Church by living out the 12 traits of a biblical church (mcleanbible.org/12traits) in accordance with the church membership commitments.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Participating in large/central events at the Tysons location (e.g. Secret Church, holiday services, prayer nights, etc.)
• Participating in ongoing trainings, meetings, and activities for MBC Staff and Leaders

Qualifications

1. A Master of Divinity or its equivalent preferred from an accredited Seminary or School of Theology
2. Minimum of two years of Pastoral experience in a Church setting
3. Commitment to a long-term pastorate
4. Ordination or eligibility for licensure
5. Ability to teach in small and large group settings
6. Pastoral skills: home and hospital visitation, handling of weddings and funerals
7. Basic pastoral and biblical counseling experience
8. Ability to recruit and develop leaders and teams
9. Passion for serving the church
10. Ability to organize and prioritize responsibilities
11. Ability to exercise biblical wisdom and sound judgment regarding matters of significance within the church
12. Ability to identify critical information and respond accordingly with wisdom and grace

Working conditions

• The Associate Pastor position requires great flexibility in hours available for work, including evenings, weekends and holidays.
• This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and phones.
• This position requires up to 30% activities outside the office 

Requirements

Must be able to read, speak, and hear. Must be able to effectively communicate both orally and in writing. While performing the duties of this job, the Pastor is regularly required to sit, talk, hear, walk, bend, kneel, and lift. The Associate Pastor may occasionally be required to use stairs. The Pastor is required to be able to lift and carry items that can weigh 25 pounds or more for short distances.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

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