Associate Pastor

The Associate Pastor will focus on adult disciple making and leadership development. He works closely with the lead pastor, elders, staff and lay leaders to advance the church’s mission. This role provides strategic oversight for adult disciple making, assimilation and leadership development to ensure the church operates with clarity, health and alignment. This pastor will need to combine gifts of shepherding and administration to build teams and equip leaders to accomplish the work of the ministry.

Status:
Full time, pastoral

1. Adult Discipleship & Assimilation (Lead Area)

The central focus of this role is to oversee a clear, effective pathway for adult discipleship.

• Lead the adult disciple making strategy, ensuring alignment with the church’s mission and vision
• Build and equip teams of lay leaders who shepherd groups, classes and relational transformational environments (Eph. 4:11–12)
• Oversee and strengthen the assimilation process—helping newcomers find connection in discipleship and serving
• Lead staff and/or coordinators connected to adult ministries (e.g., Adult Equipping, Men’s and Women’s Ministry, Community Groups)
• Partner with the lead pastor to nurture a healthy, life giving staff culture
• Mentor, coach and develop both staff and lay leaders
• Participate in hiring, onboarding, evaluation and leadership development
• Help guide staff in setting ministry goals, establishing rhythms of accountability and operating in unity
• Assist in planning staff meetings, retreats and leadership gatherings

3. Strategic Planning & Vision Implementation

• Work collaboratively with the lead pastor and elder board to set direction and monitor progress on strategic goals
• Help translate vision into practical strategies, enabling staff and ministries to develop goals that advance the mission of Westchester Church
• Evaluate ministry health and effectiveness, identify gaps and lead adjustments to keep the church on mission
• Establish a local outreach team to strategically partner with Des Moines based ministries that align with our mission

4. Pastoral Duties & Congregational Support

• Support the lead pastor as needed in pastoral care
  • Officiate weddings, funerals and other pastoral ceremonies as needed
  • Preach occasionally as assigned

• Biblically qualified as an elder/pastor (1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9)
• Demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23) and maintains a life of integrity and doctrinal faithfulness (1 Tim. 4:16)
• Bachelor’s degree required (ministry, theology, leadership or organizational leadership preferred);
  Master’s degree preferred.
• Significant experience in discipleship, leadership development and organizational/administrative leadership
• Strong communicator and collaborator with excellent organizational and time management skills
• Passionate about forming disciples, developing leaders and strengthening the church’s health

• Reports to:
  
  Lead Pastor
• Works closely with:
  Pastoral staff, administrative staff, lay leaders, elders
• Leads:
  Adult discipleship leaders, assimilation systems, assigned staff and coordinators

Westchester is a multi-generational church of about 250–300 people, located where the city of Des Moines meets the northwest suburbs. The associate pastor role is centered on adult discipleship, leadership development and helping provide oversight and support for our staff team.

There are several aspects of Westchester that make our church a unique and meaningful place to serve:

• A long standing Chinese Fellowship that has been part of our church family for more than 20 years
• A strong and growing partnership with Hoover High School and Meredith Middle School, located directly across the street. This has given us unique ministry opportunities that we continually seek to improve.
• A renewed season of strategic planning, in which we are seeking greater clarity and alignment around our mission, vision and disciple making priorities.