Associate Pastor

• Address: 5946 E University Dr, Mesa, Arizona 85205

Thank you for prayerfully considering this ministry opportunity at Victory Lutheran Church in Mesa, Arizona.

Victory is seeking a faithful pastoral colleague in the Gospel to serve as Associate Pastor. While this is an associate role, it is best understood as a true pastor-partner position with the Lead Pastor. This position is for a called leader who will preach, teach, shepherd, equip, and help strengthen the disciple-making life of the congregation. Victory has long valued the blessing of two pastors serving together.

The Associate Pastor will preach approximately 10-20 weekends per year and assist with liturgy, Communion, and other pastoral leadership. Victory currently offers three weekend services:
Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday at 8:00 and 9:30 a.m., with an additional Sunday service at 11:00 a.m. from January through Easter. The Associate Pastor will also participate in Text Study, the Pastoral Team, and Worship Planning Team.

The Associate Pastor will work closely with the Lead Pastor to strengthen and implement Victory's Discipleship Pathway:
Invite, Connect, Disciple, and Send
. Within this shared work, the Associate Pastor gives primary leadership to Connect and Disciple
, while the Lead Pastor gives primary leadership to Invite and Send
.

Connect helps people move from initial attendance into meaningful belonging and active participation in the life of Victory through hospitality, special events, volunteer teams, assimilation, membership pathways, and relational engagement. The Associate Pastor also serves as the first responder to pastoral counseling requests, helping assess needs and connect people to appropriate pastoral care, resources, referrals, or follow-up.

Disciple helps people grow as followers of Jesus through God's Word, Christian community, spiritual formation, leadership development, and equipping for ministry. The Associate Pastor helps translate Victory's discipleship vision into clear pathways, effective systems, trained leaders, and measurable next steps.

Victory's multi-staff structure means many responsibilities that often fall to a solo pastor or church planter are shared by other staff and ministry leaders. Congregational Care is overseen by a half-time Chaplain, volunteer recruitment by the Church Administrator, worship planning by the Worship Director, stewardship and funding by the Lead Pastor, and facility support by custodial staff. Victory also has a Creative Team supporting communications, online ministry, and AVL and video production.

Victory is largely a congregation of people in the "second half of life". While we currently do not have many children, youth, or young families, we are a generous, able-bodied congregation with time, wisdom, resources, and a sincere desire to make a difference for the Kingdom of God.

After a three-year growth posture focused on new-site exploration, outreach, and expanded staffing, Victory is now entering a season of strengthening our disciple-making process, volunteer serving teams, and stewardship. We remain a congregation with a deep love for God's Word, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, spiritual growth, and caring connection with one another.

This is a meaningful opportunity to preach, teach, pastor, and lead in a congregation grounded in a clear Law-Gospel framework. Victory knows the Bible as God's inspired Word, loves the Scriptures, and expects to hear Christ crucified and risen at the center of preaching and teaching.

The Church Council has established a Call Committee, interviews are being conducted, and a recommendation will be made by the Call Committee to the Church Council, who will then make a recommendation to the congregation. It is the congregation that will ultimately vote to call our Associate Pastor. Our prayer is to fill this position as soon as the Lord leads and provides.

Perhaps the Lord has been preparing both you and Victory for a time such as this. Please reach out to Lead Pastor Todd Mathison with any thoughts, questions, or sense of calling you may wish to explore. You may email him at:  .