Worship Pastor

The position of Worship Pastor exists to glorify God by leading the congregation in Christ-centered, biblically faithful worship that supports the church’s mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ. This role provides vision, leadership, and oversight for the worship ministry — including music, service planning, and volunteer development — while working closely with the Senior Pastor to ensure worship aligns with the theological convictions and mission of FBC Swannanoa.

Reports To:

Senior Pastor, in conjunction with the Personnel Committee

• Meets the biblical qualifications for pastoral leadership as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9.
• A vital, ongoing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, marked by strong Christian spiritual and moral character.
• A clear sense of calling from the Holy Spirit to worship ministry.
• Candidates from a Southern Baptist tradition are strongly preferred.
• Agreement with the doctrinal statements of FBC Swannanoa as outlined in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
• A servant’s heart and genuine desire to lead others in worship through the local church.
• Demonstrated integrity, sound judgment, and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Musical proficiency (vocally and/or instrumentally), with the ability to lead and coach musicians and vocalists.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred; seminary training or relevant ministry experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Prior experience leading a church worship ministry strongly preferred.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and relational skills, with the ability to recruit, train, and shepherd volunteer teams.

• Plan and lead Sunday morning and other services in coordination with the Senior Pastor, ensuring music and service elements support the preaching theme and overall worship experience.
• Select music and service elements with theological depth, biblical grounding, and appropriate for corporate worship.
• Lead and coordinate worship for special services, including Christmas, Easter, revivals, and other church-wide events.
• Plan and prepare service order, song lists, lyrics, and media for weekly rehearsals and services.

• Recruit, train, schedule, and shepherd volunteer musicians, vocalists, choir members, and audio/visual team members.
• Lead regular rehearsals and provide coaching to develop musicianship and spiritual growth among team members.
• Build a healthy volunteer pipeline by identifying and mentoring emerging worship leaders, including students.

• Oversee the audio/visual and production ministries to ensure consistent, high-quality sound and presentation each week, including for online/livestream services.
• Maintain the church’s music library, equipment, and worship-related software and resources.
• Manage the worship ministry budget.

• Serve as a member of the pastoral staff and participate in overall church leadership and planning.
• Assist in pastoral care as needed (e.g., weddings, funerals, hospital and home visitation).
• Collaborate with other ministry staff to align worship with the church’s broader mission and calendar.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Pastor.