Senior Pastor; Chinese Church

Overview

Chinese Evangelical Church of San Diego (CEC) is a non-denominational Christian church located at 2585 Judson Street, San Diego, CA 92111. CEC has English, Cantonese and Mandarin speaking congregations serving the broader community of San Diego and is known for its familial intergenerational approach, with separate ministries for different age groups and language preferences while remaining a unified church. CEC’s vision:

As a Chinese heritage church, we aspire to be a vibrant Christ-centered family of disciple-makers, driven by a passion for God’s glory and His Word, reaching the next generation in San Diego and the world.

The Senior Pastor, serving under the authority of the Elder Council, is called to be the spiritual leader and shepherd of the church. This role provides overall vision, leadership, and pastoral care, with a primary focus on preaching and teaching God’s Word, guiding the church in faithful discipleship, and equipping believers for ministry. The Senior Pastor will guard biblical truth, foster unity within the body, and lead the church in fulfilling Christ’s Great Commission.

In addition, the Senior Pastor chairs the Elder Council, oversees the pastoral staff, and provides spiritual direction and encouragement to all language congregations.

• A deep, personal relationship with Jesus Christ evidenced in daily life and exhibiting character qualities outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, and 1 Peter: 5:1-4.
• A genuine heart for multi-generational and cross-cultural ministry, demonstrating patience, empathy, and a humble desire to learn from and serve people of different backgrounds.
• Possesses a spirit of cooperation and fellowship within the church body. Shows self-awareness and humility in seeking advice from others when appropriate.
• Demonstrates a heartfelt love for people’s spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
• Through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, make and develop disciples of Jesus Christ who love God and serve people.

• Demonstrated experience and high cultural intelligence in leading a Chinese heritage church with sensitivity and accommodation of the multi-cultural setting and needs.
• The ability to build up and expand the work of the church and craft the necessary leadership structures for the growth and effectiveness of its ministry.
• Excellent communicator; visionary in leadership including supervision and mentoring of staff.
• The ability to authentically and effectively advance and implement the ideas of others.
• Approachable and effective in working with others. Able to draw people beyond their spiritual comfort zone and engage with different cultures.

• Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree or higher from an accredited theological seminary.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in pastoral ministry, with significant preaching and staff supervision responsibilities.
• Proven experience serving in multicultural or multi-congregational settings.
• Fluency in English is required. While fluency in Mandarin or Cantonese is not a prerequisite, a conversational ability in one or both—or a sincere willingness to learn—is highly desirable for building relationships across our congregations.
• Full agreement with CEC’s Statement of Faith and Church Constitution/Bylaws.
• Must pass a comprehensive criminal background check.

• Preaching and teaching
  • Prepare and deliver biblically sound, gospel centered, relevant sermons and lessons for the worship services and other teaching opportunities.
  • Oversee the preaching plan for all three congregations, coordinating with the Chinese congregational pastors to ensure theological unity and pastoral alignment.
  • Lead the worship service in consultation with the worship leaders and MCs (Master of Ceremonies) so the entire worship is cohesive and glorifies God.
  • Protect the church against false teachings and heresies and proclaim the truth in Scripture.
• Leadership and administration
  • Leads the elder council to effectively communicate and execute the vision and mission of CEC, and to discuss and address the near- and long-term challenges facing the church.
  • Provide…