Transitional Lead Pastor

Transitional Lead Pastor Job - The River Church Community, San Jose, California

Transitional Lead Pastor

Term: 6 24 months (full-time, salaried)

Position Summary

The Transitional Lead Pastor will shepherd The River through a season of discernment and restructuring while we search for a permanent Lead Pastor. Partnering with wise lay leaders, strong staff, and an engaged Board, the Transitional Lead Pastor will:

• Offer steady, Christ-centered leadership
• Nurture spiritual l health
• Equip the congregation to embrace future vision and change

The assignment concludes once a permanent Lead Pastor is called (anticipated 624 months).

• Oversee Sunday morning teachings, either delivering the teaching or delegating the teaching in collaboration with staff and lay leaders. Ensure that messages are biblically anchored, culturally relevant, and reflect The River’s ethos of thoughtful orthodoxy, Spirit‑led insight, and practical application.
• Shape Sunday gatherings with the worship planning team, honoring our blended style and weekly Eucharist.

• Model a prayer‑saturated, Spirit‑dependent life that invites the congregation into  with Christ.
• Provide pastoral care—especially to staff and leaders—through listening, prayer, and counsel.
• Protect and promote The River’s "Third Way" approach to potentially polarizing social and political issues, ensuring our open table and inclusive culture remain vibrant.
• Shepherd the congregation through a season of external judicial processes and investigations, especially for segments of the church most deeply affected.

• Collaboratively assess church vision, ministries, structures, processes, and operations for health and opportunities. R_noemailmend changes to maintain the overall vibrancy of the church and prepare  for new leadership.
• Supervise and coach church staff team in ongoing needs, including ministry year planning and tracking personal and professional goals.
• Offer leadership, mentorship, and strategic planning in key ministries, including Adult Spiritual Formation, Compassion & Justice, Youth Group, Kids Community, Young Adults, and Seniors.
• Facilitate  and conflict‑resolution processes, maintaining transparency and trust.
• Work closely with the Board and Lead Pastor Search Task Force to guide the search for a permanent lead pastor.

• Champion our call to live as Jesus’s blessing to Silicon Valley—locally and globally—by encouraging justice and evangelism initiatives.
• Cultivate relationships within the Evangelical Covenant Church for resourcing and accountability.

• Full‑time  with experience and Bay Area cost of living.
• Housing allowance (per IRS clergy guidelines), health benefits, retirement contribution, and professional development funds.
• Paid vacation, retreat, and study time as negotiated.

• Submit a résumé/CV, cover letter, two recent sermon links (video or audio), and three professional references to hr@the-.
• Include a one‑page reflection on leading a church through transition and change.
• Qualified candidates will be contacted for an initial interview; subsequent steps include meetings with staff and key leaders, reference checks, and in‑person visit.

Final date to receive applications:
Open until filled; priority review begins June 15, 2025.

The River Church Community celebrates unity in diversity and  qualified applicants of any race, gender, or background. Come as you are—join us in embodying Jesus’s good news in Silicon Valley and beyond.

The River Church Community is an intergenerational, multi‑ethnic congregation in the heart of Silicon Valley. Rooted in historic evangelical faith and affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church, our four counter‑cultural core values —Communion, Community, Commission, and Contribution—shape a gracious yet challenging culture that welcomes all who seek the life‑changing person and teaching of Jesus. Sunday worship blends ancient liturgy with contemporary creativity, centers on weekly open communion, and invites robust participation across…