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01 — Senior Pastor (Rev 3)

Mayflower Church

Senior PositionPastor Job Description

Revision | 012 — SeniorApril Pastor2026

GovernanceSupersedes PositionRevision 1 (August 4, 2020)

Reports

Roleto:

SummaryThe
congregation, PurposeServe asthrough the lead teaching elder and chief shepherd, providing spiritual leadership, preaching, and pastoral oversight. Accountable ToBoard of Elders and Congregationthe Servants Council.

TermStatus: Full-time, salaried.

FLSA: Exempt (ministerial).

Denominational: Southern Baptist Convention — affiliated church.

Preamble

The Senior Pastor of Service

Indefinite,Mayflower calledChurch byserves 3/4as votethe chief under-shepherd of congregationthis Selectionlocal ProcessNormallychurch recommendedbeneath byJesus SearchChrist, Team,the votedGood atShepherd. businessHe meetingis Timethe CommitmentFull-timeprimary teaching elder of the congregation, first among equals on the Board of Elders, devoted to prayer and the ministry positionof the Word

Qualifications

(Acts 6:4), shepherding the flock of God willingly, eagerly, and as an example to the flock (1 Peter 5:1–4).

MustMayflower evidenceChurch qualitiesis affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The Pastor serves consistently with SBC doctrine and polity, and in Actsfull 6:1-7,agreement Tituswith 1:5-9,the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Mayflower Statement of Faith, and the Church Covenant.

Under the Streamline Admin System adopted in 2026, operational leadership of ministry teams sits with Ministry Team Leaders under their overseeing Boards, and cross-Board coordination sits with the Servants Council through the Decision-Making Framework. The Pastor exercises spiritual oversight—not operational management—over ministry teams, while retaining direct operational oversight of the Church Office and general church administration. This description reflects that distinction.

I. Calling and Character

  1. The Pastor shall display a sound profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, a clear call to pastoral ministry, and a vibrant, ongoing relationship with Christ.
  2. The Pastor shall meet the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3:1-7.1–7, QualificationsTitus further1:5–9, definedand 1 Peter 5:1–4 — above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, hospitable, able to teach, gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, managing his own household well, holding firm to the trustworthy Word, and shepherding the flock willingly rather than for shameful gain or in a domineering spirit.
  3. The Pastor Jobshall Description.be

    Keya Responsibilities

    spiritual
      leader by setting a personal example of humility, discretion, patience, gentleness, compassion, aptness to teach, self-control, and fiscal responsibility — for Elders, lay leaders, members, and the community.
    • ServeThe Pastor shall manage his own finances with integrity so as leadnot to bring reproach upon the Church.
    • The Pastor shall maintain a good reputation among those outside the Church (1 Timothy 3:7).
    • The Pastor shall uphold the Mayflower Constitution and By-Laws, the Statement of Faith, the Church Covenant, and the Baptist Faith & Message 2000.
    • The Pastor shall be ordained as a Southern Baptist minister, or eligible for ordination through this Church, and shall remain in good standing for the duration of his service.
    • The Pastor’s service shall be conditioned upon a cleared criminal background check and safe-church screening, renewed as policy requires.

    II. Ministry of the Word

    1. The Pastor shall devote himself to the study of Scripture and to prayer (Acts 6:4), and shall provide the pulpit ministry of Mayflower Church through well-prepared, expository preaching that opens the Word of God, proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and applies Scripture to life (2 Timothy 4:1–2).
    2. The Pastor shall teach the whole counsel of Scripture, Genesis through Revelation, over time, aiming at doctrinal maturity in the congregation.
    3. The Pastor shall coordinate the preaching calendar and arrange qualified pulpit supply during his absences.
    4. The Pastor shall teach through new-member classes, leader-training sessions, EQUIP discipleship tracks, catechetical instruction, and other teaching eldervenues as appropriate, and votingshall appoint and oversee those who teach in other settings for biblical integrity.
    5. The Pastor shall identify, refute, and protect the flock from false doctrine (Titus 1:9), in concert with the Board of Elders.

    III. Ministry of the Ordinances

    1. The Pastor shall administer the Lord’s Supper and Baptism.
    2. The Pastor shall officiate weddings, funerals, and the dedication of babies and children, consistent with the Wedding Policy and other applicable policies. He may assign a qualified designee in his place as pastoral judgment warrants.
    3. The Pastor shall be responsible for the worship services of the Church and shall collaborate with the Worship Team Leader on the order of service, without personally leading the operational execution of worship (music, audio-visual, scheduling, or liturgical setup).
    4. The Pastor shall extend gospel invitations during worship services and special events as the Spirit leads.

    IV. Shepherding

    1. The Pastor shall provide pastoral counseling — including pre-marital, marriage, parenting, and crisis counseling — peacemaking between members, and biblical guidance on matters of conscience and doctrine.
    2. The Pastor shall refer to qualified outside resources (biblical counselors, Christian professionals, medical care) when appropriate, to serve members well and preserve a sustainable pastoral caseload.
    3. The Pastor shall visit the sick, hospitalized, homebound, elderly, and bereaved, and shall respond to pastoral emergencies in person as practicable.
    4. The Pastor shall care for the souls of the Church’s leaders — Elders, Deacons, Trustees, staff, and Ministry Team Leaders — through regular personal contact, prayer, and encouragement.
    5. The Pastor shall support every ministry of the Church pastorally and doctrinally, across generations and life stages, without assuming operational leadership of any of them.

    V. Disciple-Making

    1. The Pastor shall equip the saints for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11–12), fostering biblical, spiritual, emotional, and relational maturity.
    2. The Pastor shall train lay leaders to disciple others, after the pattern of 2 Timothy 2:2, so the ministry of discipleship multiplies beyond any one person.
    3. The Pastor shall help members identify their spiritual gifts and find meaningful places to serve in the body and in mission.
    4. The Pastor shall cultivate future Elders and Deacons through intentional, ongoing formation, including the Elder Development process.
    5. The Pastor shall equip the Church’s teachers—not replace them—by training the trainers who lead Bible Fellowship Groups, EQUIP, Discipletown, and other teaching ministries.

    VI. Evangelism

    1. The Pastor shall model personal evangelism and lead the Church in fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20) through intentional local outreach and support for state, national, and international missions.
    2. The Pastor shall train, encourage, and support the Evangelism Team, the Missions Team, and other outreach ministries in their work, without personally leading or coordinating them.
    3. The Pastor shall press the Church outward toward the lost in Kingston, Plymouth County, and beyond, through a thoughtful pastoral presence and partnerships as appropriate.

    VII. Prayer

    1. The Pastor shall cultivate personal communion with God through prayer and the reading of Scripture.
    2. The Pastor shall lead the Church in corporate prayer during public worship and at other gatherings as appropriate.
    3. The Pastor shall pray regularly, and by name, for the Elders, Deacons, Trustees, staff, Ministry Team Leaders, members, regular attenders, visitors, and the community.

    VIII. Eldership

    1. The Pastor is a full member of the Board of Elders
    Elders, Serveserving as ex-officiofirst memberamong equals, and advisorshares the burden of spiritual oversight of Mayflower Church with his fellow Elders.The Pastor shall meet monthly with the Elders and shall participate in their decisions and counsel as a peer.In concert with the Elders, the Pastor exercises spiritual oversight over the other Boards, Teams, and staff of the Church. Spiritual oversight is distinct from operational management; it attends to alldoctrine, character, and the health of leaders’ souls, not to the execution of their work.The Pastor shall cast a biblically grounded vision for the Church’s future in partnership with the Elders, aligned with the Great Commission and the mission of Mayflower Church.The Pastor shall preserve the unity of the Church, in concert with the Elders.The Pastor shall participate with the Board of Elders in biblical reconciliation and, where necessary, formal church discipline per a policy to be adopted.The Pastor shall preside over the reception of new members and the extending of the Right Hand of Fellowship.

    IX. Operational Oversight

    1. The Pastor exercises direct operational oversight of the Church Office and general church administration. This includes supervision of the Church Secretary and of other non-pastoral staff whose hiring the Servants Council has directed.
    2. The Pastor shall coach, evaluate, and administer corrective action for non-pastoral staff in the ordinary course of supervision, consistent with the Employee Handbook and the Non-Pastoral Staff Hiring SOP.
    3. The Pastor shall conduct annual performance reviews of the non-pastoral staff he supervises, per the Performance Evaluations framework.
    4. The Pastor shall coordinate office hours, general scheduling, and day-to-day administration consistent with the procedures documented in the Streamline Admin System.
    5. The Pastor’s operational oversight does not extend to ministry teams, Church facilities (which sit with the Board of Trustees), Church finances (which sit with the Board of Finance and the Church Treasurer), or the governance structures and cross-Board coordination of the Church (which sit with the Servants Council).

    X. Boundaries — What the Pastor Does Not Do

    1. The Pastor does not lead ministry teams. Every Ministry Team is led by its Ministry Team Leader under the overseeing Board.
    2. The Pastor does not chair Boards or committees other than the Board of Elders if the Board so elects him. He participates in the other Boards and Teamsthe Servants Council as a full ad hoc member under the bylaws and Robert’s Rules, with voice and vote, but not as chair.
    3. The Pastor does not serve as Clerk, Treasurer, or Secretary of any Board or Ministry Team as part of his role. Where the Pastor chooses to assist with minutes, records, or administrative continuity — for instance, by providing meeting recordings or drafted minutes — he does so as a voluntary service, not as a required function of the office.
    4. The Pastor does not manage ministry-team-level operations. He supports Ministry Team Leaders pastorally, doctrinally, and prayerfully, but does not run their calendars, events, or projects.
    5. The Pastor does not make unilateral decisions that the bylaws, Church policies, or the Decision-Making Framework distribute to another body.

    XI. Relationships

    1. The Pastor is a full member of the Board of Elders.
    2. The Pastor is an ad hoc member of the Board of Deacons, the Board of Trustees, the Board of Finance, and the Servants Council, with voice and vote under Robert’s Rules.
    3. The Pastor supervises the Church Secretary and other non-pastoral staff in their day-to-day work; the direction of their hiring sits with the Servants Council per the bylaws.
    4. The Pastor shall cooperate with Southern Baptist associational, state, and national leaders in matters of mutual interest, and shall keep the congregation informed of denominational developments that bear on Mayflower’s life and mission.
    5. The Pastor shall attend SBC gatherings and cultivate pastoral fellowship within the Convention and broader evangelical networks as helpful to his ministry.
    6. The Pastor may represent Mayflower Church in civic and community matters as pastoral judgment warrants, in consultation with the Board of Elders. He may not serve in civic leadership or participate in civic functions on a regular basis without the input of the Board of Elders.
    7. The Pastor has an obligation to his family as well as to the Church. The Church expects and honors his saying “no” at times to give priority to his discretion
    Preachwife and teachfamily.The Church calls the WordPastor, ofnot Godhis faithfullywife. ProvideHer spiritual leadership, vision casting, and pastoral care Lead the church in fulfilling its vision to know Christ and make Him known, and its mission of building a discipleship community rootedparticipation in the knowledge of Christ, driven by faith, empowered to share the Gospel, and committed to welcoming and equipping others in Love and Truth Become a Memberlife of the Church uponis signingaccording to her own gifts and desires, like any other member.

    XII. Accountability

    1. The Pastor is ultimately accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd, and directly responsible to the congregation for the shepherding and effective functioning of the Church.
    2. The Pastor shall negotiate a contract and affirmingcompensation Statementpackage with the Servants Council that is acceptable to both parties. The Servants Council shall update the contract as necessary, per the bylaws.
    3. The Pastor shall provide monthly ministry reports to the Board of FaithElders and Covenantto the Servants Council.
    4. The Pastor

      Trainingshall &participate Support

      in

      Ongoingan annual performance review conducted by the Servants Council, per the bylaws.

    5. The Pastor is spiritually accountable to the Board of Elders in matters of doctrine, character, and conduct.
    6. The Pastor shall prepare an annual report for inclusion in the Church’s Annual Report.

    XIII. Time, Sabbath, and Continuing Formation

    1. The pastoral office is a full-time calling rather than a punch-clock role. The Pastor works the hours required to fulfill the responsibilities set forth above.
    2. The Pastor shall observe two days of sabbath and family rest each week, communicated to the congregation at the beginning of the contract and whenever the schedule permanently changes.
    3. The pastoral role involves regular travel to homes, hospitals, and care facilities to visit the sick, homebound, and bereaved, and extended periods of standing and sitting during worship services, weddings, and funerals.
    4. Compensation, vacation, sick leave, denominational leave, sabbatical accrual, and related benefits shall be set in the Pastor’s contract with the Servants Council. Salary shall be benchmarked against the Southern Baptist Convention Ministers Compensation Study and regional cost of living.
    5. Continuing theological education, SBC engagement, retreat, and pastoral conferences,fellowship denominationalare resourcesexpected, budgeted for, and encouraged.

    Prepared by: Pastor Anton Brown, April 2026

    Approval authority:

    A

    Board signedof acknowledgmentElders, isper requiredConstitution whenand a member accepts this role.

    The source .docxBy-Laws (includingArticle signatureII, block)Section isA).

    Referenced attacheddocuments: to this page.

    Position Descriptions | Mayflower Church |Constitution and By-Laws (March 2026); Baptist Faith & Message 2000; Streamline Admin System — Books 01, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, and 12; Decision-Making Framework (April 20262026); Non-Pastoral Staff Hiring SOP (April 2026); Wedding Policy; Church Discipline Policy (to be adopted).

    Board of Elders approval date: _______________________________

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