Director of Church Leadership and Pastoral Health

Director of Church Leadership and Pastoral Health

Full-Time | Reports to: Executive Director. Position Focus: Pastoral care, Church health, and leader development.

Position Summary

The Director of Church Leadership and Pastoral Health is a pastor-facing and church-facing role responsible for strengthening and developing healthy leaders across the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention (MWBC). This position serves as the primary relational bridge between the convention and local churches and their leaders. The Director provides the vision and content for Catalyst 2 (Multiplying Leaders), assists with the relational and some programmatic aspects of Catalyst 1 (Uniting Churches), and supports the planter pipeline within Catalyst 3 (Advancing the Gospel).

Key Responsibilities

1.    Convention Events

·        Work with the staff for programming and implementation of key events such as Empower, Equip, Annual Meeting, Pastors and Wives, and other convention events.

2.   Pastoral Cohorts and Peer Networks

·        Develop regional resources as a network of presence and support for churches and pastors throughout the two states.  

·        Design and convene cohorts for various leader types, including lead pastors, bi-vocational pastors, church planters, and next-gen leaders.

·        Establish a sustainable rhythm and schedule for quarterly gatherings, regional huddles, and virtual meetings across the two-state network.

·        Facilitate peer learning environments where leaders can solve ministry challenges together.

3.   Pastoral Health and Critical Transitions

·        Oversee and implement support suites designed to address burnout and instability, including sabbatical planning and crisis care.

·        Act as a trusted point of contact for pastors facing transitions or personal challenges.

·        Provide resources and assistance for churches navigating pastoral succession planning.

4.   Leadership Pipeline Development

·        Create and manage a system to identify and develop first-time and future ministry leaders, specifically focusing on a "homegrown" pipeline within the MN-WI context.

·        Coordinate with networks, associations, churches, and networks like NAMB, SALT, and Pillar to connect church planters to convention life.

·        Address the specific needs of bi-vocational and under-resourced pastors.

5.   Resource Curation and Next-Gen Discipleship

·        Vet and connect churches to high-quality discipleship tools and training pathways.

·        Maintain the strategic boundary that the MWBC curates and recommends resources rather than building internal, convention-owned programs.

·        Ensure all materials align with the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.

·        Deliver on the "no church starts from scratch" promise by providing ready-to-use resource pathways.

6.   Church Vitality  

·        Lead intentional "Church Vitality Mapping" process with associations and churches in order to understand and serve the unique needs of congregations.

·        Shape and strengthen the Church Vitality process so that it serves to promote healthy church function.

7.   Network and Association Partnerships

·        In conjunction to the vitality findings, curate and connect appropriate relationships between churches to strengthen both connections to churches and the associations.

·        Alongside the State Convention Association Liaison, work as a partner to local Baptist Associations to ensure unified, coordinated support for churches and the SBC ecosystem of the Cooperative Program.

* Any adjustments to these priorities and other tasks assigned will be done in consultation with the Executive Director.

Reporting and Relationships

·        Reports to: Executive Director.

·        Works alongside: Director of Missions and Operations.

·        Primary Partners: Cooperating churches, local Associations, and the North American Mission Board (NAMB).

Qualifications

·        Experience: 10 to 15 years of some mixture of pastoral, senior church leadership-- association, and state convention experience preferred.

·        Education: Master of Divinity or equivalent required, D.Min. or PhD preferred.

·        Skills: Strong gifting in coaching, relational care, and organizing leadership pathways.

·        Requirements: Active membership in a cooperating Southern Baptist church and theological alignment with the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.

·        Travel: Ability to travel extensively throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. The ideal location would be in Wisconsin. Travel periodically to the convention offices in Rochester, MN.

Compensation

·        Salary: $70,000 – $80,000.

·        Benefits: Generous contributions to Guidestone retirement system. Health reimbursement through the MWBC’s QSEHRA.

Send resumes to mwbc-office@mwbc.org. We will receive them until the end of September 2026 or until the position is filled.