Lead Pastor - Westside Baptist Church - Vanderbloemen

Baptist – sbc

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE: 800

Meet Westside Baptist Church

Westside Baptist Church is a Christ-centered church in Murray, Kentucky, committed to glorifying God by making disciples locally and around the world. The church emphasizes biblical teaching, discipleship, missions, fellowship, and serving others, with ministries for children, students, college students, and adults. It seeks to build a welcoming community where people can grow in their faith and develop meaningful relationships. Through worship, small groups, outreach, and service, Westside encourages members to live out their faith and share the gospel with others. The church’s focus is to see every person treasure Jesus with their head, hearts, and hands.

About the Lead Pastor

The Lead Pastor’s primary role at Westside Baptist Church is to preach the Word of God, shepherd the people of Westside to treasure Jesus, and cast vision to lead Westside to make disciples of all nations. He will serve collaboratively alongside the other pastors and ministry staff while providing overall spiritual and organizational leadership to the staff and congregation. The Lead Pastor should seek to know, feed, love, and lead the people of Westside, faithfully stewarding the responsibility God has entrusted to him. He should model Christ-like character, cultivate a culture of discipleship and evangelism, develop leaders, and lead the church toward greater faithfulness to its mission, vision, and values.

The Lead Pastor’s responsibilities include:

Preaching & Teaching

To effectively shape the people of Westside by the Word of God, the Lead Pastor must:

• Be a gifted communicator with strong preaching and teaching abilities.
• Consistently preach engaging, theologically sound, and Scripture-centered sermons that deepen biblical understanding and lead to spiritual growth.
• Faithfully proclaim the whole counsel of God while clearly pointing people to the gospel and the person and work of Jesus Christ.
• Lead the development and planning of sermon series in collaboration with the other pastors and staff.
• Provide leadership and direction for worship services in partnership with the other pastors.
• Demonstrate a lifelong commitment to studying God’s Word and pursuing ongoing spiritual, theological, and emotional growth.
• Maintain doctrinal integrity consistent with the Baptist Faith and Message (2000).

Shepherding & Pastoral Care

The Lead Pastor ought to seek to know, feed, love, and lead the people of Westside. To do so, he must: 

• Cultivate genuine, personal relationships with members of the congregation across generations and stages of spiritual maturity.
• Embody a welcoming, accessible, relational, and hospitable presence within the church and community.
• Model Christ-like compassion, humility, integrity, and care in his relationships with others.
• Provide spiritual counseling, pastoral visitation, and support to individuals and families during times of need and as appropriate.
• Practice intentional disciple-making with staff, lay leaders, and members of the congregation.
• Mobilize pastors, staff, deacons, and lay leaders to participate in the pastoral care and discipleship of the congregation while leading by example.
• Encourage a culture of hospitality, belonging, unity, and mutual care throughout the church.
• Demonstrate an ability to connect with people across boundaries of age, race, spiritual maturity, and social status.

Leadership & Staff Development

To lead the people of Westside to embody our mission, vision, and values, the Lead Pastor must: 

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the pastoral and ministry staff.
• Evaluate staff on a regular basis in collaboration with the personnel team.
• Lead and equip staff and lay leaders with wisdom, grace, clarity, and accountability.
• Develop and empower leaders, helping staff and lay leaders identify and utilize their gifts for the advancement of the gospel.
• Establish clear priorities and expectations while giving ministry leaders appropriate ownership and responsibility within their areas of ministry.
• Work collaboratively with the other pastors and church leadership to align ministries and resources with the church’s mission, vision, and values.
• Work with the other pastors and budget team to develop and maintain a sound annual financial plan that supports the church’s mission and priorities.
• Oversee the staff and congregation with wisdom, humility, and a vision for healthy ministry and gospel-centered growth. 

Evangelism, Missions, & Disciple-Making

The Lead Pastor should have the heart of an evangelist and a passion for seeing the gospel advance locally, nationally, and internationally. He must:

• Lead the congregation toward a culture of personal evangelism and disciple-making.
• Provide leadership in developing and implementing strategies that promote spiritual growth, disciple-making, gospel proclamation, and meaningful community impact.
• Equip members to make disciples within their families, workplaces, neighborhoods, schools, and other spheres of influence.
• Articulate a compelling, Scripture-rooted vision for reaching people with the gospel and making disciples.
• Champion local, state, national, and international missions and encourage meaningful congregational participation.
• Develop and strengthen strategic relationships with mission partners, with particular emphasis on partnerships within the Southern Baptist Convention and Kentucky Baptist Convention.
• Articulate a vision for missions that actively engages all generations of the church.

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Lead Pastor:

Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree required (MDiv preferred).
• Minimum 5 years of ministry experience.

What it’s like to live in Murray, KY

Murray, Kentucky, is a small, welcoming community known for its relaxed pace of life and strong sense of community. Home to Murray and Murray State University, the city has a mix of longtime residents, college students, and families, giving it a friendly and diverse atmosphere. The cost of living is generally affordable compared with larger cities, while residents have access to local restaurants, shops, parks, schools, and community events.

Murray offers a quieter lifestyle with less traffic and congestion than larger cities, making it appealing to people who prefer a close-knit environment. Outdoor activities, including parks, hiking, and nearby lakes, provide opportunities for recreation. Overall, living in Murray can be a good fit for someone looking for an affordable, peaceful community with the conveniences of a college town.

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