Lead / Senior Pastor

Lifewater Church | Bossier City, Louisiana

Position Type: Full-Time

Reports To: Elder Board

Expected Hours: Minimum 35 hours per week

About Lifewater Church

Lifewater Church exists to make disciples who know and follow Jesus. We are seeking a Lead / Senior Pastor who is committed to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the health, unity, and mission of the local church.

The Lead / Senior Pastor serves as the primary spiritual leader, preacher, shepherd, and vision-caster of LifewaterChurch. The pastor will work with the Elder Board, staff, and congregation to lead the church toward spiritual maturity, faithful discipleship, leadership development, evangelism, and effective ministry.

The Lead / Senior Pastor is accountable to and reports directly to the Elder Board. The Elder Board provides oversight, accountability, spiritual direction, and evaluation for the Lead / Senior Pastor.

Church Culture, Values & Distinctives

Lifewater Church is a gospel-centered, relationally driven church that values biblical faithfulness, spiritual maturity, healthy relationships, and faithful service to Christ.

We are shaped by a culture that emphasizes:

Authentic Community: We value genuine relationships in which people are known, loved, cared for, and encouraged to grow in Christ.

Biblical Faithfulness: Scripture is our final authority, shaping our beliefs, decisions, teaching, and direction as a church.

Disciple-Making: We seek to make disciples who know Christ, follow Christ, grow in Christ, and help others follow Christ.

Evangelism & Service: We desire to faithfully proclaim the gospel and serve our community and the world in the name of Christ.

Leadership Development: We seek to identify, equip, and develop qualified leaders for ministry within the church.

Spiritual & Family Health: We value sustainable ministry rhythms that protect spiritual health, family life, integrity, and long-term faithfulness.

Lifewater Church is committed to being a healthy local church where believers gather for worship, grow through biblical teaching and discipleship, care for one another, serve others, and faithfully proclaim the gospel.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a pastor who will preach faithfully, shepherd well, develop leaders, and provide clear biblical vision and direction for the church while serving under the spiritual oversight and accountability of the Elder Board.

The Lead / Senior Pastor will:

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Preach and teach the Word of God with clarity, conviction, and gospel focus.

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Shepherd the congregation with humility, compassion, wisdom, and prayer.

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Equip and develop pastors, staff, ministry leaders, and members.

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Lead a culture of intentional biblical discipleship across the church.

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Provide spiritual and strategic direction in partnership with the Elder Board.

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Lead and develop staff with accountability, encouragement, and clarity.

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Oversee church health, governance, stewardship, and long-term ministry direction.

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Represent and lead the church in evangelism, missions, and community engagement.

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Remain accountable to the Elder Board in matters of leadership, doctrine, character, church health, and ministry direction.

Key Responsibilities

Preaching, Teaching & Equipping

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Preach biblically sound, gospel-centered sermons.

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Faithfully explain and apply the meaning of Scripture while communicating biblical truth clearly and compellingly.

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Develop an annual preaching and teaching plan that supports the church’s mission and theological convictions.

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Oversee Bible studies, classes, and leadership development.

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Mentor pastoral staff and ministry leaders in biblical teaching.

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Ensure all teaching aligns with Lifewater Church’s theological convictions.

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Lead Covenant Membership Classes as needed as part of the church’s membership process.

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Host Newcomer Receptions and communicate the church’s mission, vision, beliefs, and values.

Disciple-Making & Leadership Development

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Build a church-wide culture of biblical disciple-making.

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Oversee a clear discipleship pathway across the church’s ministries.

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Mentor and develop staff through ongoing coaching and training.

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Meet regularly with ministry and small-group leaders.

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Develop a leadership pipeline for qualified non-staff members.

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Identify, equip, and encourage members to serve according to their gifts and calling.

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Model spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Scripture, worship, service, and evangelism.

Pastoral Care

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Provide spiritual care through counseling, prayer, visitation, and personal presence.

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Officiate weddings, funerals, baptisms, and other significant pastoral responsibilities.

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Foster a culture of compassion, hospitality, unity, and genuine Christian community.

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Maintain healthy relational accessibility and appropriate pastoral boundaries.

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Work with elders and ministry leaders to care for members experiencing significant spiritual or personal needs.

Personal Leadership & Vision

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Provide overall spiritual and strategic leadership for the church.

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Serve under the authority and oversight of the Elder Board.

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Work closely with the Elder Board and staff to establish, communicate, and pursue the church’s biblical mission, vision, and priorities.

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Report directly to the Elder Board regarding ministry, staff, church health, finances, and strategic priorities.

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Supervise, evaluate, and develop staff, including formal reviews twice annually.

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Cast and communicate 1-, 3-, and 5-year vision plans in partnership with the Elder Board.

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Partner closely with the Elder Board on church health, priorities, and direction.

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Build a unified, healthy, and biblically grounded staff culture.

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Ensure clear and consistent communication of mission, vision, priorities, and progress.

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Participate in regular Elder Board meetings and provide appropriate ministry reports and updates.

Administration & Stewardship

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Work with the Elder Board in church governance, oversight, and administration.

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Participate in budget development and quarterly financial reviews.

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Operate within the financial policies and procedures established by the church.

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Lead staff meetings focused on alignment, development, communication, and accountability.

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Ensure effective systems, policies, and ministry operations.

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Promote transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of church resources.

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Maintain a minimum 35-hour workweek, including office, pastoral, leadership, and ministry responsibilities.

Community & Mission

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Represent Lifewater Church faithfully in the local community.

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Build appropriate relationships and partnerships with churches and community organizations.

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Lead and equip the church for evangelism and compassionate service.

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Support global missions and cross-cultural ministry.

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Encourage members to faithfully live out their Christian calling in their homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and communities.

Qualifications

Education

A Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, or equivalent theological degree is preferred but not required. Candidates without one of these degrees may be considered based on demonstrated theological competency and equivalent pastoral ministry experience.

Experience

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8–10 years of pastoral ministry experience preferred.

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Proven experience in preaching, shepherding, discipleship, and leadership development.

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Demonstrated ability to lead organizationally and strategically.

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Experience developing teams and executing ministry vision.

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Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively under the authority and accountability of an elder-led church.

Theological Alignment

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Full agreement with Lifewater Church’s doctrine, mission, and values.

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Commitment to the authority, sufficiency, and reliability of Scripture.

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Commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ and biblical Christianity.

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Agreement with Lifewater Church’s statement of faith and theological convictions.

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Alignment with the biblical qualifications for elders as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9.

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Commitment to the biblical model of qualified elders providing spiritual oversight of the local church.

Personal Character

The ideal candidate is:

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Deeply devoted to Jesus Christ and marked by prayer, humility, integrity, and faithfulness.

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Spiritually mature and committed to ongoing growth in Christ.

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Passionate about discipleship and the local church.

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A servant leader who leads by example.

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Relational, compassionate, and approachable across generations.

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Emotionally healthy and stable.

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Committed to accountability and transparency.

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A strong communicator and careful listener.

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Able to build trust, develop people, and lead teams effectively.

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Willing to receive correction, counsel, and accountability from the Elder Board.

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Committed to protecting the unity, health, reputation, and doctrinal integrity of the church.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation: Competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. Specific compensation details will be provided during the interview process.

Benefits Package: Includes health insurance, retirement contributions, and paid time off. Specifics will be outlined during the hiring process.

Ministry Support: Professional development resources and ministry-related expense reimbursement as approved by the Elder Board.

Additional Considerations: Housing allowance and other benefits may be available depending on candidate needs and church policy.

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking a biblically qualified pastor who loves Jesus, loves His church, faithfully teaches God’s Word, and is committed to making disciples.

The ideal candidate brings together biblical conviction, pastoral care, leadership ability, organizational wisdom, and strategic vision. He should be able to lead with humility and courage while willingly serving under the authority, oversight, and accountability of the Elder Board.

The Lead / Senior Pastor should view the Elder Board not merely as an advisory group, but as the biblically qualified body responsible for providing spiritual oversight and accountability for the church and its leadership.

If you believe God may be calling you to serve as the Lead / Senior Pastor of Lifewater Church, we would love to hear from you.

To Apply

Please submit:

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Résumé

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Personal testimony

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Philosophy of ministry

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Statement of faith or theological convictions

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References as requested by Lifewater Church

Lifewater Church

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