Position: Lead Pastor
Church: Carmel Reformed Church
Location: Carmel, IA 51247
Attendance: 400 in-person
Website: carmelchurch.org
ABOUT THE CHURCH
Carmel Reformed Church, founded in 1895 by Dutch immigrants, is a vibrant multigenerational congregation seeking to further Christ’s kingdom through loving God and loving others. Towards that end, the congregation offers a dynamic ministry for children, youth, and adults. In addition, Carmel empowers its people to share the Gospel during their day-to-day interactions where they live and work. Carmel also advances the mission of God by partnering with many global and local mission agencies.
The ministry of the church is founded upon the Word of God and prayer. It is supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and a beautiful facility with ample space for worship, fellowship, and education. A recent assessment identified four strengths of Carmel: good financial support, strong in-church relationships, a high commitment to volunteerism, and a healthy generational balance (average age is 53).
Looking ahead, Carmel Reformed Church hopes to maintain its commitment to the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, while becoming more intentional in making disciples. Towards that end, Carmel plans to call a full-time Associate Pastor shortly after the arrival of the Lead Pastor. The congregation is currently served by Interim Pastor Rev. Gary Hegstad and is recently affiliated with the Alliance of Reformed Churches. Recently, the congregation launched a new initiative to nurture healthy relationships with God and healthy relationships with others. The ministry hopes to cultivate both healthy singleness and healthy marriages within the church and in the community.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Carmel Reformed Church awaits the arrival of its next pastor, a man of God who loves the congregation, preaches faithfully, and supports a multifaceted ministry that is not clergy-dependent.
PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS
The Lead Pastor will:
Be able to give testimony to his love for Jesus Christ and his call to serve as a pastor of a local church in the Reformed tradition.
Love people and be able to create and sustain positive relationships with them.
Value ecumenical partnerships to advance the Kingdom of God.
Be a hardworking servant leader.
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES
The Lead Pastor will be a:
Gifted communicator who is passionate about preaching God’s Word through sound doctrine with relevance and authenticity while applying the truth of Scripture to daily life.
Inspiring coach who, instead of shouldering the ministry by himself, encourages, equips, and empowers others for ministry.
Loving pastor who empathetically cares for people during trials and transitions in life with the compassion of Jesus Christ.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Preaching—the Lead Pastor serves as the primary worship leader and preacher for Carmel’s Sunday morning worship services. He will also lead and provide the sermon for 50% of the Sunday evening services.
Oversight—the Lead Pastor will walk alongside the Consistory and ministry leaders in such a way that unifies the congregation around a shared vision for the future. He will assist and encourage the work of the consistory, lay leaders, the future Associate Pastor, and other staff members.
Pastoral Care—the Lead Pastor will assure timely pastoral care for those seeking baptism, marriage, healing, encouragement, and spiritual direction.
EXPECTATIONS
The Lead Pastor will have experience in pastoral ministry and in equipping leaders.
The Lead Pastor will be ordained or be ordainable by the Alliance of Reformed Churches. As such, he will have earned a Master of Divinity degree or Tier 2 Competency with the Alliance.
The Lead Pastor will participate in community ministry opportunities and in the activities of the Midwest Network of the Alliance of Reformed Churches.
To apply, please fill out the fields on the next page and attach your resume. Your completed application will be reviewed in a timely manner.
Skills Required
- Testimony of love for Jesus Christ and a call to serve as a pastor in the Reformed tradition
- Ability to build and sustain positive relationships
- Value for ecumenical partnerships
- Hardworking servant-leader orientation
- Strong preaching and communication ability grounded in sound doctrine
- Ability to coach, equip, and empower ministry leaders
- Compassionate pastoral-care ability
- Experience in pastoral ministry and equipping leaders
- Ordained or ordainable by the Alliance of Reformed Churches
- Master of Divinity degree or Alliance Tier 2 Competency
- Participation in community ministry and Midwest Network Alliance activities
What We Do
Rukes Group is a ministry-focused staffing and consulting firm that helps churches and nonprofits find leaders aligned with their mission, team, and organizational culture. Its Precise Assessment Process customizes searches, evaluates candidates, and identifies “Culture Carriers” for ministry roles. The company also provides specialized consulting in structure, strategy, and mission, while supporting candidates in pursuing their next ministry opportunity with confidence.
