Snapshot

Denomination: Non-Denominational

Weekly Attendance:  3,675

Location: Lexington, MA

The Role: Senior Pastor

Meet Grace Chapel:

Grace Chapel is the non-denominational church home for thousands of people who worship online and onsite every Sunday, and connect throughout the week in a variety of ministry environments. We have five campuses in the Greater Boston Area and an online campus that reaches around the world. In addition, our Strategic Partner Network includes Christ’s Church of Amherst in Southern New Hampshire. As one of the largest churches in the northeast, Grace Chapel has long been a leader and resource for churches across New England. For the past 75 years, we have faithfully served this part of the country by providing a place for people to encounter and follow Jesus experiencing His grace through the local church.

What started as a few families praying about starting a church has grown into a  vibrant, growing, multicultural community of seekers and believers. We believe in the importance of personal connection  because church isn't a place, it's people. We offer large gatherings, smaller settings, and online resources to help people grow in faith, build healthy and authentic relationships, and make an impact on our world together.

About the Senior Pastor:

The next Senior Pastor for Grace Chapel will be a point leader who will build on a solid foundation that has been laid by many who have come before. He or she will engage with the staff and congregation across multiple campuses to see everyone transformed and mobilized by Jesus. The Senior Pastor, under the authority of the Board of Elders, is the spiritual leader of the church, responsible for preaching/worship ministries, providing vision and strategy for the ministry of the church, giving spiritual encouragement to its leaders, and for overseeing the operation of the church.

The Senior Pastor will provide primary spiritual, visionary, and strategic leadership to Grace Chapel’s diverse team of pastors, staff, leaders, volunteers, members, and beyond. They will bring an ability to communicate God’s word with power, clarity, and spiritual authority. The successful candidate will value the heritage and legacy of Grace Chapel and the ability to inspire and mobilize large numbers of people, while also moving them forward in faith toward a new season of impact and influence.

The Senior Pastor's Responsibilities Include: 

• Provide primary spiritual, visionary, and strategic leadership to Grace Chapel’s diverse team of pastors, staff, leaders, volunteers, members, and beyond. 

• Work with an Executive Team to lead a world-class staff at Grace Chapel; establishing systems and programs to maintain health through a balance of discipleship, evangelism, and outreach.

• Provide innovative vision & leadership for reaching the post-Christian culture.

• Be the primary communicator at Grace Chapel from the broadcast campus in Lexington. 

• Provide spiritual leadership and pastoral care to the congregation, fostering a culture of faith, love, and service.

• Demonstrate a commitment to community and culture engagement.

• Provide organizational leadership to employees and volunteers and be passionate about developing young leaders.

• Provide for the shepherding of the body of Christ through intentional and strategic approaches.

• Engage with and be a champion of building relationships within the local community, participating in outreach activities, and collaborating with other organizations to address community needs

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, organize events, and work effectively under pressure.

• A heart for pastoral care and the ability to provide compassionate and empathetic support to congregation members in times of need.

What You Bring: 

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

Education & Experience

• Master of Divinity or comparable graduate degree from an accredited evangelical, theological seminary or its equivalent, required

• Undergraduate Degree

• 10+ years of ministry experience with multiple years of senior leadership experience

• Experience and knowledge of multi-staff, multi-generational, and multi-campus ministries,  including leadership of paid staff and unpaid volunteers

• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to connect with a diverse congregation and adapt to various ministry contexts.

• Substantial experience with diverse people groups and communities 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Significant experience and proven skill in preaching/teaching/communicating in a larger church context, with a preference for expository preaching

• Comfortable engaging in theological discourse if/when needed

• Possesses an entrepreneurial ability, always thinking about and creating ways for greater impact and reaching more people

• Leadership proficiency in both large and small group surroundings

• Ability to work in an interconnected, collaborative team environment

• Capability to rally and mobilize individuals toward a cause 

Personal Characteristics & Qualifications

• A fully devoted follower of Christ who leads others into full, personal devotion by their example

• A true servant leader and a pure heart bent toward humility, generosity, loving, kindness, wisdom, integrity, and courage

• Able to meet the biblical qualifications for a pastor as set forth in I Timothy 3:1-7 and able to subscribe without reservation to the Statement of Faith, Church Covenant, and Bylaws of Grace Chapel, including its appendices

• Creative, balanced, and resourceful in the use of time and talent

• Displays a high level of emotional and relational intelligence

• Fully aligned with Grace Chapel’s DNA, mission, values, and statement of faith

• A leader who can mentor and coach younger team members to call out their potential

What it's Like to Live in the Greater Boston Area: 

Boston is a wonderful place that attracts people from all over the world to learn and work. With a nickname like “Birthplace of American Liberty,’’ you can get a sense of Lexington’s historic nature. It was here where the “shot heard round the world’’ was fired, leading to the start of the American Revolution. Beyond the town’s association with one of the most significant moments in American history lies an excellent place to live in the present. 

Anchored by MIT and Harvard and peppered with seven Top 50 schools, world-renowned research institutes, and teaching hospitals, the metro Boston area is a true knowledge economy.  The area generates thousands of graduates every year. Roughly 50% of these graduates stay in the Greater Boston area, bolstering the city’s highly educated workforce. 

Nearby Boston is the largest city in New England and ranks among the top cities globally as an economic hub. The highly educated workforce and innovative environment were specific factors cited recently by General Electric for why it chose to relocate its global headquarters to Boston. Massachusetts spends more on research & development than any other region in the world, and Boston attracts a diverse, technologically fluent workforce focused on solving challenges for the world. The Boston metro area continues to attract top talent, businesses, and investors who choose Boston as their place to live, work, invest, and play.

Boston is known as a fanatical sports town with the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, Revolution, and Red Sox bringing people out in droves to celebrate the Great American pastimes, and multiple championships over the last decade. With easy access to beaches, lakes, and mountains, as well as a world-renowned cultural center for all of the arts, the Boston area offers unlimited activities, entertainment, and history for all to enjoy.

New England is recognized as one of the least churched regions of the country, while at the same time being one of the most influential regions of the country, making it a strategic location for Kingdom impact.

Think you're a great fit for this role? Become a candidate below.