Executive Pastor
of Leadership Development

An open position
State College Christian & Missionary Alliance Church
State College, Pennsylvania

This Section Contains

• Opportunity Profile
• Job Description
• Contact Information

Opportunity Profile

Our Opportunity

The State College Christian & Missionary Alliance Church in State College, Pennsylvania, is looking for an Executive Pastor of Leadership Development. The man selected for this position will assist the Senior Pastor by functioning as the organizational and strategic leader of the church who implements the vision established by the Senior Pastor and the Board of Elders. Key areas of responsibility include: leadership development, family group development, and oversight of disciplemaking ministries.

Our Community

Nestled in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains in central Pennsylvania, State College is called “Happy Valley.” In fact, State College was ranked No. 1 as the lowest stress city in the United States by Psychology Today. In Places Almanac, it was rated as the seventh safest city in the U.S., and Money magazine ranked it the fifth best place to live among northeast small cities. For more demographics about the town and some local history, visit www.statecollege.com.

Located centrally, about 3 hours away from both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Centre County covers about 1,049 square miles and includes a population of about 135,758 residents scattered throughout the State College Borough and the five surrounding townships. While the areas around the town are comprised of beautiful rolling rural farm land and mountains, the vast majority of people work at Penn State University, in state, local, and national government positions, for the State College Area School District, or at the Mount Nittany Medical Center. The average home value is $220,000. Over 36 percent of the population has a BA degree or higher, and education and the arts are given a high priority by families. The State College Area School District serves over 7,000 students coming from a 150 square mile attendance area. There are 10 elementary schools, two middle schools, two high school buildings, and several alternative secondary programs. About 86% of local high school graduates go on to post-graduate education or training. For more on the schools, visit www.scasd.org.

The main attraction to the area is the Pennsylvania State University. University Park, surrounded by the borough of State College, is home to the main campus of Penn State, one of the largest universities in the country and a member of the Big Ten Conference. Founded in 1855 as an agricultural and engineering college, Penn State has grown into a world-class learning and research institution. With a core campus covering 5,448 acres, the University Park campus is the epicenter for about 40,500 students, 3,000 faculty members, and 13,000 other employees. The university offers degrees in about 160 baccalaureate and 150 graduate programs. For more information, visit www.psu.edu.

In addition to cheering at Penn State sporting events and concerts at the Bryce Jordan Center, the area offers an abundance of four season recreation including: skiing, snowboarding, caving and caverns, wildlife parks, rock climbing, ice skating, RV rentals, hiking, mountain biking, motorcycling, fishing, and hunting. Average winter temperatures range from 20 – 35 degrees Fahrenheit, and average summer temperatures are between 60 – 85 degrees Fahrenheit usually. There are also plenty of historical sites in the region, including railroad museums, military museums, and mansions, as well as gallery exhibits of all types.

Our Church Outreach

The State College Alliance Church mission is to “Call the Centre Region and Beyond to the Family of God.” In order to meet the needs of about 550 diverse worshippers from Centre County and the surrounding areas, we maintain two distinct Sunday morning services. The 9:00 a.m. service has a traditional flavor with a full choir supported by orchestral instruments, organ, and piano. The 11:00 a.m. service is contemporary, with the music being led by a worship team of vocalists supported by keyboard, guitars, bass, and drums. The Sunday School hour, for all ages, is sandwiched between the two services, and the Children's Church is held in parallel with the second service. Although the attendance patterns for the two services are somewhat consistent, many members alternate services because they are comfortable with either format. At times throughout the year, a combined service is held for the entire congregation.

Recently, under the leadership of the Senior Pastor, the Sunday evening service has become a healing and anointing service, with an emphasis on both inner and physical restoration by the Lord. Three other churches in the community have folded their healing ministries into this one, with their pastors embracing the service and encouraging their members seeking a special healing touch from the Lord to join us. In some instances, believers from other communities have come from miles away to experience a healing touch from God. As we proceed, we continue to learn from the Master, but it is evident that if we go to Jesus in faith, believing, He will heal.

At least ten “family groups” meet weekly to deepen their relationships with God and each other. These are based on the model of the early church described in Acts 2:24, and more small groups are in the making. In addition, other weekly Bible studies are offered through the Men's and Women's Ministries, including one for Spanish speakers, as well as periodic marriage enrichment seminars.

The youth (grades 6-12) meet for Sunday night small group girls' and boys' Bible studies and discussion groups, in addition to their regular Wednesday night sessions. Once a month, AYF joins the youth groups of several other local churches as part of a “Metro Worship” session. These combined services rotate to various church buildings, encouraging unity in the body of Christ and connecting young believers from around the local area. Recently they have begun an after-school “coffee house” outreach to draw in unsaved friends. Children in kindergarten through sixth grades gather Sunday nights for AWANA to study scripture and to participate in fun activities.

The Mount Nittany Christian School was formed in September 1975 as an outreach of the church to provide children with a nurturing environment in which to receive biblically-based academic instruction of the highest quality. In addition to kindergarten through eighth grade classes, the school provides a pre-school program. The regular academic program is enhanced through formal instruction in art, music, choir, technology, physical education, and health. Team sports offered are soccer, basketball, track, and fencing. In recent years, the enrollment has ranged between 120 and 160, with families from more than 25 area churches being served. For more information, visit their website at www.nittanychristian.com

Alliance Christian Fellowship (established in 1975) is an outreach to the students of the Pennsylvania State University campus. Over the past 30 years, it has touched the lives of thousands of students who have made commitments to Jesus Christ, followed the Lord in baptism, and many have responded to a call to full-time ministry. In addition to Sunday services at the HUB and Wednesday nights in the Frizzell Room, ACF has had a long history of retreats, banquets, mission trips, service projects, Bible studies, and much more. A full-time campus pastor and supporting staff currently provide leadership for over 400 students who attend the Sunday morning service each week and nearly 150 students who meet for Bible study and small group discussion and prayer on Wednesday nights. For more specific information regarding ACF, see their website at www.acf-psu.org.

The State College Alliance Church has had a heart for Missions since our inception in 1961. At least eight Alliance missionaries have gone out from the church to countries which include: Taiwan, Kosovo, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Peru, Gabon, and Germany. Two of these missionaries now serve as senior pastors at Alliance churches, and dozens of others have built the Kingdom on nearly every continent through ministry organizations such as Campus Crusade for Christ, Athletes in Action, Navigators, the Black Forest Academy, and the Dalat School. An active Missions Committee helps to set up short-term missions trips open to members of the congregation, as well as to set up return visits by missionaries coming in from the field to share what God is doing around the world. The entire congregation receives regular updates via email in order to maintain prayer and financial support for our missionaries.

The church actively trains members for sharing their faith locally and around the world through the thirteen-week “Evangelism Explosion” course created by Dr. D. James Kennedy. Another recently added outreach to the community is the annual “Ride for Christ,” during which over 130 bikers come to the church for the service, followed by a motorcycle ride around central PA and a fellowship meal.

In 2002, the State College Alliance Church planted a “sister church” in the nearby Penns Valley Area, sending over one hundred adherents and members and our then-youth and worship pastor to lead. Today over 200 attend this church, being touched with the love of Christ.

Our Core Values

1.Lost People Everywhere Matter to Jesus, and He Wants Them Found.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. - Luke 19:10

2.Worship is Our Primary Pursuit.

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.- John 4:23

3.Prayer is our Primary Work.

… apart from meyou can do nothing.” - John 15:5

4.Everything We Have Belongs to the Father, and We Are Only Stewards.

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. - I Corinthians. 4:2

5.God's Family Grows Best in Community.

They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. - Acts 2:42

6.To Achieve God's Purposes, We Must Take Faith-Filled Risks.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. - Hebrews 11:8

7.Our Primary Ministry Task is to Develop Leaders Who Will Impact the World AroundThem.

…to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature… - Ephesians 4:12 – 13

8. Knowing and Obeying God's Word is Fundamental to All Success in Life.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. - II Timothy 3:16

Our Senior Pastor

Rev. David and Jeannine Janssen moved to State College in 1990 following missionary service in Malaysia. Both attended Penn State University and during their time as students, they sensed God's call to serve in pastoral ministry. For the couple, God's call has been an adventure! As Senior Pastor, Dave has a passion for teaching the Word and helping individuals apply its powerful guidance in their lives. He delights in helping people to develop their spiritual gifts and in developing leaders. Jeannine invests in the prayer support of the church and has a passion to encourage believers to walk in a living and growing relationship with God. They have two daughters. Carolyn, married to Chris, is returning to the U. S. after serving as a missionary/teacher in Malaysia. Elizabeth, a recent graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, is a graphic designer in the Philadelphia area.

Job Description

Position: Executive Pastor of Leadership Development

Reports to: Senior Pastor

Position Overview: The Executive Pastor is a support position, with emphasis on building and supporting ministry groups under the Senior Pastor's direction. He communicates accurately the vision and values of the Senior Pastor and Board of Elders.

The focus will be on:

• Leadership Development: identifying and training lay leaders within the congregation who will impact the world around them,
• Family Group Development: building and nurturing Family Groups because God's Family grows best in community,
• Oversight of Disciplemaking Ministries: providing guidance for lay leaders and help in locating curriculum materials which promote Kingdom building and the core values of the church,
• General Support of Church Operations: serving as a fully-functioning member of the pastoral staff and providing back-up as needed.

Ministry Description

Leadership Development – 40%

• Assessment
  • Assess the leadership needs to support the ministries of the church body.
  • Identify leadership gifts within the church family and nurture the development of these gifts.
  • Determine ministry groups which should be strengthened to meet the needs of various subgroups in the church and community (e.g., Singles' Ministry, Young Marrieds' Ministry, Divorce Support Group)
• Planning
  • Establish a vision for the development and maintenance of a leadership program that will support the maturation of the church body.
  • Develop strategies for the implementation, continuous evaluation, and improvement of the leadership within church ministries.
  • Work in consultation with the Senior Pastor and the Executive Director of Church Ministries in the establishment of training programs and materials to develop and maintain high-quality leaders at all levels.
• Implementation
  • Identify and recruit potential emerging leaders.
  • Collaborate with Senior Pastor, Elder Board, and the Nominating Committee to recommend leaders for specific ministries identified in the church.
  • Build personal relationships with lay leaders through networking, mentoring, and discipleship.
  • Assist these lay leaders in developing “ministry teams” to support their respective ministries.
• Evaluation and Improvement
  • Meet regularly with lay leaders to assess progress and needs.
  • Strive for continual improvement by measuring the effectiveness of the leaders and their ministries and by reporting as appropriate.

Family Group Development and Maintenance – 30%

• Assessment
  • Assess the current Family Group ministry in light of our core value that “God's Family grows best in community.”
• Planning
  • Establish a vision for the Family Group ministry that recognizes that it is one of the primary vehicles of effective care of individual needs in the life of the church, by bringing the majority of church attendees into connectedness and accountability.
  • Establish a framework for recognizing existing Family Group ministries and strategies for extending the network to include emerging leaders and Family Groups.
  • Develop strategies to encourage current attendees to join, and to funnel new attendees into, the fabric of the Family Groups.
  • Provide guidance in the selection of available resources as needed.
  • Develop strategies for the implementation, continuous evaluation, and improvement of the leadership within Family Groups.
• Implementation
  • Assure that an adequate supply of leaders is identified, trained, and available to assume leadership roles in emerging Family Groups.
  • Identify and assimilate those desiring to become involved in a Family Group.
• Evaluation and Improvement
  • Meet with Family Group leaders as required to assess progress and needs.
  • Strive for continual improvement by measuring the effectiveness of the leaders and their ministries and by reporting as appropriate.

Oversight of Disciplemaking Ministries –20%

• Serve as a member of the Disciplemaking Ministries Council.
• Assess the effectiveness of the current disciplemaking ministries with respect to their providing continuous growth toward Christian maturity, in consultation with the Senior Pastor and the elected lay leaders of the disciplemaking ministries.
• Provide guidance for lay leaders to establish strategies for the long-range planning of well-integrated curricula for each level of the disciplemaking ministries, for the recruitment and training of teachers/sponsors, and for the institution of ongoing evaluation and improvement tools for all segments of the disciplemaking ministries.

Support, Coordination, and Administration – 10%

• Serve as a fully functioning member of the Pastoral Staff and a non-voting member of the Board of Elders.
• Meet with the Senior Pastor on a regular basis for purposes of communication and coordination of all areas of responsibility.
• Serve as a back-up to the Senior Pastor and the Executive Director of Church Ministries as needed.

General Expectations:

• Meets the scriptural requirements of a church leader/elder as set forth in I Timothy 3: 1-13 and Titus 1: 6-9.
• Spends time in prayer and study of God's Word on a daily basis.
• Demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit in life and ministry, with clear confirmation of spiritual, emotional, and relational health as confirmed through work experiences and references.
• Maintains confidentiality.
• Recognizes that this is a support position requiring close coordination with the Senior Pastor, although there will be considerable autonomy in fulfilling the specifics of the job description.

Education and/or Experience:

• Applicant must be in possession of a degree from an accredited college with clear evidence of experience corresponding to the job description. A secular degree should be augmented with seminary or Bible college training. Exceptional experience in other settings will be evaluated.
• Evidence of having successful pastoral experience (s) in local church setting (s) without conflict.
• Evidence of strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated giftedness in the areas of teaching, leading, networking, and mentoring.
• Clear evidence of successful experience in the primary areas of the job description: Leadership Development, Family Group ministry, Christian education, Pastoral support and administration.

Contact Information

If interested, please send your cover letter and resume as electronic attachments via email to: Scott Long, Executive Pastor Search Committee Chairman, at cmaxpastor@pvbsonline.com. We look forward to welcoming the man God has selected to join the team at State College Alliance Church! Thanks for prayerfully considering us!