I. Overall Objective

The senior pastor of Scofield Memorial Church will fulfill and assimilate the broad and specific vision of Scofield Memorial Church. This will be done by managing, evaluating and developing a ministry at Scofield Memorial Church in such a way that is aligned with the church’s vision and values, and in cooperation with the church’s overall ministry commitments.

II. Senior Pastor Qualifications

Positional Qualities

  • The senior pastor must meet qualifications for an elder given in 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Peter 5:2-3. These qualifications deal with many areas of personal life, which are critical for fitness to serve as a leader in the church.
  • The senior pastor must be in agreement with the church constitution, doctrinal statement, and the philosophy of ministry (Scofield’s purpose, mission and vision).

Personal Qualities

  • Good communicator. He must be an effective communicator from the pulpit and in one-on-one relationships. He must be able to demonstrate the relevance of the Scriptures in daily life. He must be able to use discernment in exposing the obvious and subtle errors of society, and have the wisdom to teach the biblical model of life and thought.
  • Balanced understanding of Christian life. He must know the importance of God’s grace in the Christian life, affirming that salvation and sanctification is the result of God’s grace and not human effort; that good works are the outworking of God’s grace in the believer; and that legalism is an enemy to true spiritual maturity.
  • Team builder. He should be a strong leader who models, trains and inspires others to do the work of ministry—the pastoral staff, the Official Board, the church leadership and the church body. He should have a clear vision of the ministry of Scofield Memorial Church, and the ability to impart this vision to others. He should value consensus.
  • Exemplary life style. His personal life should be an example of integrity, humility, honesty and openness. His life will be a reflection of Christian maturity—in his marriage and family, his relationships, and his church life. If married, the senior pastor must have a supportive wife who also has an excellent sense of God’s calling for ministry, and who has a good Christian testimony. Neither the senior pastor nor his wife will have experienced a divorce in a previous marriage.
  • Heart of love. He must have a love for God, his family, God’s people, the church, the lost and the ministry. He must be a person with a caring, shepherding spirit.
  • Man of faith. He must realize that without wisdom from God it is not possible to do the work of the ministry or even live a fruitful Christian life. He must model a life of faith and prayer.
  • Personal accountability. He should desire accountability with the pastoral staff and the Official Board, as well as others who will work with him to protect and preserve his character, integrity and personal walk with God.

Professional Qualities

  • Biblical preaching. Expository preaching with relevant application. He must have a commitment to the sufficiency and inerrancy of the Scripture. His theology must be consistent with grammatical-historical interpretation of the Scripture, dispensationalism, moderate Calvinism and non-lordship salvation position. He must be able to balance doctrinal view with the totality of biblical revelation.
  • Shepherding heart. While the senior pastor is not expected to be the sole pastoral care-giver within the congregation, he must, out of a shepherd’s disposition, cultivate an environment in which healthy pastoral care is unfolding in a manner that empowers the spiritual giftedness of others within the leadership and the body at large.
  • Training. The senior pastor must have a formal seminary education, having achieved a Master of Theology or above.

III. Specific Senior Pastor Duties

Preaching/Teaching Responsibilities

  • To preach expositional messages covering all the counsel of God, so that the church members are fed a balanced spiritual diet.
  • To challenge believers in relevant and practical ways toward obedience and submission to the Lord.
  • To present the gospel so that the unsaved will understand, giving regular opportunity for the lost to respond in faith.
  • To schedule time for regular study, which includes the following:
    • Disciplined Bible study.
    • Reading of Christian resources beneficial to a mature, alert and balanced ministry.
    • Sermon preparation.
    • To select qualified substitutes to fill the pulpit when absent.

Administrative Duties

  • To supervise the church staff.
  • To oversee the pastoral and church staff in order to meet the church’s needs and implement the church’s stated vision and values.
  • To encourage the pastoral staff in the development and exercise of their spiritual gifts and talents in their areas of ministry.
  • To give direction and support to the ministry team, keeping every ministry focused on the church’s visions and values.
  • To assist the Official Board.
  • To serve on the Board of Elders as a voting member.
  • To assist the Chairman of the Board of Elders in the planning of official board and elder board meetings.
  • To interact with the Board of Deacons regarding matters relevant to their responsibilities.
  • To serve as an ex officio member of all other church related committees.

Pastoral Responsibilities

  • To direct, lead and work cooperatively with the pastoral staff and the Board of Elders in pastoral duties.
  • To oversee official church functions such as weddings, funerals and church ordinances (baptism and the Lord’s Supper).
  • To oversee the provision of pastoral care for the church, including home and hospital visitation, pastoral counseling and crisis intervention.
  • To promote the ministry of Scofield Memorial Church in the larger community of Dallas, Texas and throughout the world.
  • To be an active member of the overall ministry of Scofield Memorial Church, along with his family.

IV. Employment Package Information

  • The Senior Pastor of Scofield Memorial Church will benefit from a salary package recommended by the Executive Committee of the Official Board and approved by the entire Board of Deacons.