Preamble

The local church staff must always be viewed of as a team, with the whole ministry of the church in view. As such, the person serving in the described position will at all times see himself as a minister to the entire congregation of the church. Notwithstanding this though, staff members do have different areas of responsibility, and it is prudent to recognize and define these areas of responsibility. As such, the purpose of this Working Agreement is to provide a focus for the position of Senior Pastor, but it is not meant to limit the scope of responsibility and action to only that which is written herein.

Qualifications

  1. A passion for God and evidence of a growing relationship with Christ.
  2. Evidence of the character qualities for church leaders as described in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
  3. A love for people of all ages and a clear sense of calling to vocational pastoral ministry.

Responsibilities of the Senior Pastor

  1. Be directly accountable to the Board of Elders in a manner that is not in conflict with his relationship to the District and National offices of the C&MA as specified in the Manual of the Christian and Missionary Alliance.
  2. Have oversight of the church in a manner consistent with the instructions and guidelines of the Manual of the Christian and Missionary Alliance and with the church’s purpose as defined in the local church bylaws.
  3. Provide leadership, vision, and support to help assist in equipping the church to effectively carry out its ongoing ministry.
  4. Have direct oversight of additional pastoral and office staff and assist them as needed in the carrying out of their responsibilities.
  5. Ensure the planning of public services, including scheduling guest speakers, groups, and events, etc.
  6. Prepare and preach biblically-based, life-applicable messages on a weekly basis, as well as carry out other teaching/preaching responsibilities as mutually agreed upon by the Board of Elders and himself.
  7. In cooperation with the elders, be available to members and adherents of the church for spiritual leadership and pastoral care. This would include, but not be limited to: hospital and home visitation; offering biblical guidance; pre-marital instruction; conducting marriages, funerals and baptisms.
  8. Participate in other ministry opportunities outside of the local church upon mutual agreement with the Board of Elders. This would include both C&MA and non-C&MA ministries.
  9. Pursue avenues of equipping for continued personal and professional development.

Responsibilities of the Church

  1. Provision of a working environment suitable to the carrying out of the assigned responsibilities which shall include a furnished office in the church building and availability to the services of the church office secretary.
  2. Provision of an annual Pastoral Ministry Evaluation to be administered by the Board of Elders.
  3. Salary and other compensation provided at a rate to be determined by the Administrative Board on an annual basis and as approved in the Annual Financial Plan at the Annual Meeting of the Membership.
  4. A parsonage including utilities (excluding personal telephone line and cable television) at no cost.
  5. Reimbursement for ministry related travel at the annual IRS specified amount.
  6. Reimbursement for out of pocket ministry related expenses.
  7. Provision for attendance at General Council, District and Prayer Conference, Pastor’s/Spouses Retreat, and any required District training events.
  8. Provision for attendance at seminars and conferences that have been provided for through the “Continuing Education” allowance portion of the Annual Financial Plan.
  9. Provision for purchase of ministry related books, magazines, journals and subscriptions that have been provided for through the “Book” allowance portion of the Annual Financial Plan.
  10. Paid vacation time in accordance with the guidelines established by the District Office.
    • From one (1) to five (5) years of C&MA service — two (2) weeks
    • From six (6) to fifteen (15) years of C&MA service — three (3) weeks
    • From sixteen (16) to twenty-five (25) years of C&MA service — four (4) weeks
    • From twenty-six (26) years to retirement — five (5) weeks

11. Provision of two (2) additional Sundays off per year: one in the fall and one in the winter/spring. These shall not be combined with vacation time to allow for “extended” vacations. These shall not be accumulated.

Revising the Working Agreement

This working agreement will be subject to review at a minimum of once annually and any proposed modifications are required to be approved by the Board of Elders through a majority vote of all elected elders. Proposed changes must be with the agreement of the Senior Pastor. In the event that an agreement cannot be reached, the District Superintendent will be asked to mediate.