Church Staff Openings

Position Seeking: Senior Pastor

The International Baptist Church of Sofia is seeking a Senior pastor to shepherd our multicultural flock in Sofia, Bulgaria.  The position is fulltime and requires living in Sofia.

The International Baptist Church of Sofia is a gathering of evangelical believers in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is our desire to see our church not only as a spiritual home for expatriates while they are in Sofia, but a church that receives believers, disciples them, and then sends them onto their next destination, better prepared to be salt and light in that place.

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honour. 1 Peter 5:2-4

When we consider the type of pastor we want for IBC Sofia, we are guided by the verse above and the idea of “shepherd leadership”.

We want a shepherd pastor who will lead us.

We need a goal or vision.  We need to know where we are going and why we are going there.  We need help to develop this vision, to get everybody on the same page and for the church members to all own and be motivated towards achieving this vision.  We then need the process to be managed along the way so that we stay on track.

We want a shepherd pastor who will develop us.

We want a pastor who will help us to discern where we are lacking and then to help develop us towards becoming more Christ-like.  We want someone who can teach and preach God’s word powerfully and faithfully so that we know what God wants of us.  We want a shepherd who will model a godly lifestyle and show us what Christlikeness looks like.  We want a shepherd who will coach us – encourage us, cheer us on and correct errors so that we become all that God would have us be.

We want a shepherd pastor who will care for us.

We want a shepherd who will seek to know us and connect with us.  We want a shepherd who will provide for us and protect us.  We know that this doesn’t mean that our shepherd pastor will do all of this himself, although he will model healthy discipleship, but rather put into place processes to ensure that we, as a church, are caring well for one another.

Application Procedure
An Application Pack and an Application form can be downloaded through IBC Sofia’s website by going to: https://www.ibcsofia.com/pastor-search

Applications should be submitted via email, using the Application form downloaded from the website. Please email completed Application Forms to:ibcsofiapastorsearch@gmail.com

If you should have any trouble downloading the Application Pack or the Application Form, please contact us using the above email address.

If interested persons would like a short (15 minute) conversation to determine if it is appropriate for them to apply, please email the above email address to request this. This is particularly important for those for whom English is not their first language, as clear verbal communication in English will be a key criteria.

Closing Date & Interviews
The closing date for receipt of completed applications is Friday, May 5, 2023.

Shortlisted applicants will be notified by Friday, May 10, 2023..  At this time, they will be offered a Zoom call with one or two members of the IBCS pastor search committee to answer any questions they may have.  This is not an interview but rather an opportunity for the applicant to receive answers to any questions they may have. They will also be asked for their references.  All references will be checked prior to interview. Interviews will be then arranged by the Pastor Search Committee with shortlisted applicants.

IBC Sofia will treat your application as private and confidential. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email.

Posted: 28 March 2023

PASTOR-IN-TRAINING FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES

WHO WE ARE

The International Baptist Church of Hamburg (IBCH) is a vibrant English-language church of about 300 adults and 60 children located in the heart of Hamburg, Germany. Our congregation is made up of members and visitors from over 50 nations who have come to the Hamburg metropolitan area for a variety of reasons—training, work, family, or due to difficult political circumstances in their country of origin. Some have established permanent residence; others are here temporarily. Many have brought their families with them or have established one here, and are raising their children multilingualy. There are also many Germans among us who have lived and/or worked in a foreign setting, or who live here in an intercultural family context. As well as the core of longstanding members and workers, we also have a varying number of international students and refugees who attend our church.

IBC Hamburg is a member of the International Baptist Convention, a network of English language churches, mostly in Europe, but on other continents as well.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are in need of a Pastor-in-Training for Children, Youth, and Families. Every Sunday, approximately 60 children and teenagers take part in our Sunday school. We are looking for a developing leader, possibly a recent seminary graduate or an individual seeking to discern their call to ministry, who can help to lead this ministry. This individual will oversee the structures of the church to enable families to work together to make disciples of the next generation. He is first an advocate for the children and youth because these are the people who are least knowledgeable and least experienced in the Christian life. He is next an advocate for the parents of these young people because they are in the greatest position to influence the young.

The job of Pastor-in-Training for Children, Youth and Families is a full-time position, with a temporary, one-year contract. During this one year, the individual will have the chance to explore what it means to work in full-time church ministry.

An individual plan for the Pastor-in-Training will be provided, along with weekly staff meetings, attendance at a five-day leadership training conference, regular accountability, and progress reports. It is hoped that both IBCH and the individual will profit from the experience gained. There will be the opportunity to extend the contract after one year. 

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Regularly lead, teach, and train up kids’ ministry volunteers.
2. Regularly visit the children’s families to foster good relationships with the parents and children.
3. Produce workshops and family-focused Sunday services.
4. Organize children and family events such as retreats and special days.
5. Co-ordinate resources and needed materials with the church administrator and trustees.
6. Administrate the children’s ministry budget effectively and with transparency.

PERSONAL AND MINISTERIAL LIFE

Our primary guidelines are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:6-15; and Titus 1:6-9.

The following requirements are also expected:

1. A commitment to a daily prayer life and regular study of God’s Word.
2. Bible College or Seminary degree preferred. Other qualifications and training will be

       considered.  

3. Agreement with IBCH’s statement of faith.
4. Positive experience in children / family ministry preferred.
5. A passion for discipling children and seeing families grow in the Lord.
6. A heart for internationals and preferably experience working with them.
7. Effectiveness in communicating the Word (the Pastor-in-Training will be expected to preach on at least three occasions).
8. Fluency in English and minimum B2 level in German.

HOW TO APPLY

If you would like to be considered for this position, then please send your résumé and a cover letter to the Pastoral Search Team at office@ibc-hamburg.de. We will get back to you as quickly as possible.

In His grace,

The Pastoral Search Team of IBCH