Job Summary:
The Groups and Care Associate Pastor carries both Groups and Care at the campus. On the Groups side, this role recruits and develops group leaders and helps people find meaningful community. On the Care side, it carries what runs past what a healthy groups team can hold — visitation, crisis, grief, and benevolence. The two belong together because care happens in groups first: success looks like finding places for people to belong and serve, then discipling and caring for them well.
Principal Job Responsibilities:
Supports the Groups Pastor and manages the delivery of Groups and Care at the campus
Leads, manages, and pastors the Serve Team and congregants they serve, and builds and stewards that Serve Team: recruiting, training, retention, and appreciation
Conducts weekly one-on-one oversights with direct reports for spiritual, relational, and professional development, and builds a pipeline of leaders so that every position has a back-up
Carries budget responsibility for their areas of ministry where assigned, and spends within the approved threshold
Ensures completion of all reporting for their areas, including attendance, salvations, prayer requests, incidents, and budget
Recruits, develops, and equips healthy group leaders, oversees group launches across the year, and develops a culture of belonging where people find meaningful community
Cultivates and trains new group leaders and leads leadership orientation meetings
Supports the campus in casting vision and providing direction for Groups, coordinates Groups-focused gatherings at campus events, and represents Groups in Starting Point
Partners with the Campus Pastor and Groups Pastor on local outreach opportunities which will be expressed through groups
Ensures ordinary care happens inside groups, and personally carries what runs past what a healthy groups team can hold
Performs one-on-one pastoral care and counseling, refers to licensed professionals when a need falls outside the scope of pastoral care, and maintains confidential care records per Gateway's confidentiality and reporting policies
Coordinates hospital visitation, crisis response, and grief support at the campus, and assists in the benevolence process through intake, assessment, referral, and follow-up
Builds and leads care Serve Teams, including prayer and visitation teams, and supports the campus's support group and recovery offerings
Holds a ministerial license to minister, preach the gospel, and fulfill the work of serving God's kingdom, valid for the duration of pastoral ministry at Gateway Church, and carries spiritual authority within the church
Serves the congregation by officiating weddings, funerals, baby dedications, communion, and other ministry services
Is present and serving at weekend services and churchwide events as the ministry calendar requires, and is available to the congregation for pastoral care as needs arise
Teaches through precept and by lifestyle example
Performs other duties as assigned.
As a member of the Gateway Church team, this position supports, recruits, and develops Serve Team members, and serves alongside the broader team as ministry and organizational needs arise.
General Skills & Qualifications:
A clear passion for Jesus and a strong biblical foundation
Clear and effective communicator with both large and small groups
Demonstrated ability to gather, develop, and deploy Team Members and Serve Team, and to drive their engagement
Able to recruit and develop volunteer leaders at volume, not just one at a time
Strong pastoral care instincts, with sound judgment about when to refer to a licensed professional
Able to hold confidentiality and to follow reporting obligations without exception
Steady and non-anxious in crisis, grief, and high-emotion situations
Strong conflict management skills
Comfortable holding others accountable with clarity and care, and willing to engage in courageous conversations
Demonstrated emotional and relational intelligence
Strong…