Senior Pastor Profile
Since its founding in 1927, St. Matthews Baptist Church (SMBC) has been a vibrant faith community in a suburban area of Louisville, Kentucky, committed to worshiping and ministering so that every person may experience God’s love. Through the decades, the women and men of SMBC have overcome obstacles and adversity while pressing toward the goal of making a gospel difference in people’s lives. The church has most recently navigated through difficult moments of fluctuating membership, strained denominational relationships, and the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are emerging from these challenging waters with resilience and a reaffirmed commitment to continue demonstrating the love of Christ to all people. We are excited for the future of SMBC and eager to discover and live into God’s plans for our congregation, which includes calling our next senior pastor to lead us in this new stage of our journey.
St. Matthews Baptist Church invites a strong pastoral leader to guide us and walk alongside us in our mission of loving and leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus. We seek a minister with a spiritual burden for people and who will demonstrate Christ’s love to the individuals in our congregation and to the local community. Our ideal spiritual leader will find his/her personal calling aligns with our mission, he/she strongly agrees with our core beliefs, and he/she can effectively carry out the church’s stated vision.
The next senior pastor of St. Matthews Baptist Church will possess leadership abilities, spiritual gifts, and personal traits in the areas identified below:
LEADERSHIP
- Exegete scripture and apply biblical teaching in a way that is relevant and sensitive to the needs of the
congregation as well as the unchurched, as directed in 2 Timothy 4:1-2 - Team with and challenge staff and congregation to (1) fulfill our church’s mission and
vision and (2) develop strategies addressing the future direction of the church as outlined in section 5 of the
Church Profile - Spark new energy into an established congregation fatigued by recent challenges within the congregation,
the local community and the COVID pandemic - Effectively and sensitively guide a congregation with diverse beliefs that simultaneously celebrates, accepts,
and wrestles with its own diversity - Willing and able to be clear, decisive, and challenging and to make tough decisions
- Champion reconciliation within our church and community as a reflection of Christ’s love
- Partner with staff in creative worship planning
- Embrace current and future technology to meet ever-changing ministry needs
PASTORAL CARE AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
- Invest relationally in the staff, congregation, and community with a genuine desire to know and love them as
individuals - Grow the church and bridge generations by fostering a welcoming environment and supporting ministries for
all ages and stages of life - Educate and encourage members in discipleship, spiritual development, and lay leadership through
preaching, teaching, and prayer - Strategically lead the congregation in meeting the needs of our local and global community and engaging the
unchurched
PERSONAL
- Passionate about sharing the Good News, meeting new people, and engaging them personally and
authentically - Dedicated to his/her own family life
- Possess intergenerational people skills
- Possess a rich, personal devotional life through the study of scripture and prayer