Pastor of Education - Living Word Church of Worcester
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Living Word Church has been a light for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the city of Worcester, MA since 1922. Beginning as a Swedish neighborhood church, by the 1980s Living Word Church began welcoming more and more diverse congregants as the city of Worcester grew.
With a long history as part of the Assemblies of God, Living Word Church in recent years has moved towards less of a denominational affiliation. As a church, their focus is in making disciples, teaching and preaching God’s Word, and worshipping in Spirit and truth.
What makes Living Word Church unique is that they are currently at an exciting inflection point in their ministry, with a devoted congregation fully bought in to becoming disciples who make disciples. They have members from all sorts of backgrounds that have come to know and abide in Christ at Living Word Church and are eager to grow in unity and discipleship together.
With the Great Commission in mind, and years of planning, teaching, and preaching to get to this point, Living Word Church’s elders are seeking an Education Pastor to design, create, implement, and oversee the teaching curriculum for the church. Living Word Church believes this key addition to their pastoral team will, in time, yield a truly bountiful harvest.
THE MISSION
Living Word Church’s congregation varies ethnically, socioeconomically, and by former religious association, but what binds the congregation together is a shared identity in Christ and a shared mission in making disciples.
Their vision is to raise up the next generation of biblically wise Christian disciples, rooted
in Christ and in community with one another. To do this, they envision this Education Pastor
devising the systems, curriculum, and content that can grow their current, and future, congregation into spiritually mature and biblically wise followers of Christ. This will include curriculum for children, youth, and adults, as they seek to foster full family worship. This person will create and oversee the entire educational system, including the recruiting, discipling, and teaching of teachers.
This is a calling for someone whom the Lord has gifted in instructional design, Bible teaching, a shepherd’s heart, and deep love for the global Church, as Living Word Church, in many ways, is an embodiment of it. It is an opportunity to lead and experience apostolic-like ministry similar to that of the book of Acts— the teaching and maturing of a devoted and diverse church.
THE POSITION
The Education Pastor will serve under the leadership of the Lead Pastor to design, create and/or select, and implement the Christian education curriculum for Living Word Church’s entire congregation, including children, youth, and adults. He will be responsible for enabling the congregation’s growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through educational curricula.
RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES
• Develop and implement a comprehensive Christian education curriculum for all age groups.
• Recruit, train, and support volunteer teachers and leaders for various educational programs.
• Organize and facilitate Sunday School classes, Bible studies, and other educational activities.
• Work with church leadership to align educational programs with the
church’s mission and vision.
• Create and manage the Christian education budget, ensuring proper allocation of resources.
• Provide pastoral care and support to students and educators within the program.
• Evaluate and select educational materials and resources that align with church doctrine.
• Develop new programs and initiatives to meet the evolving needs of the congregation.
• Communicate regularly with parents and congregants to provide updates on educational programs and activities.
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
• Master’s degree in Christian Education, Theology, Religious Studies, or a related field.
• Previous experience in Christian education or a related field.
• Strong leadership and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with church leadership and volunteers.
• Experience in developing and implementing educational programs.
• Knowledge of current and historical educational trends and best practices within Christian education.
• Proficiency in using educational technology and multimedia resources.
• Deep understanding of and commitment to Christian faith and teachings.
• Previous teaching or educational program management experience.
• Strong administrative and organizational abilities.
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to work well with a diverse group of people, including children, adults,
and church leadership.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically.
SALARY & BENEFITS
Salary: $72,000-78,000 plus benefits such as health and dental insurance, soul care benefit, phone allowance, retirement matching contributions, and vacation/personal days.
Access to parsonage living as a benefit.
THE COMMUNITY
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts is the second largest city in New England, located just about an hour west of Boston and an hour north of Providence, RI. Home to 10 different universities with degree programs ranging from liberal arts to polytechnics, Worcester, and thereby Living Word Church, is home to a large population of young American and international students. Worcester is a great community in which to raise a family because of its relative affordability, top tier educational system, and welcoming parks and family entertainment options. Living in Worcester offers great opportunities for travel, as it is in the heart of New England. With the train and rail systems, and the local Union Station in Worcester, Worcester residents can travel to the beach, skiing, professional sports games, big cities or small towns with ease.
To view the full opportunity profile click here
AGORA Search Group is a Colorado Springs search firm providing executive search and selection services to churches and faith-based nonprofits throughout the country.
David Wren is leading this search. David brings years of experience in recruiting and is passionate about building and spreading ministry both in churches and Christian non-profits. David leads a men’s Bible teaching ministry with members both in his church and from other churches in his area, and weekly writes a free online devotional called Elevated Discourse.
He and his wife, Nikki-Dee, live in Franklin, TN with their three children and three dogs.
For further details regarding this position at Living Word, please contact:
David Wren
AGORA Search Group
804.477.5481