Lead Pastor

Lead Pastor
Westwood Church – Prince George, British Columbia

Dear applicant,

Thank you for your willingness to consider the Lord’s call to serve His church at Westwood. We are praying for His guidance and direction in this process and are glad to provide you with an introduction to our community and to our church. The position profile below represents the character and competencies that we have prayerfully discerned in our search. There is also a summary of the responsibilities that are associated with this role at Westwood. All these elements are held with humility and openness to the Lord’s direction. If you do choose to apply, we commit to pray over your application and respond to you in a timely manner. May the Lord guide you and us.

In Christ,

Westwood Elders

 

Our City

Prince George, known as British Columbia’s “northern capital,” is a vibrant community of over 100,000 residents (Greater Prince George) located at the confluence of the Fraser and Nechako rivers. The average age of the population is 39.4 years. PG serves as a major hub for industry, healthcare, (University Hospital & Northern Medical) and education (University of Northern BC & College of New Caledonia) in Northern BC.

Known for its proximity to nature, the city offers hiking, biking, fishing and boating. Local ski mountains, numerous recreation facilities (pools, World Class Nordic centre, soccer fields, etc.) a symphony orchestra, and theatre companies all contribute to PG’s livability. Prince George also offers major shopping (Costco, Walmart, etc.) as well as dining and entertainment options (including WHL hockey team).

Our Church Family

Westwood Church is an evangelical community of believers who love Christ and desire to be faithful to him. We are a community with a 65-year history of sharing the love of Christ in the city of Prince George in order to see people come to faith and maturity in Him. Westwood’s DNA is Mission, Worship, Discipleship and Community. Our vision is to bring Jesus into life by becoming an increasingly healthy, vibrant and effective witness for Jesus in Prince George and around the world.

Westwood believes that a personal relationship with Jesus empowers us to glorify God uniquely in all of life. Together, God uses us to bring hope, peace, and restoration through the gospel. This process transforms lives, families, and communities. This is our heartbeat.

Westwood Church sees itself as one part of the wider body of Christ in Prince George. God has blessed us with a unique history, amazing people, and a facility with immense potential to serve his Kingdom purposes in the city.

We value the faithful teaching of God’s Word. We worship Him joyfully and in a manner that invites people of Prince George to enter in and discover God’s love for themselves. Westwood is an intergenerational and interracial community with a thriving children’s ministry and youth group. Our congregation reflects the demographic of Prince George.  In recent years, Westwood has been privileged to serve newcomers to Canada through our “Oasis” ministry. We foster community through an expanding network of small groups that we call “Micro churches.”

Westwood is an elder led church, where spiritually qualified persons of both genders are welcome to serve. Our philosophy of ministry is shaped by our Anabaptist heritage. We emphasize the priesthood of all believers. We are pursuing a “Team based” collaborative approach to ministry. Pastors and other staff are primarily equippers focused on mobilizing the community of believers toward mission and maturity.

Position Summary

The Lead Pastor is a spiritual leader, vision-caster, and shepherd of the congregation. They provide biblical preaching and teaching, oversee the spiritual health of the church, and lead the pastoral staff to equip the church in a team approach to ministry.  The lead pastor works closely with the elders to advance the church’s mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ locally and globally.

The Lead Pastor models Christlike character, equips leaders, and ensures that all ministries align with the church’s theological convictions, mission, and strategic vision.

The lead pastor that we are praying for is a person who loves Christ and loves people. They are deeply immersed in scripture and gifted to communicate the things of God in a manner that is relevant and applicable to the cultural context in which we live.

Personal Profile

• A person of prayer who lives dependent on Christ and attends to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
• A person whose life and teaching are grounded in the grace of the gospel and who is courageous to speak truth and protect the church from error and compromise.
• A leader committed to leading Westwood, by example, in Jesus’ commission to a) reach the community and world with the gospel message and b) ensure that they are enfolded into the life of the church and on a path toward maturity in Christ.
• A person experienced and skilled in leading a community in a collaborative team-based model.
• A person whose shepherd heart is demonstrated in their care for others and in the way in which they equip and empower the church to care for one another.
• A person who embraces and faithfully stewards the responsibility of leadership.

Primary Responsibilities (approximate %)

1. Preaching & Teaching (35%)

• Serve as the primary preacher, delivering biblically faithful, gospel-centered sermons.
• Leads, develops and mentors a preaching team.
• Ensure theological integrity in all teaching ministries.
• Oversees preaching calendar that aligns with Westwood’s mission, vision, values.

2. Vision & Spiritual Leadership (20%)

• Articulate and champion the church’s mission, vision, and values.
• Lead strategic planning in partnership with elders.
• Foster a culture of prayer, discipleship, evangelism, and spiritual growth.

3. Leadership Development & Staff Oversight (20%)

• Supervise and lead pastoral and ministry staff.
• Develop emerging leaders within the church.
• Conduct regular staff meetings and performance evaluations.
• Build a healthy leadership culture marked by collaboration and accountability.

4. Shepherding & Pastoral Care (15%)

• Equip elders, and ministry leaders in shepherding responsibilities.
• Provide pastoral and crisis care for church members.
• Officiate weddings, funerals, baptisms, and child dedications.
• Maintain visible and relational presence within the congregation.

5. Governance & Administration (10%)

• Serve as ex officio elder and work collaboratively with the Elder Board.
• Participate in budgeting and stewardship planning.
• Ensure policies and procedures align with biblical and legal standards.
• Represent Westwood in denominational, inter-church and community networking.

Qualifications

Spiritual & Character Requirements

• Meets the biblical qualifications for elders/pastors (1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9)
• Demonstrates a vibrant personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
• A servant of others who practices what they preach and models a life of generosity, integrity and humility.
• Exhibits a commitment to share the love and message of Christ with those who don’t yet know Him.
• Models a healthy marriage and family life (if married).

Education & Experience

• Graduate theological training preferred.
• Significant pastoral ministry experience.
• Experience leading in a multi-staff environment.
• Proven record of effective preaching and church leadership.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong expository preaching ability.
• Strategic thinker with organizational leadership skills.
• Effective communicator across generations.
• Team builder and developer of leaders.
• Conflict resolution and pastoral counseling competency.

Theological Alignment

The candidate must affirm and support:

• The authority and inerrancy of Scripture.
• Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith.Westwood’s mission, vision, and values; and bylaws.
• Credentialed or eligible for credentialling with the British Columbia Mennonite Brethren Conference.

Reporting Structure

• Accountable to the Elder Board.
• Oversees pastoral and ministry staff.
• Works collaboratively with elders, pastoral and ministry staff, and ministry leaders.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range ($75,000-$90,000).
• Health insurance and retirement benefits.
• Ministry expense allowance.
• Paid vacation and study leave.
• Relocation assistance (if applicable).

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit the following to the Lead Pastor Search Team at leadpastorsearch@westwoodchurch.bc.ca:

• Resume with ministry experience.
• Statement of faith.
• Philosophy of ministry.
• Links to recent sermon recordings.
• References (professional and pastoral).

Application deadline: Posting open until filled (if posting is up, the position is open).

Click here to view other pastoral and support staff postings at Westwood Church.