Pastor
Position Description
Vision:
We exist to honor God by developing fully devoted followers of Christ. The core beliefs of Clearwater Evangelical Free Church (see Core Beliefs) are based on the foundational truths taught in the Bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of biblical doctrines.
The pastor position is negotiable for either a full-time or a part-time bi-vocational role. A requirement for calling a pastor is that he be in agreement with the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) doctrine (see EFCA Doctrine) and be committed to strong expository preaching.
The need of our church is to find a pastor who can connect with our youth, congregation, and community through sound preaching to help them navigate the many challenges of a world increasingly hostile to Christianity. Our prayer is to find a pastor who can shepherd our little flock and help us to grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The desire is for the pastor to help the congregation reach into our community for new growth along with ministering and challenging the existing flock.
Other Information
Local Profile:
Clearwater Kansas is a small, bedroom community just outside of Wichita, and about an hour and 20 minutes from the Oklahoma border. Our population is around 2,200 and our schools house about 1,200 students, Pre-K through 12th grades. There are many farms dotting the countryside around our area, so it is not uncommon to see a large tractor or combine headed down the main street to a local field. Our town is home to a family-owned grocery store, two banks, a pharmacy, a doctor’s office as well as walking and bike trails along with our city park and swimming pool.
Since we are located less than 20 minutes from Wichita, there are a variety of options available for relaxation and recreation. If your cup of tea is the old west, there is the Cowtown Museum that depicts 1880’s history and events. Or maybe you enjoy gardens and nature trails; Botanica and The Belle Plaine Arboretum are both experiences that will relax and inspire you, as well as countless parks and nature walks throughout the city. Wichita also has an outstanding zoo that is a treat for anyone, and the Exploration Place Kids Museum is an educational adventure for the littles. If boating and hunting are of interest to you, there are many options from our local Ninnescah River to several lakes located within an hour from Clearwater. A highlight for our town is in the autumn when our annual Fall Festival is held. There are carnival rides, a parade, craft show, food trucks, and many other family friendly activities. All in all, when you think of our little Kansas community and the relationships that have knit us together, we can truly say “there’s no place like home.”
Church Profile:
Clearwater Evangelical Free Church started in 1986 when a small group of people started meeting as a Bible study after their association with their local church ended due to minister changes and doctrinal differences. This group was eventually helped to organize by Evangelical Free churches in the Wichita area and eventually the group voted to join the EFCA denomination.
The church first met in a local school, then community room, and eventually purchased a small downtown building in 1987. Outgrowing that building, the church conducted a search for land with the idea of building. In 1996, God miraculously provided 10 acres in an ideal location and the following year the present 9,000 square foot building was completed with sanctuary seating for 250, classrooms, kitchen, restrooms, offices, and nursery.
There have been four full-time pastors who have served since the first pastor was called in 1988. There has always been a strong emphasis on missions. Early on, it was agreed that 10% of the budget would be designated for both U.S. and foreign ministries. One benefit of that was the participation of our own youth in multiple short-term mission trips to Mexico. The church body has also sponsored some of our individual youth on short-term international missions to Peru, Costa Rica, Haiti, and Europe through other organizations. The church has seen two of its own youth go to the mission field full-time: one to Niamey, Niger with Cru, the other to Papua New Guinea as a Wycliffe pilot. A third is currently preparing to depart for Nigeria as a missionary with SIM. One of our pastors had previously been a missionary to Japan.
The church currently offers Sunday school for every age, as well as Children’s Church which meets during a portion of the morning service. Currently there are an average of 30 families who are regular attenders which span ages of 20-80 with the largest number in the 45+ range. The church enjoys fellowshipping at monthly potluck meals and the men meet once a month for a breakfast and a presentation given by one of them about a prominent Christian in history. The women typically have a ladies’ Bible study and often have a “Ladies Night Out” at a home or restaurant. Youth group meets every Sunday evening.
During a winter month, an annual chili and pie feed is held concluding with a pie auction with proceeds going to youth activities. This meal typically raises several thousand dollars and is open to the community. Other events open to the community in the past include a fish fry, hog roast, and hamburger feeds.
One thing that distinguishes our church is the strong sense of community. In addition to the potlucks, showers for brides and first-born babies show the church’s commitment to family and starting new life with strong church support.
Even though the present church was built with a baptismal, many new commitments to Christ have been celebrated by baptisms at a river near the home of a church family. Now fondly named “Little Jordan”, this river has seen 34 people baptized with church members witnessing and encouraging the newly baptized.
Our church is led by an elder board (which includes the pastor), deacons, deaconesses, and an administrative board. The management of the church building, finances, social functions, and church business is delegated among these teams. A part-time secretary oversees the many tasks of connecting people to church functions and keeps things running smoothly.
Physical Address:
Clearwater Evangelical Free Church
450 N Fourth Ave
Clearwater, KS 67026
Contact:
If you have questions or are interested in applying for this position please submit your resume and cover letter (PDF or similar format) to the church secretary via email: clearwaterefc@gmail.com
Website:
https://www.clearwaterefree.org/
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