Website Albany Baptist Church

Meet Albany Baptist Church

Albany Baptist Church was founded in 1853 following a revival that swept through the area. The original 10 charter members held meetings in the Citizens Academy. The original church building was erected in 1857. Since then, the church has been an important part of the Albany community. It has had many periods of growth, contraction, and expansion over the past 165 years.

In more recent history, ABC grew rapidly in the 1990’s, at which time the church purchased additional property and had two building programs that expanded the campus to its current space. At the end of the period, attendance was over 400, with large Easter and Christmas dramas. In the 2000’s the pastor left for a larger church, after which the church declined under two separate pastors.

Burdened by debt from the two building programs, the additional church staff was laid off, and the church entered a decade-long period of simple survival, reaching a low point during COVID. As ABC exited the COVID period, it began to grow again, making significant progress towards paying off its debt, rebuilding fellowship, community, and attracting a growing number of families.

Job Description

Albany Baptist Church is seeking to hire a full-time Senior Pastor, who will take the place of our current Senior Pastor who is seeking to retire. The new Senior Pastor will shape and lead our community in living out its missional faith in rural, SE Ohio.

As a church family it is our goal to be a balanced diverse Christian community. At the present our church family is made up of a high percentage of Caucasian members and a small percentage of African American members. We primarily consist of couples between the age of 50 and 70. But we do have a good core of families with children of all ages. We have attracted a small number of graduate students from Ohio University which is within 20 minutes of our community.

Our priority is to identify a qualified person with a range of ministry related skills and passions who is eager to lead our church into a new season of flourishing. We seek a leader who is called by God and will lead us in our relationship with God. The ideal candidate will be a good fit for the culture of the church area and who can play a vital role in a balanced and dynamic ministry team.

The Senior Pastor is the spiritual leader of the church. He is responsible to the Lord and the church to primarily proclaim the gospel and teach the bible. He is to be engaged in pastoral care, provide supervisory and administrative leadership in all areas of congregational care including paid and volunteer staff.

Senior Pastor’s Responsibilities Include:

Lead in communicating and implementing vision.
Oversee key areas of ministry (determined by assessment of church needs and individuals’ talents, gifts and training) to create better ongoing leadership, training, and strategy for each ministry.
Develop and implement ministry plans which activate the community to get involved and serve.
Work with others to create plans to engage and connect with those who come to ABC, so that people feel welcome and can easily find a path to connect with others in the church.
Develop and lead in a Community Group system – placement into groups, raising up new leaders and coaches, coaching leaders, planning & running training times, putting out fires, supervising curricula and service opportunities.
Assist in conducting Discover Class Series (membership, Spiritual maturity, S.H.A.P.E.) as well as Baptism, Baby Dedication classes as needed.
Develop others (one-on-one or in small groups) in Christlike character and walk.
Lead the planning and delivery of engaging and relevant sermons and series.
Lead the pastoral care of the church such as weddings, funerals, pastoral counseling, baptisms, communion services and preaching.

What You Bring:

Education and experience

5+ years’ experience – Undergrad required / Seminary preferred.
Knowledge, skills, and abilities.
A gifted leader who can administer and develop the areas under them.
Able to train and equip ministry teams.
Able to identify and recommend areas for revision or in need of change.
Able to teach and preach effectively.
A good steward of church resources – finances, property and time.
Comfortable with managing complexity and skilled with time and priority management.
Proficient with computers & Microsoft Office

What it’s like to live in Albany, OH:

Living in Albany, OH, offers a quiet and close-knit community experience typical of small-town life in rural Ohio. Surrounded by rolling hills and farmland, Albany provides a peaceful, scenic environment with a strong sense of neighborly connection. The town is small but charming, with local shops, family-owned businesses, and community events that foster a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Outdoor activities like hiking and fishing are easily accessible, thanks to the nearby forests and rivers. With its relaxed pace of life, and affordable living. Albany is perfect for those who value a peaceful rural lifestyle and a strong sense of community.