ROLE SUMMARY:
The Associate Pastor is one of four senior leaders on staff at bread (alongside the two Lead Pastors, and Director of Operations). The job requires both having responsibility for specific areas of ministry, and providing support to the Lead Pastors. The specific ministry responsibilities include overseeing the pastoral care of the congregation, pastoring the staff team, providing spiritual direction and development to lay leaders, and promoting and sustaining a culture of
deep, healthy, Christ-like relationships within the congregation. Leadership support involves occasional leading and preaching at Sunday Services, input and discernment regarding the vision for the church, and offering prayerful wise counsel to the Lead Pastors. If time, calling, and gifting allow, there is also the opportunity to lead the prayer life of the church.
Pastoral Care and Spiritual Direction:
• Be a welcoming, warm and visible
presence at bread services and events,
making concerted effort to connect with
new and existing members, and
connecting everyone into the life of the
church.
• Provide pastoral care for the adult
congregation as needed.
• Provide pastoral care for the staff team.
• Provide marriage, pre-marriage,
relationship, grief, and other counseling
needs alongside Lead Pastors where
appropriate.
• Manage the referral process for any
outside counseling needs of the
congregation.
• Offer spiritual direction, mentorship, and
supervision to key lay leaders of the
church.
• Identify, train, and release lay leaders to
serve in pastoral care roles, equipping
them with theological, emotional, and
practical tools.
• Develop a team-based approach to
pastoral ministry, ensuring that no one
carries the burden alone and does so
Supporting Lead Pastors:
• Provide occasional upfront leadership at
Sunday services, special events, and
church-wide gatherings.
• Preach occasionally at Sunday services.
• Be an active member in weekly senior
leadership meetings alongside Lead
Pastors and Director of Operations,
providing counsel and discernment
across all aspects of the church's
ministry.
• Assume responsibility for the overall
leadership of the church (with input from
the board) when Lead Pastors are away.
Prayer (optional):
• Oversee, promote and lead church-wide
prayer initiatives on a regular basis - e.g.
mid-week prayer nights, 24/7 prayer, pre-
service prayer, and, in partnership with
the Worship department 'Worship and
Prayer' evenings.
• Lead lay volunteer team in providing
inner-healing prayer ministry in line with
bread's vision and values.
• Teach a prayer course as necessary.
Requirements:
• A humble and mature faith in Jesus.
• Strong pastoral and relational gifting, a
warm and welcoming presence, a people
person from whom lay leaders want to
learn.
• Experience of, resonance with, and love
for the vision and values of bread,
Kingdom Theology, and Vineyard-style
charismatic practice.
• 5+ years experience in Pastoral Care and
Spiritual Formation, amongst both new
and mature Christians.
• A love for the city of Los Angeles and
particularly its young adult population.
• A sensitive care for those who are new to
the faith and/or have significant issues of
discipleship to navigate.
• A discernible call to full-time vocational
ministry.
• An infectious love of prayer and strong
faith in the power of God.
• Excellent leadership gifts, primarily in
relation to steadfast pastoral care, and
discipleship.
• A great team player, happy to play a
supporting servant-hearted leadership
role.
• Formal Seminary and/or Theological
training is preferred but not essential.
All Staff Requirements:
• Attendance at weekly staff meetings and
active involvement in all spiritual and
organizational elements of these
meetings.
• Regular attendance at Sunday services.
• Attendance and active participation in
annual Staff Retreat, Weekend Away and
other special services/events.