Worship Pastor
Job Description
Position Type: Part-Time
Staffing Note: This position may be filled by an individual. The church expects a consistent ministry presence in order to lead worship effectively, strengthen volunteer culture, and support healthy ministry rhythms.
Expected Hours: Approximately 15–18 hours per week (including Wednesday rehearsals, Sunday worship services, service planning, team communication, and personal preparation/practice time).
Reports To: Lead Pastor
Salary: $18,500 - $21,500
Church Context: 35–45 average Sunday attendance | 55–65 Wednesday attendance
Urban, fast-growing community | Focus on young families
Ministry Note: We have a strong culture of volunteerism, but our volunteer base is limited because we are a small church. This role includes hands-on work on Sundays and Wednesdays, alongside developing simple, repeatable systems that help volunteers succeed. The Worship Pastor will work closely with musicians and production/media volunteers to build a worship ministry culture marked by spiritual sensitivity, consistency, preparation, humility, and sustainability.
Role Summary
The Worship Pastor provides spiritual, musical, and organizational leadership for the worship ministry of The Message Community Church. Because we are a small church with a high percentage of volunteers (but a limited number of people), this is a hands-on “player-coach” role: building clear worship systems while also leading worship, coordinating volunteers, and preparing weekly services that support Sundays, Wednesdays, and key ministry moments.
This role blends worship leadership, volunteer development, and service coordination to ensure our worship culture reflects who we are: Christ-centered, relational, spiritually sensitive, and forward-moving. It plays a vital role in shaping the church’s worship culture, congregational participation, and consistency across Sundays, Wednesdays, and special services.
This role exists to create healthy, sustainable worship rhythms—so the congregation, volunteers, and ministry leaders can clearly support the overall mission, direction, and worship life of the church.
Primary Outcomes (First 12 Months)
By 3 months:
- Learn the worship culture, service flow, and ministry rhythms of the church
- Establish clear communication and scheduling rhythms with worship team members
- Create consistent weekly rehearsal and preparation expectations
- Build a sustainable worship planning process aligned with sermon themes, seasons, and church direction
- Strengthen collaboration between worship, media, and production volunteers
- Demonstrate reliable leadership for Wednesday rehearsals and Sunday worship services
By 6 months:
- Develop stronger consistency and preparedness within the worship team
- Introduce and organize new worship songs that fit the church culture and congregation
- Improve rehearsal structure, team communication, and service transitions
- Help strengthen live worship and livestream audio collaboration with the Production team
- Develop healthy serving rhythms that reduce stress and last-minute preparation
- Begin identifying and developing potential volunteer leaders and musicians
By 12 months:
- Maintain a spiritually healthy, volunteer-supported worship ministry with dependable systems and scheduling
- Establish a balanced worship culture that values both excellence and authenticity
- Strengthen congregational participation and engagement in worship
- Develop sustainable worship ministry systems for planning, rehearsals, scheduling, and communication
- Build a growing team culture marked by encouragement, humility, preparation, and spiritual maturity
1. Worship Ministry Leadership
- Lead worship regularly during Sunday morning services and special events
- Lead and develop worship team members spiritually, relationally, and musically
- Help create worship environments that are Christ-centered, Spirit-led, and engaging
- Lead the congregation in both current and familiar worship music appropriate for the church culture
- Introduce new music thoughtfully and teach it effectively to the worship team and congregation
- Support the mission, vision, and overall direction of The Message Community Church
2. Worship Planning & Weekly Coordination
- Plan weekly worship sets that complement sermon themes, church seasons, and ministry direction
- Coordinate song selection and arrangements with worship team members and musicians
- Schedule and organize rehearsals in preparation for weekly services
- Coordinate special music or seasonal worship elements when appropriate
- Collaborate with pastoral leadership for Christmas, Easter, and other special services
- Maintain organized planning and communication with worship volunteers
3. Rehearsal Leadership & Team Development
- Lead weekly rehearsals with structure, encouragement, and preparation
- Help musicians and vocalists grow in confidence, consistency, and musical excellence
- Foster a healthy, spiritually mature, and team-oriented rehearsal culture
- Recruit, encourage, and develop volunteer musicians and vocalists
- Build sustainable serving rhythms that avoid burnout and over-dependence on a few people
- Provide coaching and support for developing musicians when appropriate
4. Production & Service Support
- Coordinate weekly worship lyrics and service flow with the Media/Production team
- Collaborate with sound and livestream volunteers to support both in-room and online worship experiences
- Utilize tracks, clicks, and/or recorded elements appropriately when needed
- Help maintain organized and distraction-free worship services
- Support continual improvement of worship and production systems as the ministry grows
5. Church-Wide Worship Support
- Provide worship leadership support for church-wide events and ministry initiatives
- Assist with worship planning for Vacation Bible School and seasonal events
- Participate in church life beyond platform responsibilities when possible
- Help reinforce church culture through worship, communication, and relational leadership
Key Competencies
- Relational and emotionally healthy leadership
- Musical competence and worship leadership ability
- Strong communication and organizational skills
- Team building and volunteer development
- Adaptability within a growing church environment
- Spiritual maturity and servant-hearted leadership
- Reliability, preparation, and initiative
- Ability to lead both spiritually and practically
Preferred Qualifications
- Proficiency in piano, keyboard, guitar, or other lead worship instruments
- Ability to lead vocally while playing an instrument
- Experience leading worship in a church setting
- Familiarity with tracks, clicks, and worship technology systems
- Ability to collaborate with musicians and production volunteers
- Some formal music training is helpful, but not required
- The ability to sight-read and/or transpose music is beneficial
- Alignment with the mission, vision, and values of The Message Community Church
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: $18,500.00 - $21,500.00 per year
Application Question(s):
- Ability to play an instrument is required? Example Piano/keyboard or guitar
- This position requires attendance for Sunday morning worship services and Wednesday evening practices. Are you available for these times?
Education:
- High school or equivalent (Required)
Experience:
- ministry: 3 years (Required)
- Leadership: 1 year (Required)
Language:
License/Certification:
- Drivers License (Required)
Location:
- Kannapolis, NC 28083 (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Kannapolis, NC 28083 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Kannapolis, NC 28083: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
