To apply: Please send resume and 2-3 video sermon examples to [email protected]
Lead Pastor of Catalyst Church
Purpose Statement
The Lead Pastor serves as the primary spiritual and directional leader of Catalyst Church. He is responsible for preaching God’s Word, casting compelling vision, developing leaders, and guiding the church toward effective mission. He provides strategic oversight to staff and ministries while partnering with elders and key lay leaders to ensure the church remains aligned, healthy, and positioned for continued growth.
Equally important, this leader must be relational, approachable, and invested in developing people. He builds trust and unity through strong team leadership, clear communication, and a commitment to a fun, grace-filled staff culture. With a heart for the next generation, those far from God, and the core values of Catalyst, he will help the church build on a strong foundation while leading with innovation, clarity, and spiritual depth.
Reporting Relationships
Reports to: Elder Board of Catalyst Church
Supervises: All Staff
Relates to: The congregation at large
Scope
The Lead Pastor provides overall leadership for Catalyst Church, its ministries, staff culture, and long-term direction. He is the primary communicator and vision carrier, ensuring the church executes its mission with excellence and expands its impact in the community.
Vision, Mission, and Strategy
- Work closely with elders and staff to shape, communicate, and implement a clear and compelling vision that aligns with Catalyst’s mission and values.
- Create and execute growth-focused strategies that strengthen the church's health, expand its reach, and position it for long-term impact.
- Champion a culture of mission, helping the church engage the unchurched and live out faith beyond Sunday.
Teaching & Communication
- Develop and deliver engaging, Biblically grounded sermons that inspire spiritual transformation and connect Scripture to everyday life.
- Communicate with clarity, consistency, and creativity across all platforms (Sunday, staff, leaders, congregation).
Leadership & Staff Development
- Provide strong leadership to staff and key volunteer leaders focusing on collaboration, clarity, accountability, and a healthy team environment.
- Identify potential in others and develop leaders through coaching, mentoring, and empowering them to lead thriving ministries.
- Model a Christ-centered life that sets the tone for humility, excellence, and unity on the team.
Congregational Care & Culture
- Ensure systems and teams are in place to care for the congregation, including groups, pastoral care, and next steps pathways.
- Nurture a culture of fun, grace, hospitality, and belonging that reflects the heart of Catalyst.
Operations & Stewardship
- Provide oversight to the day-to-day operations of the church including budgeting, planning, and ministry evaluation in partnership with the Elder Board and executive leaders.
- Ensure ministries and teams are aligned, well-resourced, and functioning effectively.
Community Impact
- Engage with the broader Woodland community through outreach, service partnerships, and presence at key events.
- Lead the church to be a credible, compassionate, and missional influence in the region.
The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Lead Pastor:
Education and Experience
- 5+ years of ministry leadership experience (multi-staff or growing church context preferred).
- Undergraduate degree required; seminary or ministry-related graduate degree preferred.
Personal Characteristics and Qualifications
- Demonstrates Biblical leadership qualities consistent with 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1.
- A proven track record of personal and ministry evangelism by living intentionally on mission.
- A leader who takes ministry seriously, but not themselves, while remaining humble, secure, and relatable.
- A person of high integrity, emotional intelligence, and spiritual maturity.
- Strategic thinker comfortable navigating the complexity and momentum of a growing mid-sized church.
- Able to communicate vision clearly and build systems and accountability structures that help the organization execute effectively.
- Collaborative, team-oriented leader who builds strong relationships and fosters open, honest communication.
- A developer of people who sees and calls out potential in others and invests in their growth.
- A servant leader willing to lead from the front while empowering others to thrive in their roles.
Who would love this role vs who would not
- You would love working here if you love seeing people who are new or young to faith take bold steps in their spiritual journey with Jesus; you would not if you are primarily excited by helping people who have been Christians for 30 years learn new Bible facts.
- You would love working here if you enjoy being seen, known, and engaged in the life of the community; you would not if you prefer spending most of your free time holed up at home by yourself.
- You would love working here if you cling tightly to the non-negotiables of Orthodox Christian faith; you would not if you love making a really big deal out of secondary issues.
- You would love working here if you can maintain a politically independent perspective, recognizing the strengths and weaknesses on both sides of our cultural landscape; you would not if you lean toward hard-left or hard-right extremes.
- You would love working here if you enjoy trying new things to reach people far from God; you would not if you prefer doing the same thing year after year after year.
- You would love working here if you can preach and teach Scripture clearly, faithfully, and accessibly to people who don’t yet know the language of church; you would not if your communication assumes a seminary-level audience or relies on insider Christian jargon.
- You would love working here if you believe the church should be known more for its love, generosity, and faithfulness than for its controversies; you would not if you are drawn to cultural flashpoints and reactionary ministry.
Salary Range:
Full time salaried exempt position. Range: $85,000-$95,000 total package
To apply: Please send resume and 2-3 video sermon examples to [email protected]
Pay: $90,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year
Application Question(s):
- Please send 2-3 videos of you preaching to a live congregation.
Experience:
- ministry leadership: 5 years (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Woodland, CA 95695: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
